For those that didn't see it, Penny Arcade shot it's wad this week.

[schild]

Seriously. if that's not the definition of Jumping The Shark I don't know what is.

[Fabricated]

Uh, whatever you say.

So, what about that signals jumping the shark again?

[schild]

Seriously, if you didn't think that was funny you're trying too hard to hate them. I hate them like the lactose intolerant hate that feeling after indulging in the sweet sweet sins of Coldstone Cremery. But it doesn't matter, the final text box in that comic is fucking money.

[Threash]

Seriously, if you didn't think that was funny you're trying too hard to hate them. I hate them like the lactose intolerant hate that feeling after indulging in the sweet sweet sins of Coldstone Cremery. But it doesn't matter, the final text box in that comic is fucking money.

Jumping the shark means its bad...

[Modern Angel]

Seriously. if that's not the definition of Jumping The Shark I don't know what is.

I think you might not know what the definition is, Schild...

[NiX]

Yeah, I thought you were trying to insult them. I thought that strip was genius.

[schild]

This is the peak. It's all downhill from here. This is the beginning of the end. It was genius. It was their wad. This is it. They've spent their lost drop. They've officially jumped the shark. What are they going to write about tomorrow? Odama? Please. They were given a unique opportunity with Warhammer. Given the fact they've been making a million+ a year they could quit now and go out like legends with this comic being their claim to fame.

                  this comic
 the past ______/\
                          \
                           \
                            \
                      the future

[Tebonas]

You just redefined "Jump the shark" as "Being at its peak". Which is fine if you know it, but not the definition everybody else uses.

[WindupAtheist]

A shark-jumping moment is one so stupendously awful that it forces a moment of clarity wherein the viewer realizes that a once-enjoyable series has irrevocably gone to the dogs.  What you're talking about is just called a funny comic.

[schild]

I always figured 'jumped the shark' was just a clever turn of words used to describe the very obvious point where something couldn't get better and it could only go downhill. As in, jumping the shark means it can only get worse. Not that the jump itself was bad.

So the phrase jumping the shark is the worst moment? or just the moment where things can only flatline or get worse but can't get better? Whatever. Doesn't matter. It's a more convoluted phrase than I thought.

[Llava]

I have nothing against Penny Arcade.

It's hit or miss, usually.  It frequently gets a chuckle out of me.  I sometimes read Tycho's newsbits, and I sometimes get a laugh out of them as well.  His particular way of speaking is simultaneously dramatic, nerdy, and casual, and it's a style, I think, that works.  Usually.

I feel that a lot of the Penny Arcade hate is of the "they touched me in a bad place" variety, and isn't necessarily deserved.

They're not gods.  They're not heroes.  They're two nerds who happened to find that right mix of talent and luck.  Good on 'em, and I hope they can keep rolling like they have.

Today's strip was worth a chuckle, but I didn't fall out of my chair or anything.  I felt it was about on par with the quality I expect from them.

In conclusion, I have nothing to add to this discussion.

EDIT

I take it back.  I have something to add to the meta-discussion.

http://www.jumptheshark.com/about.htm

Q.  Did "jump the shark" originate from this web site, or did you create the site to capitalize on the phrase?

A.  It all started here.  This site went up December 24, 1997 and gave birth to the phrase "jump the shark."  As the site continues to grow in popularity, the term has become more commonplace.  The site is the chicken, the egg, and now a Catch-22.

Q. What is jumping the shark?

A. It's a moment. A defining moment when you know that your favorite television program has reached its peak. That instant that you know from now on...it's all downhill. Some call it the climax. We call it "Jumping the Shark."  From that moment on, the program will simply never be the same.

The term "jump the shark" was coined by my college roommate for 4 years, Sean J. Connolly, in Ann Arbor, Michigan back in 1985. This web site, book, film, and all other material surrounding shark jumping, are hereby dedicated to "the Colonel."

The aforementioned expression refers to the telltale sign of the demise of Happy Days, our favorite example, when Fonzie actually "jumped the shark." The rest is history.

Jumping the shark applies not only to TV, but also music, film, even everyday life. "Did you see her boyfriend? She definitely jumped the shark." You get the idea.

We have begun by chronicling the history of television.  We are incorporating shows from the new season slowly but surely. Some shows are not listed...yet! We invite you to comment when any show jumped the shark.

[schild]

So I was right and everyone else was wrong.

Ha ha. Fuckers. Shove it up your ass. Hoooo ha. One to nothing. Bitches.

[Yoru]

[Strazos]

I did not find it to be particularly funny. At all. A yawner, if you will.

[Tebonas]

I feel like Henry Higgins here. I thought you got it already. Look at your posting where you crossed out the first part.

Language is about intent as well as words. Maybe another definition (the one from Wikipedia) can drive that home.

Jumping the shark is a metaphor that has been used by US TV critics and fans since the 1990s to denote the moment when a TV series is deemed to have passed its peak. Once a show has "jumped the shark," fans sense a noticeable decline in quality or feel the show has undergone too many changes to retain its original charm. The phrase was popularized by Jon Hein on his website jumptheshark.com. It alludes to a scene in the TV series Happy Days when the popular character Fonzie, on water skis, literally jumps over a shark.

You see while using that phrase at the peak moment might be factually right it is not right in the spirit of the saying.

Now once again, where does it rain?

I really don't want a word nerd slapfight here. But discussions are easier if everybody uses the same vocabulary.

[Azazel]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_the_shark
Origin
The phrase refers to a scene in a three-part episode of the American TV series Happy Days, first broadcast on September 20, 1977. In the "Hollywood" episode, Fonzie (Henry Winkler), wearing swim trunks and his trademark leather jacket, jumps over a penned-in shark while water skiing (you can find a video clip of this scene among the external links).

Many have noted the shark episode as the moment when they realized the show was no longer worth watching, considering the scene to be unrealistic and of poor quality, making it impossible to maintain suspension of disbelief.

It doesn't mean "this is the best thing it can ever do". It means "oh dear, it's turned to shit".

And while I am a Warhammer guy, and often enjoy PA, I found it to be merely a "meh" quality comic.

[dusematic]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_the_shark
Origin
The phrase refers to a scene in a three-part episode of the American TV series Happy Days, first broadcast on September 20, 1977. In the "Hollywood" episode, Fonzie (Henry Winkler), wearing swim trunks and his trademark leather jacket, jumps over a penned-in shark while water skiing (you can find a video clip of this scene among the external links).

Many have noted the shark episode as the moment when they realized the show was no longer worth watching, considering the scene to be unrealistic and of poor quality, making it impossible to maintain suspension of disbelief.

It doesn't mean "this is the best thing it can ever do". It means "oh dear, it's turned to shit".

And while I am a Warhammer guy, and often enjoy PA, I found it to be merely a "meh" quality comic.

No shit, how are we even having this discussion?

[Toast]

F13 jumped the shark with the 95 page Star Wars thread, har har har.

Someone had to say it.

[tazelbain]

You are all a bunch of roleplayers.

[Roac]

I always figured 'jumped the shark' was just a clever turn of words used to describe the very obvious point where something couldn't get better and it could only go downhill. As in, jumping the shark means it can only get worse. Not that the jump itself was bad.

So the phrase jumping the shark is the worst moment? or just the moment where things can only flatline or get worse but can't get better? Whatever. Doesn't matter. It's a more convoluted phrase than I thought.

Jumping the shark is where the audiance realizes the show/content is already well on the downhill slope, not when it's cresting a hill and at its peak.  It's the moment where writers break the last tender threads holding fanboys enthralled, where everyone wakes up and realizes that not only did that moment suck, but it has been sucking for a while.  It's when everyone snaps to and realizes the critics were right afterall.  It is not "wow, that was the best moment ever, they can't top that".  

[schild]

HELLO, MCFLY. Llava just posted the definition from the guys who came up with the word. I was right. Why are you trying to convince me otherwise. Here, lemme copy and paste it.

A. It's a moment. A defining moment when you know that your favorite television program has reached its peak. That instant that you know from now on...it's all downhill. Some call it the climax. We call it "Jumping the Shark."  From that moment on, the program will simply never be the same.

[shiznitz]

Put me in the camp that KNOWS "jump the shark" moments occur after the peak. Shark jumping episodes are written to  recapture previous Nielsen ratings glory. It is like throwing a wedding or baby event onto a show during sweeps week, but much worse. In fact, weddings/babies are cliche versions of "jumping the shark" now. So cliche that they don't really qulify anymore.

I don't know who those guys are, but why do they get credibility as the creators of the term? Because they say so?

[Trippy]

HELLO, MCFLY. Llava just posted the definition from the guys who came up with the word. I was right. Why are you trying to convince me otherwise. Here, lemme copy and paste it.

A. It's a moment. A defining moment when you know that your favorite television program has reached its peak. That instant that you know from now on...it's all downhill. Some call it the climax. We call it "Jumping the Shark."  From that moment on, the program will simply never be the same.

Wikipedia has a much more comprehensive definition:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jumping_the_shark

[Soukyan]

This thread had better not even make it to two pages and still be discussing "jumping the shark". Zee comic wuz zee topic, no?

[HaemishM]

I thought Fonzy jumping the shark was just really fucking stupid. It most certainly wasn't a peak moment, it's just when you realized the peak was the exact opposite way from the way they are heading.

Also, Penny Arcade deserves exactly none of the hate people throw at them. They have a site, they make money, they are mostly funny and sometimes not. I can only hope to have their track record and ability to make money at playing games and writing/drawing about it on the web.

[Samwise]

Theirs one apostrophe too many in the title of this thread.

[schild]

Theirs one apostrophe too many in the title of this thread.

Indeed. And I like your use of "theirs."

[schild]

Also, Penny Arcade deserves exactly none of the hate people throw at them. They have a site, they make money, they are mostly funny and sometimes not. I can only hope to have their track record and ability to make money at playing games and writing/drawing about it on the web.

You are wrong. They are considered the number one gaming site to advertise on and are ALSO considered to be some of the most influential members of press in the industry. And then they played softball with Starforce. They deserve every ounce of hatred they get.

[HaemishM]

They got paid to do what they want. They win.

[dusematic]

Theirs one apostrophe too many in the title of this thread.

Indeed. And I like your use of "theirs."

High comedy.

[schild]

They got paid to do what they want. They win.

The notion they got paid to not mention and not blast Starforce sickens me. To the core. They constantly wave the gamer flag high and when they do stuff like that it hurts everyone. They don't win and we lose.

[HaemishM]

But they did mention Starforce and have a few times. Just because it isn't (well-deserved) vitriol and hate doesn't mean it's suddenly whore territory.

[schild]

But they did mention Starforce and have a few times. Just because it isn't (well-deserved) vitriol and hate doesn't mean it's suddenly whore territory.

Here's how I look at it. They win, indeed. They get paid to do what they love. They make in the neighborhood of >$30,000 a month. Do they need to accept work from UBISoft? Is that going to break them completely? People are banging down their fucking door. Right now they're about on the level of EA or the aforementioned UBISoft. They're contributing to the evil rather than at least making a tiny stand. So fuck them, fuck them in their puckered up assholes. I could care less if they're rolling in dollar bills if they can't at least stand up for their rights as gamers.

[Toast]

The shark jumping assessment is usually done retroactively following an obvious drop from something good.

If you declare shark jumpage following a great success, how do you know that what's coming next will be bad? The comics could continue to be good. Or, they could be some good, some bad...

A high moment does not necessarily signal an inevitable decline. That's why shark jumping is based on an embarassingly bad moment. It is proof that the decline has begun.

[Hoax]

I've never understood the PA hate, I find Tycho's style to be quite funny and considering how often there is a PA comic that applies well to some discussion we are having about games I think they do a good job on that front as well.  I'm not going to suck their dicks for an autograph or switch WoW servers to play with my heroes or buddylist them on XboxLive or whatever.  But I'm not going to give them too much shit as they dont seem to sell out to  terrible games too often.  Considering it is them or PCgamer I really dont think it is a hard choice.  They have thrown their sites weight behind some pretty cool things (child's play, random webcomics, the rootkit blog, etc) they aren't saints, I would be delighted if they really went after things like Starforce but they aren't indirectly condoning the gang rape of young Indian women either, so they are one up on Mother Terresa in my book.