Home » Dictionary » nuke the fridge

nuke the fridge

nuke the fridge
 v. phr.— Note: The short life of this term is ably covered by Jason Kottke. Â«In TV land, this phenomenon is known as “jumping the shark”: the moment when a once proud series swan-dives into putridity. It’s a reference to a dreadful, late-era episode of “Happy Days” in which a water-skiing Fonz lofts himself over the fin of a great white. But Indy fans were so demoralized, they coined a new phrase just for movie-franchise meltdowns. Ergo: “nuking the fridge.”» â€”“’Jump the Shark,’ Meet ’Nuke the Fridge'” by Sarah Ball Newsweek July 7-14, 2008. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Further reading

Kiss the Cow (episode #1567)

An anadrome is a word that forms a whole new word when you spell it backwards. For example, the word “stressed” spelled backwards is “desserts.” Some people’s first names are anadromes. There’s the girl named Noel...

Lead On, Macduff! (episode #1565)

For rock climbers, skiers, and other outdoor enthusiasts, the word send has taken on a whole new meaning. You might cheer on a fellow snowboarder with Send it, bro! — and being sendy is a really great thing. Plus: a nostalgic trip to Willa...