10 top shows that jumped the shark (and when they did it)
By Sundi Rose
The Walking Dead: Glenn dies but not really
Arguably, The Walking Dead routinely jumps the shark. For a show with a terribly boring premise, it works really hard to keep fans guessing from season to season. Many of our favorite characters have had tragic and gruesome deaths, including Glenn, who eventually met his end at the hands of the world’s most handsome villain and his weapon of choice, Lucille.
However, long before Negan arrived to mix up the dynamic, Glenn was (presumed) dead by a horde of swarming walkers. The episode in question, “Thank You” in season 6, features Glenn being left for dead after this supply-run partner, Nicholas, shoots himself. Fans went wild at the assumption that the show had killed one of the favorites, and so many outraged fans took to their Twitter accounts to express fury at this character’s disposal.
As if the writers knew of the blowback they’d received, they walked Glenn’s death back a mere four episodes later. This only underscored the series’ reputation for emotionally abusing loyal fans, and felt a little masochistic in its execution. (If you’ll pardon the phrasing.)
In a series that constantly asks its viewers to abide in a permanent sense of of dread and uncertainty, Glenn’s first (and fake) death felt particularly cruel. Having him come back felt like they were offering us too little too late in the way of payoff, so a mere one season later, Glenn meets his true death.
Although it’s hard to prove this character’s demise was the beginning of the end of its mega-hold on ratings, it was around this time many audiences decided they had had enough.