After the launch of Saturday Night Live UK, industry observers watched the ratings closely to see how the iconic sketch format would translate to a new audience. Now four episodes in, a clearer performance trend is beginning to emerge. As the show heads into a one-week hiatus, some have pointed to signs of ratings struggles. However, industry trades like Deadline are framing the trajectory differently.
Once upon a time, a long-running and highly successful TV sitcom featured one of its popular leather-jacketed characters quite literally jumping over a shark at sea and a new expression was born in medialand. “Jumping The Shark” meant taking a process/idea/concept/plot/series one step beyond the most strained artistic rationality and was symbolic of the end of any further worthwhile creative endeavor and a signal that it was time to do something else.
Something strange is happening with The Last of Us Season 2. Not just in the narrative—but in the way the media is covering it. Or more accurately… refusing to. This week, Beyond the Trailer host Grace Randolph tweeted that she’s stepping away from The Last of Us show entirely.