Editing Jumping the shark (section)

== Related idioms ==

=== Nuking the fridge ===

In 2008, ''Time'' identified a term modeled after "jump the shark": "nuke the fridge". Specifically applicable to film, the magazine defined the term: "to exhaust a Hollywood franchise with disappointing sequels."<ref>{{Cite magazine | url = https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1855948_1864100_1864105,00.html | title = Top 10 Buzzwords—The Top 10 Everything of 2008 | magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] | first = John | last = Cloud | date = November 6, 2013 | access-date = November 6, 2013 | archive-date = November 9, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131109151425/http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1855948_1864100_1864105,00.html | url-status = live }}</ref>

The phrase derives from a scene in the fourth ''[[Indiana Jones]]'' film, ''[[Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull]]'', in which [[Indiana Jones (character)|Indiana Jones]] survives an [[atomic bomb]] detonation by fitting himself into a lead-lined refrigerator to shield himself from the explosion. The blast completely annihilates its surroundings but sends the refrigerator flying a sufficient distance away for the protagonist to escape unharmed.<ref name="nytimes">{{cite web | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/magazine/george-lucas-red-tails.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all& | title = George Lucas Is Ready to Roll the Credits | work = [[The New York Times]] | date = January 22, 2012 | access-date = November 6, 2013 | first = Bryan | last = Curtis | archive-date = June 21, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150621044418/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/22/magazine/george-lucas-red-tails.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all& | url-status = live }}</ref> The scene was criticized as being scientifically implausible.<ref>{{Cite magazine | url = https://newsfeed.time.com/2012/02/28/indiana-jones-nuke-the-fridge-plot-is-shockingly-scientifically-impossible/ | title = Indiana Jones' 'Nuke the Fridge' Plot Is, Shockingly, Scientifically Impossible | magazine = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] | first = Melissa | last = Locker | date = November 28, 2012 | access-date = November 6, 2013 | archive-date = November 9, 2013 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131109151335/http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/02/28/indiana-jones-nuke-the-fridge-plot-is-shockingly-scientifically-impossible/ | url-status = live }}</ref>

Within two days of the film's premiere, the phrase "nuke the fridge" had [[Viral phenomenon|gone viral]], describing film scenes that similarly stretched credulity.<ref>{{Cite news | title = "Jump the Shark", Meet "Nuke the Fridge" | work = [[Newsweek]] | date = June 28, 2008 | archive-date = September 4, 2012 | url = http://www.newsweek.com/id/143782 | access-date = November 6, 2013 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120904050502/http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2008/06/28/jump-the-shark-meet-nuke-the-fridge.html | url-status = live }}</ref> Director [[Steven Spielberg]] later said the scene was "my silly idea" and was glad to have been part of the pop-culture phrase,<ref>{{cite web | url = http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=32315 | title = Spielberg: More Indy & Jurassic Park? | date = October 26, 2011 | access-date = November 6, 2013 | work = [[Empire (film magazine)|Empire]] | first = Helen | last = O'Hara | archive-date = May 12, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120512003550/http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=32315 | url-status = live }}</ref> while the film's executive producer [[George Lucas]] took similar credit believing that Jones would have had an even chance of surviving the explosion.<ref name="nytimes"/>

=== Growing the beard ===

"Growing the beard" refers to the opposite of jumping the shark; i.e. when a show dramatically improves in quality.{{dubious|date=February 2024}}{{citation needed|date=February 2024}} In the series ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'' the second season is considered to be better in terms of storytelling over the first season. This shift coincided with character [[William Riker]], who was clean-shaven for the [[Star Trek: The Next Generation (season 1)|first season]], growing a mustache and beard that he retained for the second season and most Star Trek media afterwards.<ref>{{Cite web|date=May 12, 2021|title=Star Trek: Why Commander Riker Grew a Beard for The Next Generation Season 2|url=https://www.cbr.com/star-trek-why-commander-riker-grew-a-beard-for-the-next-generation-season-2/|access-date=November 3, 2021|website=CBR|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Gartenberg|first=Chaim|date=September 14, 2017|title=How Seth MacFarlane could save his terminally bland Star Trek clone The Orville|url=https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/14/16307156/the-orville-fox-star-trek-seth-macfarlane-humor-originality|access-date=November 3, 2021|website=The Verge|language=en}}</ref>