For #3, I wouldn't say "killed." I think a better term is "ended," because some willingly offed themselves. Examples include Breaking Bad and Seinfeld.

You left out: Shows that die a young and richly deserved death. These are mostly uninspired ripoffs of something that was successful a season or two earlier.

James: Good idea on the terminology. I've added your two cases, they are very clear cut. I'd avoided Breaking Bad because we're still watching it but from what I hear there are no sharks.

John: What would be an example or two?

I know they were more than likely thinking it would be renewed, but Carnivale had a particularly bad ending...the writing starting going down hill (dragging) about three episodes from the finale...and the finale stunk. There were way too many plot holes unresolved.

Firefly! Killed in the crib by some unremembered Fox drudge. Each of the twenty six shows is a stand alone jewel, but as a piece of work it stands with the giants.

Deadwood.

Died far too young, murdered by bean counters at HBO.

Added.

#4. Arrested Development

I;ll take your word for Arrested Development. I've never seen it and don't know what it is.

There's another separate issue: series that had an overall arc, and then that was done: did they then bow out gracefully, or let someone persuade them to go on and on. Moonlighting had that kind of arc, back in the day, and did a nice job closing up shop. Twin Peaks was only interesting when it was full of undefined menace. I'm not sure it jumped the shark, just got boring once it started explaining things and then not ending. Plus the explanations were stupid.

Nat I agree this is a thing and I would regard that as a subset of Category 1. Some shows drift away culturally or lose relevance, some just get redundant, but many do seem to end, but then they don't. They are the unended.

"Freaks and Geeks" is popularly cites as a victim of early demise. I suggest adding it to category #4.

Is "Community" a show that can arguably fit in every category (dependent upon how you view the fourth season)?

Gail, i've not seen it. Very few shows are category 2 (and any positioning in that category is inherently tenuous as sharks can come out of nowhere).

Possible inclusions
* Jump the shark: "Dexter," and "Lost Girl"
* Died young: "Prime Evil" Ca version
* Immortal: "Misfits," "Sone of Anarchy," and "That 70s Show"
* Died in it's prime: "Spartacus"

OK, I've added them. I was wondering about US primevil. I've not seen it. I really like the UK version.

People may argue with you about the immortals, but such is the nature of these things. I'm not against listing a show in more than one place.

That's bad news.

what about "six feet under" - i´d put it into "ended in their prime time" - any objections??

I would putBeing Human in Category 3.Sons of Anarchy should have ended with Jax killing his stepfather and before Opie was killed.

And by I am referring to the BBC version ofBeing Human of course.

"That '70s Show" *definitely* jumped the shark. While there were a few worthwhile story lines after the 5th series, by the end of the 5th the show sailed over the fin. The 8th series, lacking two major lead characters, was a complete waste of time.

Old items for #3:
Kung Fu
Legend

Those should be in #4 untimely end

Lie to Me* should land in category One (but could have been cat 2).
Writing went away from the "science" of the behaviors, towards the personal, back-story junk,.

The core was made to rot, when it should've been great.

Only 4 cat 5 shows. I wonder if that's because there really are fewer of them, you aren't as familiar with many of them (good for you! :) or you are being overly charitable. ;)

Cat 2 is where everyone would want to be. What's the minimum number of seasons to be considered in this lofty category? Is it premature to call Big Bang Theory a cat 2?

In Cat 3 what about Sopranos? Six seasons and I would say they were all good. (YMMV)

I must disagree with the choice of "Almost Human" deserving to die - it had real potential and at least three very interesting lead characters. I am still grouchy about its demise.

Also, I could have used a LOT more MI5. :-(

Out of all of these, I can only find 6 that I have even watched a single complete episode of, so I am clearly unqualified to comment. On the other hand, this is the internet, so maybe I should just assert that I am an expert.

Yeah, I kinda liked "Almost Human". There was a similar show on another network that was pretty awful about a guy with a chip in his head. I have to wonder if, in the ratings and triangulations of the network execs , "Almost Human" didn't get sucked down by that other show (the name of which eludes me) and a glut of sci-fi/fantasy stuff. Also there's a show called "Being Human" that sounds pretty dreadful.

"Revolution" got cancelled. Maybe file that one under shows that are too intense, provocative, and unsentimental for some people yet somehow don't pander to the teen-angst CW crowd -- not that it was Shakespeare or anything.

So.... Star Trek, original series. Hmmm. 2, 3 or 4?

Cat. 3.5
Shows that Die but Sputter Back to Life.. Then Die... Then Get up and Do Schtick... Then Who Knows? And also at Some Point They Go to Hollywood but Wander off Because They Find out It's too Disgusting

Red Dwarf

Rather surprised, pleasantly so, to see Bletchley Circle listed. Not many people know about it especially in the states.

Fringe jumped the shark late in Season 4. Season 5 was really an anticlimatic season and didn't fit. Some might argue Fringe jumped the shark when they rewrote the timelines because so many plots that were supposed to tie into a central theme couldn't be tied in, so they gave up, discarded all those episodes, and started over.

Still thoroughly enjoyed it though because a lot of it was filmed on my old stomping grounds both around Vancouver and at my old university.

I might add Sherlock (BBC) as jumping the shark in the last season. He was wrong on pretty much every major conclusion, and the breakthroughs were made by other people. E.g. fanatic train guy who noticed a car was missing. And his response to being outsmarted time and again? Violence.

We saw Elementary Season 1 on DVD, and despite our initial misgivings enjoyed it. When things slow down a bit we'll see if our local library has more seasons out now.

Incidentally, keep your eye on Orphan Black. I'm really hoping it doesn't fall into Category 4 or 1. We've just seen first season on DVD and are awaiting Season 2.

I agree with Obstreperous Applesauce, that there are some shows that die, then come back, sometimes much like they were before and sometimes very confused.

In addition to Red Dwarf, I suggest Futurama in that category. Plus, I suppose, Family Guy, if only because a) its resurrection was the inspiration for a similar campaign by fans of Futurama and b) the quality after the resurrection was about the same as the quality before.

kayvaan: regarding the Big Bang theory: There is actually a huge category that is not included at all; shows that are still running and we're not sure if they'll jump the shark or not!

Nat Case, Star Trek, original series can't be category 4 because it had too many seasons.

Obstreperous A and TheBrummell, I'm putting those shows under category 2 because if you can keep coming back as a zombie you must be immortal.

Dan, I reluctantly put Sherlock under category 1; I would have assumed it immortal (though with a twist based on the limitations of the canon). But I've not seen more than the first two or three so I'll take your word for it.

Shows that are prolific? (have spin offs and/or movies, go forth and multiply, etc.)

Star Trek
------
Though outside the parameters of this exercise I guess, Sherlock Holms is certainly a prolific character.

That would be an interesting category, though it could overlap with each or all of the other categories so maybe it should be a separate list. Maybe even a separate blog post.

Also, distinguishing between different "shows" and spinoffs might be tricky.

Oh come on, Red Dwarf was pants after about series 6. It's so long ago I've forgotten the details; Series 1 wasn't that good, but by 3, 4, 5, 6, they'd found their mojo and it was great, but by 7 and after it just got silly and boring.
Who can forget the comic genius of the episode where Kryten is taught how to lie? Or indeed the "Everybody's dead" Dave bit.

What category does "pants" go into?

Hmmm.. Thinking aboutFarscape, I can't decide which category it should go into. Probably #3, because I considered it excellent.

And then there'sAutoman. I'd put that in Category #5.

Just watching Farscape now.