Will 'X Factor' Crush 'American Idol?' Here's a Brief History of Replacement Programming

By Oliver Miller Posted Feb 13th 2010 05:20PM

Television shows have been "jumping the shark" since Fonzi from 'Happy Days' put on a pair of water skis, and... well, jumped over a shark. The phrase has come to signify the precise moment when a TV show reaches the point of no return, and begins its inevitable sad decline. There are many ways to jump the shark, from a famous star leaving the show, to the desperate adding of new characters (remember "Cousin Oliver" on 'The Brady Bunch'?), to outrageous "gimmick" episodes ('Melrose Place' goes to Paris!).

All things must come to an end, and no television show can stay good forever. But when one show stumbles, another show usually rises to take its place. Just recently, our thoughts turned to the subject of "jumping the shark" when it was announced that Simon Cowell would leave 'American Idol' to take up 'X Factor'. Is this beginning of the end for 'Idol'? We'll examine a few other memorable instances of TV shows being replaced by newer shows, right after the jump...

For eight full seasons, America followed the lives of Dr. Cliff Huxtable and his extended family on 'The Cosby Show.' But star Lisa Bonet left the show for her own spin-off, and 'The Cosby Show' fell victim to what we might call "adoption-itis," adding new characters to replace the aging members of the family. The show added step-daughter Olivia and adopted daughter Pam to step in for the no longer "cute" daughter Rudy, but it was too much for viewers to handle. Really, you can only adopt so many children before the concept begins to stretch plausibility...

'The Cosby Show' was replaced in popularity by 'The Simpsons,' an animated sitcom that did away with the traditional concept of "family," as embodied by Bill Cosby. Dr. Cliff Huxtable was wise and all-knowing. But Homer Simpson was idiotic and incompetent. After 'The Simpsons' came around, 'The Cosby Show' staggered along for another three years. But Homer and Bart and Lisa had created a new conception of family dynamics in America - the idea that a family might be relentlessly dysfunctional, and yet still full of love.

For four seasons, 'The O.C.' chronicled the lives of very very very rich kids in Southern California. But the show jumped the shark as early as the second season, by introducing ridiculous sub-plots involving bisexual kisses, murder, cage fighting, and random trips to Mexico. In the third season, star Misha Barton decided to leave the show to launch an ill-fated movie career. The series never really recovered.

But luckily, 'O.C.' creator Josh Schwartz landed on his feet, creating the new series 'Gossip Girl' - a show that was about (shockingly) the lives of very very very rich kids in Manhattan. ...Hey, if it worked the first time... 'The O.C.'s' flame may have burned too bright, too quickly, but we'll always have our memories. Especially our memories of Saturday Night Live's parody of the infamous "Dear Sister" scene.

The series 'ER' lasted for fifteen full seasons, making it the longest running medical drama in the history of television. But star George Clooney left in season five, Juliana Margulies left in season six, and main character Dr. Mark Green was killed off in season eight. But the end of the series, all that was left were relatives of main characters, or students of students of former medical students.

Stepping into the void were 'House' and 'Grey's Anatomy,' which debuted during 'ER's' final two seasons. 'House' mixed up the medical drama format by adding a drug-addicted anti-hero, and 'Grey's Anatomy' replaced 'ER's' mildly sexy doctors with even sexxxier doctors. Remember: if you ever need an idea for a new TV show, just add grouchy or sexy.

"The Truth Is Out There." ...But was it? Long-running sci-fi series 'The X-Files' held fans gripped by its combination of unrequited romance, vast conspiracy theories, and complex internal mythology. But as the show went on, it started to become clear that the show's writers had no actual answers to their questions. Would Mulder and Scully end up together? What was the deal with the bees? Was the government in on the whole thing? Instead of resolving its drama, 'The X-Files' continually left things open-ended, to the eventual frustration of the show's fans. And when star David Duchovny was replaced by the dude from 'Terminator 2,' things got even worse.

In 2008, 'Fringe' stepped in to fill the "boy/girl sci-fi drama" void with a show that the writers admitted was directly inspired by 'The X-Files.' But series creator J.J. Abrams has promised that 'Fringe' will actually manage to wrap up all its unsolved mysteries. Will the truth be out there this time? ...We Want to Believe!

'Seinfeld' is that rare exception on our list; a show that didn't jump the shark. Star Jerry Seinfeld made the decision to end the show at the height of its popularity - during its eighth season. And though some fans had certain issues with the 'Seinfeld' finale (where the characters all oddly end up in jail), demand for a 'Seinfeld' reunion was almost instantaneous. ...Well, we may never have an actual reunion. But show creator Larry David created and starred in his own sitcom, 'Curb Your Enthusiasm,' which continues on in the grand tradition of Seinfeld-ian neuroses, angst, and obsessive nit-picking. The past season of Larry David's show reunited all the 'Seinfeld' characters for a reenactment of the hit sitcom - featuring David in the role that was originally modeled after his own personality: the role of "George Costanza."

For the past nine seasons, 'American Idol' has provided us with the occasional break-out pop star... and the occasional horrifically disastrous audition. But this past season, occasionally incoherent judge Paula Adbul was replaced by Ellen DeGeneres. And then, it was announced that cranky English judge Simon Cowell would be opting out of his contract after this season, to start his own rival Reality music television series: 'The X Factor.'

Has 'American Idol' jumped the shark? Signs point to "maybe." 'The X Factor' has already replaced 'American Idol' in England and in numerous other countries. And meanwhile, Fox has announced that a potential rumored replacement for Cowell is... shock-jock Howard Stern, which is a potentially bad idea if we ever heard one. Certainly, replacing established stars with new stars is a recipe for "jumping the shark." But it's always hard to tell until that final moment when the show is airborne, flying over a shark-infested lagoon. It's not until you're up in the air for a suspended moment that you can take a second to glance nostalgically back at your own past. ...And so, is 'American Idol' over? Only the future knows...

Comments

(22)

Saturday 13 February

By leroy

Vote down Vote up Report this

I remember when that show was...UH UH UH FIRST !! YEAHHHH DOGG...I`M FIRST AND YOU`RE NOT ...WHAT ?? WHAT ??

By Leroy's Lil Captain

Hey there Big Daddy L. Cmon, when is it going to be our time? UH UH UH! WHAT? WHAT? You know tomorrow is our special day. Just you and me like it used to be. UHHHHHH! Remember I taught YOU that.

By Graham Cracker Billy

Yo dawg dam you're fast. WHAT? WHAT? WHAT.....SECOND!!!! YEAH! UH UH UH WHAT? SECOND!!!

By donna

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

If Howard stern is the host, that's it for me. I will no longer watch American Idol. That man is a pig.

Monday 15 February

By sheelagh

Howard Stern?
Bring on X-Factor. If Stern is the Idol Choice, Idol will cease to be ours...

Tuesday 16 February

By blg814

Howard Stern is the only person that can SAVE idol. He is relevant, knows music inside and out and is controversial. He is really funny too. He would be awesome!

By Donna

Sorry but i disagree with you. Howard may know the music business but a lot of other people would be more qualified and would keep the viewer numbers what they are. Howard would totally turn off many people and they in turn wouldn't watch the show any more. Simon can be cranky, but he usually says what everyone else is thinking...and he keeps it clean.
God knows i can be a dirty old lady, but Howard really takes things too far. He will be rude to anyone who doesn't fit his standards of beauty, weight or sexual orientation. As for a sense of humor....its been years since Stern has been truly funny. His jokes are usually about sex, fat women who smell or gay men. He's a joke AND a loser.

By dr.sausage

the show turned to toast when degenerate came on board.sternos will watch because it's their hero, but they won't buy the products.the advertisers will have to press the "pound salt" button.

Sunday 14 February

By jolly

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

When Ellen was on, I watched it and she wasnt all that bad with the group of people. She made them at ease. If they do hire howard stern, the producers will have to remind him to keep his talking to a G-PG rating since alot of the people are like 16yrs old.
I wish they did keep the original 3; Simon, Paula and Randy.

By Joe

they will it will be called X-Factor

By daph

Never liked American Idol....But the show that made SUSAN BOYLE interests me.... I love her, Mrs Boyle, and think she is one of the most amazing finds in a long time

Would also love to see that huge show, I cant remember its name, anyways its a GLOBAL TALENT SEARCH and supposedly really huge too ........That would also be fun to watch ......

By Anita

The only contests that Howard Stern seems qualified to judge is Wet T-shirt contest or anything envolving nudity/sex. The only thing he could bring to Idol is its demise. For the sake of the show, they need to buckle down, get serious and find a suitable replacement for Simon.

By Charlie

If Howard Stern replaces Simon, I will never watch Idol again. He has a piggy mouth and contestants don't need to hear his smutty language

By Scrooge

Happy Valentines Day everyone. Best thing to do is just shutdown the stupid show and give that hour to something useful and more exciting. TV....ugh

By mistykay13

Stern? Ugh....expect trouble to follow when that pig starts telling female singers to "drop your top"!

By Dee

Idol is OVER if they Howard Sten in there.....How stupid can they be?

By lilly grabowski

I doubt I will watch Idol when Simon leaves. He's the heart of the show. He's hallerious to watch.

By kyleb

I believe they are grooming Ellen to take Simon's place. Surely the producers of this show have more sense than put Howard Stern on it. I don't watch him now and I certainly won't watch Idol if they put him on it. I probably won't watch it very much after Simon leaves anyway. Simon recognized real talent and tells it like it is. He pulls no punches and has no favorites unless they have real salable talent. He has a clean, intelligent vocabulary, unlike Stern.

By DAVEY BOY

"American Idol" will be fine in the wake of Simon Cowell's departure, X-Factor or no X-Factor. The shows are strikingly similar outside the fact that "Idol" has better overall singing talent. Idol producers will replace Cowell with an even wittier, much classier, and far more music-savvy Brit as the next judge, and that is Ringo Starr.

Page 1 of 2