movies/tv Cartoons you watched that jumped the shark

[Bardock 139]

I really wish DBZ ended with the Cell saga, or hell, even Vegeta's sacrifice. The Buu saga post-Majin Vegeta was fun, but the story felt all over the place, and the ending left a lot to be desired.

 

Yeah, it's not a cartoon, but that's the only one that comes to mind, save the obvious ones.

Edited March 13, 2013 by Bardock

[Ashley 2,428]

Johnny Test.

When I originally watched it, it wasn't half bad. The shows plot actually worked. It was a decent show.

Then, it went spiraling down. It crashed, burned and died. Twice. It got so bad to the point whee I actually heard one of the sisters say, "We will help you for some unknown reason!"...

[Loriem 639]

Pretty much every show that lead up to a movie and/or their biggest climax in the series (Such as if the whole thing could EASILY be wrapped up immediately after), ended up flying downhill after the "climax". It's just after that, some people tend to leave, and the writers run out of ideas for the show, and start forcing things to keep the plot going.

 

This can also apply to every popular Disney movie that Disney decides to make an unnecessary sequel to. 

 

Shows that I have watched that hav e done this included the Fairy Odd Parents after Poof, Spongebob Squarepants after the Spongebob movie, and many more I could name.

 

It is usually best when shows decide to end after their main climax, such as Avatar the Last Airbender. They COULD have had a whole lot of stuff added were the group had to help rebuild the Fire nation to start a new, settle more feuds  or fight some new group of terrorist or something. But they decided to end it were the current story wrapped up, rather than adding all sorts of new stuff. (Until recently).

[Twinhead B 482]

I'm grouping Animes and Cartoons together as there's no point in starting a new topic for just animes:

 

Spongebob Squarepants ~ I felt it was still okay after the movie, but it lost it's charm very quickly. Very occasionally I'll get a small chuckle from a new episode, but it's not often enough for me to believe the show is anything but dead.

 

Dragonball Z ~ After the Cell Saga. It was nice to see life for the Z Fighters after Cell's defeat, and I really liked Goten, Trunks, and Videl. But the Buu Saga was stupidly convoluted and over the top that I just couldn't help but feel like it was just a joke or an after-thought. Kid Buu destroyed the entire planet by shouting, for Celestia's sake!

 

Bleach ~ I haven't actually seen the anime myself, but from what I hear, it's just downright stupid these days. Apparently it's devolved into nothing but training arcs and continuity issues. What a shame, because I felt the concept was kind of cool.

 

Fairly Odd Parents ~ I don't know when exactly it happened, but every time this show is on, it's seems like they've run out of ideas at this point. Some blame Poof, but I honestly couldn't say myself.

 

Pokemon ~ I wouldn't say they've jumped the shark with Pokemon, not yet anyway. But I'd be lying if I said the show still has the same charm and appeal it originally had in the 90's. I've watched the new episodes; I've rewatched the old, and there is just something about the original episodes (up until the end of the Johto region) that is just more appealing.

Edited March 14, 2013 by Twinhead B

[Megas 27,498]

Spongebob - After the movie it became a steaming pile of awful, churning out maybe 1 good episode every 2 seasons

Fairly Odd Parents - After Poof was born, the show became very boring, and it feels like a lot of recycled plots and jokes

Simpsons - I don't think its as bad as everyone says, but like FOP, a lot of plots are overused to the point where it's boring(I mean for God's sake, how many girlfriends has Bart been through already?)

Rugrats - When Kimi and Dil were introduced, which sucks because in all honesty, I loved both of the movies

All Grown Up - When the first episode aired. It was fine as a special, but the series sucked so hard

Kappa Mikey - After the first season

Family Guy - After they got uncancelled

Dragonball - GT. Normally I'd would agree with everyone who said after the Cell saga, but I still liked a lot about the Buu saga, even though quite a few things pissed me off as well, but GT? Oh god that was painful, only redeeming quality was the last saga

Megas XLR - When Cartoon Network cancelled it. F*** CN

Naruto - After Sasuke left, which is weird cause I hate the bastard

Edited March 14, 2013 by Megas75

[Bardock 139]

Spongebob - After the movie it became a steaming pile of awful, churning out maybe 1 good episode every 2 seasons

Fairly Odd Parents - After Poof was born, the show became very boring, and it feels like a lot of recycled plots and jokes

Simpsons - I don't think its as bad as everyone says, but like FOP, a lot of plots are overused to the point where it's boring(I mean for God's sake, how many girlfriends has Bart been through already?)

Rugrats - When Kimi and Dil were introduced, which sucks because in all honesty, I loved both of the movies

All Grown Up - When the first episode aired. It was fine as a special, but the series sucked so hard

Kappa Mikey - After the first season

Family Guy - After they got uncancelled

Dragonball - GT. Normally I'd would agree with everyone who said after the Cell saga, but I still liked a lot about the Buu saga, even though quite a few things pissed me off as well, but GT? Oh god that was painful, only redeeming quality was the last saga

Megas XLR - When Cartoon Network cancelled it. F*** CN

Naruto - After Sasuke left, which is weird cause I hate the bastard

What is this "Dragon Ball GT" you speak of? I don't recall that ever happening. Nope. Never. GT is just a myth. I'm not in denial, I swear.

 

As for my thoughts on Naruto.....

 

Naruto. I really enjoyed it when the series started off, especially the Zabuza arc and the Chunin exams. However, I felt that it went downhill right when the final Chunin exams got interrupted by Orochimaru when he began his attack and killed the Hokage. That's when I felt the series was starting to take itself too seriously, and I hate how it began to center more on Sasuke. Never liked him.

 

Though I will admit, the Naruto vs. Sasuke fight was fun.

Edited March 14, 2013 by Bardock

[~Silver Essence~ 2,625]

All those mentions are great examples of cartoons jumping the shark!

 

But I do have one in my mind:

Adventure time Episode: Jake the dog

 

This episode was just the worst one I've seen in the series, along with finn the human, what was once interesting and thrilling to see a different dimension, turned out to be a joke, a what if episode, and generally a really pointless episode.

[DND 2,355]

If only the shows were still like 10 years ago... the 90's and early 2,000's had the best cartoons. They spent some time with very creative fun ideas, and never ceased to make me laugh. But of course, stuff in life changes, and we just had to accept that fact.

 

One big thing that I feel they've really jumped the shark on is Yu-Gi-Oh. The original series was nice, good characters, good plot-line, and consistently didn't bother me, and had a strong ending. But the newer series like "XD" and "Zexal" lack... well, the lack to make me wanting to watch it. The characters are boring, the plot-line is shaky, and well, I just mostly really hate the characters. They're like a bothersome tick that you have to endure. I mostly say this for Zexal. 

 

I actually don't mind Poof the character, but I still think he really affected the plot-line's quality because he was introduced... I guess they never fully grasped the new main character properly.

 

Up until the Sinnoh region, I thought the series was nice, and I actually highly enjoyed the Hoenn region series. I thought Max and May were nice characters even though Misty had left the group. But when it came to where they first met Dawn, the show seemed to lack that original, adventurous, happy little feeling that Pokemon usually has.

 

As for Danny Phantom, my favorite cartoon ever and forever, I really hated Dani. She just felt like a Mary-Sue, and just what the fans wanted to be if they were ever transported to Amity Park. Dani wasn't a lovable character, and I feel she was just there to make a possible plot-line work for some future episodes.

Edited August 29, 2014 by IncognitoKiwoy

[Koori 156]

Pokémon - The first 5 seasons were the best, then it mostly went downhill. Nearly everything starting from Pokémon Advance were... weaker than normal (though I can't say anything about Black & White season). Also would they PLEASE take out Team Rocket already? They began to annoy me already before season 6.

 

07-Ghost - Last episode ended like there's supposed to be more or a sequel, but there aren't any as far as I know so the series is quite disappointing to me.

[Darker 1,351]

DBZ. When it ended and the inconsistent DBGT started.

 

Samurai Jack. Even though the episodes kept being good, at the premiere of the third season the main protagonist becomes a chicken. WTF.

Edited August 28, 2014 by Darker

[Jeric 46,848]

 

 

Spongebob - After the movie it became a steaming pile of awful, churning out maybe 1 good episode every 2 seasons Fairly Odd Parents - After Poof was born, the show became very boring, and it feels like a lot of recycled plots and jokes Simpsons - I don't think its as bad as everyone says, but like FOP, a lot of plots are overused to the point where it's boring(I mean for God's sake, how many girlfriends has Bart been through already?) Rugrats - When Kimi and Dil were introduced, which sucks because in all honesty, I loved both of the movies All Grown Up - When the first episode aired. It was fine as a special, but the series sucked so hard

 

I only quoted these ... other than Rugrats ... I completely agree with this. I think that Kimi actually gave the show a nice new angle to play off of since she was the 'different' one of the group. She = what the fans have done with Derpy's fan persona. Dil was jumping the shark though.

[Christmasy Britty 2,553]

Fairly Oddparents: When Poof joined the show

Spongebob: When the new episodes debuted.

Scooby Doo: When they made more Scooby Doo shows, and live action ones.

Looney Tunes: When the Looney Tunes Show was made.

for Scooby doo don't forget the terrible dvd movies that were made direct to dvd how many of them are out there now like 20? 30? over 9000!

[Digit 321]

DBZ. When it ended and the inconsistent DBGT started.

 

Samurai Jack. Even though the episodes kept being good, at the premiere of the first season the main protagonist becomes a chicken. WTF.

Agree with jack, also with GT but just to clarify Akira Toriyama wanted gt to ve exclusively about goten and trunks and goku, gohan and the z fighters would be a once in awhile thing. Toei had other plans and akira quit. The true end of the series is the recent movie battle of the gods. Its very good and it was the first thing akira did with dbz in 15 years.

 

As for what show i jumped ship woild be pokemon when brock left.

[Darker 1,351]

Agree with jack, also with GT but just to clarify Akira Toriyama wanted gt to ve exclusively about goten and trunks and goku, gohan and the z fighters would be a once in awhile thing. Toei had other plans and akira quit. The true end of the series is the recent movie battle of the gods. Its very good and it was the first thing akira did with dbz in 15 years.

 

As for what show i jumped ship woild be pokemon when brock left.

 I know a lot about GT, they had some great ideas that could have easily made GT better than Z, but they had horrible execution. There were a lot of times when the stories felt too silly, and there wasn't enough dark and mature stuff for GT to be compared to Z. The main villains are good, pretty powerful and they have their meanings, like the original DBZ villains (Frieza,Cell,Buu)

King Piccolo ment to be the Devil.

Frieza ment to be the strongest being in the Universe.

Cell ment to be perfection.

And Buu ment to be Pure Evil.

 

The GT villains ment something different, but still deep. Baby was the ultimate rival, as he was both Goku's rival and a Tsufur, the saiyan's rivals. Super 17 was supposed to represent invincibility, as he was almost impossible to defeat. And the Shadow Dragons are the pure irony of the situation, the Dragon Balls theirselves turned into the finale baddies.

 

Aside from a lot of bad things, the show was interesting, and at least it had the focus of the Dragon Balls again, in the Android saga and the Buu saga they were destroyed, and that was quite boring. The different worlds were fascinating, the music was great, the technology, the alien races. Kid Goku, being as hilarious and naive as he was as an adult.

 

I enjoyed GT a lot. DBZ might be more epic, but DBGT still deserves to be "Dragon Ball"

 

I also watched the BoG movie, pretty good. It felt like this was a true DB movie. But it does tell that Tori remembers little from his creation.

 

Beerus was the highlight from the movie. This guy is a GOD. And you can simply tell by the way he wrecks everyone with such ease, that it makes you think of how inferior were the other villains in comparison.

 

Was the movie one of the best DB movies? Yes, indeed. My favourite along Fusion to say the least.

[Digit 321]

I know a lot about GT, they had some great ideas that could have easily made GT better than Z, but they had horrible execution. There were a lot of times when the stories felt too silly, and there wasn't enough dark and mature stuff for GT to be compared to Z. The main villains are good, pretty powerful and they have their meanings, like the original DBZ villains (Frieza,Cell,Buu)

King Piccolo ment to be the Devil.

Frieza ment to be the strongest being in the Universe.

Cell ment to be perfection.

And Buu ment to be Pure Evil.

 

The GT villains ment something different, but still deep. Baby was the ultimate rival, as he was both Goku's rival and a Tsufur, the saiyan's rivals. Super 17 was supposed to represent invincibility, as he was almost impossible to defeat. And the Shadow Dragons are the pure irony of the situation, the Dragon Balls theirselves turned into the finale baddies.

 

Aside from a lot of bad things, the show was interesting, and at least it had the focus of the Dragon Balls again, in the Android saga and the Buu saga they were destroyed, and that was quite boring. The different worlds were fascinating, the music was great, the technology, the alien races. Kid Goku, being as hilarious and naive as he was as an adult.

 

I enjoyed GT a lot. DBZ might be more epic, but DBGT still deserves to be "Dragon Ball"

 

I also watched the BoG movie, pretty good. It felt like this was a true DB movie. But it does tell that Tori remembers little from his creation.

 

Beerus was the highlight from the movie. This guy is a GOD. And you can simply tell by the way he wrecks everyone with such ease, that it makes you think of how inferior were the other villains in comparison.

 

Was the movie one of the best DB movies? Yes, indeed. My favourite along Fusion to say the least.

The final gt product was not akiras creation. BoG was supposed end the z series. Beerus was the embodiment of everything they had faced. After the strength buu had the only next step woild have been facing a god. GT was supposed to be the birth of new fighters that sided with goten and trunks. Sure the villians were well thought out but thats because they were still akiras the story became stupid when instead of leaving goku dead they brought him back as a kid in hopes of reinvigorating the franchise threw nostalgia.

[A/H 81]

Fairly Oddparents: When Poof joined the show

Spongebob: When the new episodes debuted.

Scooby Doo: When they made more Scooby Doo shows, and live action ones.

Looney Tunes: When the Looney Tunes Show was made.

I agree for pretty much all of that? But Spongebob? How did that jump the shark? 

[Red Cedar 1,408]

I'm gonna show my age on this one...

 

Ewoks. The second season was completely different in tone and style form the first. The second season was really more cartoonish than interesting with its plots. And, all the voices changed, and with them their personalities.

 

(To be fair, there was a strike among cartoon voice actors at the time, so that may have had something to do with it. Have to ask Tabitha St. Germain sometime, as her first voice role was on Ewoks.)

[Twilight Dirac 721]

Oh so many.

 

Smurfs - It never jumped the Shark, it was always awful and it just took me a while to notice

 

Simpsons - It obviously jumped the Shark, Lord knows when though.  It has just been on the air far, far too long.

 

Family Guy - Again not sure when but it has gone from hilarious and unexpected to by the numbers

 

South Park - This show has an interesting decline.  When it first came out, I absolutely loved it, it had a lot of crass humor and vulgarity but it was clever, satirical and brilliant.  Every single show in the early seasons where an instant classic.  But as time progressed, all the cleverness, satire and brilliance drained away until all that was left was a shell of the show trying to be as vulgar, disgusting and vile as possible.  I think the breaking point from me was the human centipede parody episode.  This involved having Kyle's mouth surgical attached to the anus of an asian man, and the asian man repeatedly defecating into Kyle's mouth.  Oh, and the B plot was Cartman describing in detail being prepared to be anally raped whenever somebody didn't give him something he want.  Not a shred of humor was to be found in this episode, although a feeble attempt at satire was made by pointing out Kyle agreed to the centipede thing in a EULA.  It was at this point I asked myself why I continued to watch South Park and I had no answer, so I stopped watching a show.  Not sure exactly when it jumped the Shark as the decline was more gradual than abrupt, but it probably started about the time when those awful Randy Marsh centered episodes started appearing. 

Edited August 30, 2014 by Twilight Dirac

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

Fairly Oddparents: They decided to add that fairy baby to only be used as a plot device cause it's clear that the show is running out of ideas. Also, they added a fairy dog. Really? A fairy dog? Are you really that desperate? This show should have ended back in 06 like how Spongebob should have ended with the movie.

 

Rugrats you could say jumped the Shark in pretty much the same way as fairly Oddparents.