Round 61 - TV shows that jumped the shark

This week the girls take aim at TV Shows that jumped the shark... 

Ever watched a TV show and thought "ok this is too far"? Well, there is a saying for it that comes from a classic TV show that did exactly that to boost ratings. This week we discuss TV shows we think jumped the shark. 

But first, what were we drinking?

Bianca was drinking The Mechanic Cabernet Sauvignon 

Available from Naked wines

Sarah was drinking Frozen Pepsi...again

Available from Places Like KFC

Amy was drinking The Mechanic Cabernet Sauvignon 

Available from Naked wines

Bianca opened with the background and history of "jumping the shark" then she introduced her cohosts to 2 new sayings "Nuke the Fridge" and "Growing the Beard". Amy was not a fan of the latter. 

Then Bianca got into her 3 shows; Battlestar Galactica, The Office, and True Blood.

Battlestar Galactica

This sci-fi series took things too far in the finale of the third season. In the episode, the identity of the “Final Five” Cylons is revealed and Bianca found it to be a less than satisfying experience. An eerie mystery was now, borderline cheesy —and it imploded prior plotlines in the process.

The Office

Some fans correlate the decline of this comedy classic to the marriage of Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) which occurs in the sixth season and Bianca wholeheartedly agrees with that. However, the shark wasn’t officially jumped until Michael Scott, played by Steve Carell, departed in “Goodbye, Michael” from the following season. He made a brief return for the series finale.

True Blood

The glory of True Blood always lived in the lines of its most badass characters; Eric, Lafayette, and Pam. Then midway through series 4 suddenly Lala has PTSD, Pam is sad and her skin is terrible, and Eric is doing some kind of Tara-from-Series-4-Buffy impression. The dangerous and explosive sexual tension he and Sookie had built up over years fizzled out the moment their soft-focused, Bambi in Narnia sex began. But realistically for Bianca, it jumped the shark when Bill became Billith in the season 5 finale.

Sarah then goes into her choice of shows which were shows that did musical episodes. Now, Sarah loves a good musical but when it comes to tv shows she finds it a bit cringy to watch. Unless of course, they do it right.

Some of the shows that had a musical episode that she covered are:

• Passions
• Lucifer
• The Flash 
• Scrubs
• And Buff The Vampire Slayer 

Listen to the episode to find out what she thinks. 

Amy decided to discuss the TV show Weeds. Weeds is about a widower who lives in the suburbs with her two sons. The family is grieving the loss of their husband/father when uncle Andy decides to move in and help with the children. He actually seems to be more like a third child as opposed to the helpful brother-in-law to the show's main character Nancy. 

Viewers soon discover that Nancy is supporting her family by selling weed to local bored adults who are mostly her kid's friend's parents. In the first three seasons, the show is great. There are comical hijinx that come with Nancy's secret life as a drug dealer but also relatable parent drama in relation to her kids. 

However, in season 4, Amy thinks the show jumped the shark. After Nancy's neighbourhood burns down (it was a drug-related incident) the family moves and Nancy gets involved with a drug kingpin who is also the mayor of Tijuana, Mexico. 

After season 4 the show lost its charm and the plot lines were getting more and more ridiculous. Nancy became less and less relatable as the seasons rolled on and Amy admits she hasn't seen the last season for that reason. For her, Weeds jumped the shark at the end of season three. 

HELP KEEP US HYDRATED

AKA Karma Points

Round 46 - Trash TV confessions

This week the girls take aim at Trash TV confessions... 

Who doesn't love trash TV? There is nothing better than pouring yourself a glass of wine and settling in to watch a TV show you know shouldn't interest you and offers nothing to the betterment of society. Don't deny it. You do it too. In this episode, the girls chat about their own trash TV confessions............

But first, what were we drinking?

Bianca was drinking Hendrick's Midsummer Solstice Gin  

Available from Dan Murphys

Sarah was drinking Brown Brother Dolcetto & Syrah

Available from Dan Murphy's

Amy was drinking Wiley Rooster Rosé

Available from Naked wines

Bianca introduced this week's topic by explaining some of the psychology behind why people love trash TV. There are typically three types of viewers:

1- Guilty pleasure watchers - these types of viewers usually don't like to be considered viewers of trash but find themselves uncontrollably drawn to it. Like watching a car crash basically. 

2- Ironic consumption viewers - these types of viewers think that the shows they watch are really bad but still enjoy them as they derive great pleasure in making fun of a terrible show.

3- Camp sensibility consumers - these audiences have a more complex reasoning behind their decision for watching. Susan Sontag (who was an American writer, filmmaker, philosopher, teacher, and political activist. She mostly wrote essays, but also published novels) described “camp sensibility” as enjoying a cultural object that is so extravagant and exaggerated that it achieves a certain kind of “failed seriousness.”

Bianca then dived into some of her favourite trash TV;

Procedural crime fiction - shows like Law and Order SVU and Criminal Minds.

Reality television - shows such as Jackass, Dudesons, Dirty Sanchez, Wild Boys, Viva la Bam and Bams unholy union.

Then lastly the little-known TV show Son of the Beach.

Amy is not usually the sort of person who likes trash TV. Millions around the world love tuning into ridiculous reality, pointless drama, and unbelievable plot lines, but not Amy. 

However, there are some exceptions to this rule.

Passions (1999-2007) 

Passions is a daytime soap made in the United States of America and is set in a fictional town called Harmony. The show follows the lives, loves, and supernatural adventures of the residents of Harmony.

Toddlers and Tiaras

Toddlers and Tiaras is a reality TV show from the good old US of A which follows the lives of child beauty pageant contestants and their families in the lead-up to pageant day. Take a guess why this show got canceled.......

Extreme couponing

Lastly, Amy discusses a little-known North American TV reality series that follows two people and their attempts to use coupons to bring their shopping bills down from hundreds of dollars to as little as possible (seriously some people spent only pennies!). 

 

Sarah chose to confess to watching Most Haunted. Most Haunted is a reality TV show about a group of British ghost hunters who travel around some of the most haunted buildings in the UK and Europe in order to gain proof that there are really spirits and ghosts out there.

HELP KEEP US HYDRATED

AKA Karma Points