The movie Jaws led many viewers to stay away from beaches when it was released in 1975, and has been widely criticized for promoting negative stereotypes about sharks and their behavior. Peter Benchley eventually regretted writing the book, and in 1995 said: “The extensive new knowledge of sharks would make it impossible for me to create, in good conscience, a villain of the magnitude and malignity of the original. ... If I have one hope, it is that we will come to appreciate and protect these wonderful animals before we manage, through ignorance, stupidity and greed, to wipe them out altogether.”

Conservationists hate that the film has made it difficult to convince the public that sharks need protection from humans, not the other way around. But Jaws launched the summer-blockbuster genre, and Roy Scheider’s line “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” is 35th on a list of top 100 movie quotes, and composer John Williams’ musical theme is instantly recognizable (dun-dunh, dun-dunh).

Hooked on Sharks for better or for worse, the media’s love affair with sharks has kept us entertained for decades.

Jaws
June 20, 1975
Steven Spielberg's classic thriller Jaws is released, igniting fear in the hearts of swimmers for decades to come.

Land Shark
November 8, 1975
Striking fear in the hearts of apartment dwellers, Saturday Night Live's Land Shark reminded us why we don't open the door for strangers.

FONZIE JUMPS THE SHARK
SEPT. 20, 1977
Donning his trademark leather jacket, and water skis, the Happy Days star jumps over a shark. This iconic scene marked the TV show’s decline in creativity, and the birth of an equally iconic idiomatic phrase.

JAWS 2
JUNE 16, 1978
Yet again, a fictional man-eating shark wreaks havoc on the citizens of Amity.

JAWS 3-D
JULY 22, 1983
A juvenile great white makes its way into an aquatic theme park, and its mother terrorizes the park workers.

JAWS: THE REVENGE
JULY 17, 1987
But wait, there’s more! This time, in the Bahamas.

SHARK WEEK IS BORN
JULY 17, 1988
The first Shark Week airs on Discovery Channel. Since then, summers have never been the same.

JAWS OPENS FOR BUSINESS
JUNE 7, 1990
Universal Studios opens its Jaws ride, turning an innocent boat tour into a flame-engulfed shark-bait journey.

SHARK BAIT OOH HA HA
MAY 30, 2003
Bruce the great white shark from Finding Nemo reminds us that “fish are friends, not food.”

SHARK TALE
OCT. 1, 2004
“Swimming with the fishes” gets a whole new meaning when sharks serve as the underwater mafia.

MEGA SHARK VS. GIANT OCTOPUS
MAY 26, 2009
Two prehistoric sea creatures battle for control of the underwater realm. (It’s no mystery which one we were rooting for.)

SHARKTOPUS
SEPT. 25, 2010
Half shark. Half octopus. Totally ridiculous.

SHARKNADO
JULY 11, 2013
Shamelessly brainless, Sharknado combined our fear of tornadoes and sharks.

SHARKNADO 2
JULY 30, 2014
Sharknado 2 is released — because one cheap, empty-headed thrill just wasn’t enough.

LEFT SHARK TAKES CENTER STAGE
FEB. 1, 2015
The infamous “Left Shark” danced his way into our hearts, making up for the terrible commercials of Super Bowl XLIX.

Looking for more Sharks in pop-culture? Check out Top 5 Worst Shark Movies of All Time.