Website of the week

Remember the first episode of “Seinfeld” that didn’t begin with Jerry doing his stand-up routine? Don’t you think that the show just went downhill from there? That, my friends, is an example of “jumping the shark,” the moment when something reaches its peak, and from then on, it’s better off left alone. This site catalogs when over 1,800 popular (or not) television shows reached their climax and jumped the shark, according to user votes.

While you can browse the site’s listings alphabetically, the main page also calls out specific categories of jumps, such as colorization, special guest stars, weddings, births, deaths, hook-ups and Ted McGinley. Actor McGinley, the site explains, “is the patron saint of shark jumping. Chances are that if Ted is anywhere near your cast, consider the show on the downward spiral.”

A select few (16) shows even have the honor of having never jumped. While classics like “Newhart,” “The Prisoner” and “Fawlty Towers” dominate the list, the only current program listed is “The Simpsons.”