What's the phrase for something that is past its peak but still great?

[Cian]

I believe that it came from the suggestion that Homer would jump over a shark while surfing, and that the show would have nowhere to go from there.

Comes from Happy Days, fonzie waterskiing over a shark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4ZGKI8vpcg

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Strange that you should answer your own question, as that is exactly the expression used by fans of The Simpsons. http://www.nerve.com/entertainment/2010/05/07/ten-times-the-simpsons-jumped-the-shark

I believe that it came from the suggestion that Homer would jump over a shark while surfing, and that the show would have nowhere to go from there.

Sadly, having just looked it up, it appears that 'jumping the shark' is the point you know a show has turned crap (and writers are desperately trying to throw in crazy ideas) rather than just slowly moving down a bit from its creative peak. Maybe we'll just have to invent a new phrase for it. I can see it being quite a useful term. Could be used to describe Apple Inc in its post-Jobs era but hopefully not Brighton in its post-Poyet era.

 

[T soprano]

Pristine Rust

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Comes from Happy Days, fonzie waterskiing over a shark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4ZGKI8vpcg

Haha! Brilliant. Thanks for looking that up for us to enjoy.

 

[Pogue Mahone]

Comes from Happy Days, fonzie waterskiing over a shark.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4ZGKI8vpcg

So it did, great stuff.

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Looking at Simpsons reviews here are some buzz words / comments to jog the memory:

Golden era
Decline
Out of steam
Tired
Durable
Glossy / less glossy.
Glory days
Laboured

Thanks for talking the time to do this. It will definitely help with titling some of the other parts of the evolution of my subject matter.

 

[Eric Potts]

A cougar phase ?

 

[Slippery Seagull]

It has 'plateaued'?

 

[Return of the Rev]

Although his days of holding world boxing belts are long gone, he can still produce rubber legs in the car park of the dog and duck after closing time

 

[Baron Pepperpot]

Seasoned Pro ?

 

[clippedgull]

"Zamora'

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

It has 'plateaued'?

It may be different from the original word I was seeking, but by Jove, I think you've got it! That fits perfectly.

 

[Baron Pepperpot]

Evergreen ?

 

[Goldstone Rapper]

Evergreen ?

I think that's one that has been suggested so far, although it doesn't quite fit with what I'm currently writing about. I'm putting together an article about a former football publication that started out in someone's bedroom, and was worthy but lacked some spark. In its second incarnation, it developed a much more polished style and consumer appeal in its writing and lay-out. In its third phase, it strongly developed its own identity and style, and was at its creative peak. In its fourth phase, it lost some of its quirkiness as it tried to grow its appeal within a mainstream audience, but was still really good in what it did (it was this part that I was stuck for the term I was after. But 'plateau' is probably the best word for it). Then, in its fifth incarnation, it went into decline, running out of new ideas and losing some of its best writers. Then, finally, it truly 'jumped the shark' with cheap gimmicks and then was axed five months later.

Although I'm writing about one specific subject matter, I'm sure many people can recognise these phases in the evolution of many bands, football teams, products, publications and companies. The state of things is often written about in stark terms of up/down, rising or falling, but I wanted to capture the phase when something isn't going from strength to strength any more but isn't on a rapid decline into oblivion. Slippery Seagull has found a word that fits.

 

[Baron Pepperpot]

I think that's one that has been suggested so far, although it doesn't quite fit with what I'm currently writing about. I'm putting together an article about a former football publication that started out in someone's bedroom, and was worthy but lacked some spark. In its second incarnation, it developed a much more polished style and consumer appeal in its writing and lay-out. In its third phase, it strongly developed its own identity and style, and was at its creative peak. In its fourth phase, it lost some of its quirkiness as it tried to grow its appeal within a mainstream audience, but was still really good in what it did (it was this part that I was stuck for the term I was after. But 'plateau' is probably the best word for it). Then, in its fifth incarnation, it went into decline, running out of new ideas and losing some of its best writers. Then, finally, it truly 'jumped the shark' with cheap gimmicks and then was axed five months later.

Although I'm writing about one specific subject matter, I'm sure many people can recognise the evolution of many bands, football teams, products, publications and companies.

It's got me frustrated this one. Although I might include the phrase 'held it's own' or even the famous words Gus used about Brighton in THAT press conference.....

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Twilight years is a poor fit, I guess.

 

[joeinbrighton]

The post-Mourinho (his first time around) Chelsea, they won trophies in that time but never matched the quality or excitement of Mourinho's side

Mourinho's Chelsea had excitement?

 

[joeinbrighton]

Also, in terms of football teams, I'd be interested in what football teams count as this. The obvious one is Arsenal after 2004...

Manchester United from 2001-2004
Chelsea from 2007-2010
AC Milan from 1994-1996
Juventus from 1998-2003

Depending on how the Champions League goes this season, if Barcelona don't win it, there would be an argument to say they match the description in European competition.

 

[Buzzer]

Helen Mirren

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Helen Mirren

Ha ha. So very good.