Name a show that jumped the shark halfway through its run, yet remained watchable

[Deja Q]

"Roseanne" jumped around mid-season 5, but was still entertaining until the end of its 8th season. (the 9th and final season, given the green light at a late stage too, was simply too awful; even the finale doesn't redeem)

By comparison, "Married with Children" craps out after season 4, and gets too cartoony by season 7 (I'd say season 6, but the 3-part "England Show" finale is too good to feed to some toothy fish). It ran for 11 years.

[CreekDog]

1. That 70's Show around 2003-ish

but it was still pretty watchable. Red is so unlike other tv dads.

[greenbriar]

2. hey..I missed like the last month of Rosanne...so when exactly did Dan die

did he ever see Darlene's baby?

[Deja Q]

4. Well, maybe netflixing season 9 is okay...

I won't spoil what happens.

[greenbriar]

6. no...tell me...we don't netflix and I am an instant gratification kinda

person


besides it was soooo long ago

[Deja Q]

7. Okey dokey

Dan died at Darlene's wedding.

The finale has Roseanne saying that (seasons 3-9) were the novel she was writing. As you recall, in season 2, Dan fixed up the basement for her as a birthday present; it was her den she used to write. Indeed, as the show often made in-references and in-jokes, season 3 onwards had more and more input from Roseanne herself (becoming exec. producer with hubby Tom Arnold by season 5).

Seasons 6 onward were still good for dramatic/comedic/other various reasons at times, but they were definitely a different show than its original vision.

[greenbriar]

10. kinda what I thought

so the lottery winning and all that crap was just trying to keep it going?

[Ptah]

3. Gunsmoke 1964

Chester > Festus

Edit to add: :thumbsdown:

[The Straight Story]

5. Twin peaks

Great first 1.5 years, jumped the shark but was still watchable last 1.5

[QueenOfCalifornia]

8. M*A*S*H

It jumped when the original cast decided to leave and Alan Alda decided he was

Lead Actor
2nd Banana Actor
Director
Assistant Director
Assistant to the Assistant Director
Writer
Key Grip
Craft Services

[bullwinkle428]

9. Wow, I hate to even admit this, but I'll go with Seinfeld -

Up through the end of Season 4, it was guaranteed wall-to-wall laughs with every episode. In the subsequent seasons, there were plenty of gems, but some episodes just didn't seem to measure up to others. I think a lot of it had to with the writing...Larry David wasn't nearly as involved after S4.

Contrary to popular belief, some of the magic started slipping away prior to the series finale.

[flvegan]

11. Fucking "Growing Pains"

Okay, it was kinda funny for a bit. Then...pure suckage. If not for Boner jokes, it'd be absolute rubbish.

No, it was rubbish anyway.

[MrScorpio]

12. Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea

Down side: Monster of the week

Up Side: The Flying Sub!