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There are only so many good story ideas that can come out of one concept. That’s why a show as clever and funny as the Drew Carey Show was in the early seasons can become a show as unwatchable and vapid as the Drew Carey Show in later years. This limitation on entertainment is so universal that it has a name: Jumping the Shark.

Waaaay back when, one of the top shows on TV was Happy Days. As silly and dated as it seems now, it was very popular at the time. Happy Days was a mixture of nostalgia and humor. It made us laugh, and it felt familiar and comfortable. As the seasons rolled on, the characters developed and grew. Due to the intense popularity of Henry Winkler’s character, Fonzie went from a bit part to a kind of a co-lead in an ostensible ensemble cast. The show was on the top of the Nielsen charts and spawned several spin offs.

Then, one fine night, for no particularly good reason, Fonzie was challenged to jump over a shark tank on water skis. He did so, wearing his trademark leather jacket, naturally, even though his opponent chickened out. And so began the rapid descent of a once great show. Soon after, Richie left the show and immediately was replaced by a previously unmentioned cousin. Fonzie grew a beard and became a teacher. Before long, the show was off the air.

It seems that all shows will jump the shark if left on long enough. The shark jumping phenomenon is especially prevalent and virulent in sitcoms, but it can take down any genre of show. If you look back on a series that has passed its prime, you can spot when a show jumped the shark. As often as not, it happens when the guy finally gets the girl (see this season of Two and a Half Men or How I Met Your Mother), or when the writers invent such an implausible reason for the guy to not get the girl that it defies all logic (Friends and My Name Is Earl come to mind).