The beginning of the end. Something is said to have "jumped the
shark" when it has reached its peak and begun a downhill slide to mediocrity or oblivion. It's said to have been coined by Jon Hein, who has a web site, jumptheshark.com, and now a book detailing examples, especially as applied to
TV shows. It supposedly refers to an episode of the TV show "Happy Days" in which Fonzie jumps over a
shark on
water skis, which Hein believes was the point at which the series had lost its touch and was beginning to grasp at straws.