Today, we look at when (or if) you folks believe that Transparent “jumped the shark.”
This is “Just Can’t Jump It,” a feature where we examine shows that launched in 2006 or later and whether they “jumped the shark.” Jumped the shark means that the show had a specific point in time where, in retrospect, you realize that show was going downhill from there. Not every show DOES jump the shark. Some shows just remain good all the way through. And some shows are terrible all the way through. What we’re looking for are moments where a show that you otherwise enjoyed hit a point where it took a noticeable nose dive after that time and if so, what moment was that?
The great Jon Hein had a website devoted to this topic, but he sold it off in 2006 and after being maintained for a couple of years it was then merged into TV Guide in 2009, so I figured it’d be fun to look at shows that launched after the sale and see what we all think about whether they jumped the shark and, if so, when did it happen? Here is the archive of the show’s we have done far.
Today, we look at the award-winning comedy/drama Transparent, about a family where one of the parents transitioned late in life and the whole family has to adjust to her new journey in life.
So first…DID IT JUMP THE SHARK? I would vote yes.
WHEN DID IT JUMP THE SHARK It was already getting sloppy in Season 3, but the trip to Israel I think is where it really just got all over the place. I certainly don’t begrudge the show for the fact that Jeffrey Tambor becoming such a problem behind the scenes that his character was written out of the show before the final season, but even before that, I think it “jumped.”
Feel free to e-mail me at brian@popculturereferences.com for suggestions for shows for us to do in future installments!
I’ll agree the trip to Israel made me start thinking the show was going down hill, but, when the gang arrived back at Maura’s place and the AirBNB guy didn’t want to leave and staged a “plank in” and Judith Light’s character started doing her mafiosa character to intimidate the guy into leaving. Shark Jump time, big time. How do actors handle nonsense like this? I detest when characters start out okay or good, and dissolve into absolute stodgy oatmeal stuck in a bowl.