When shows and movies go too far.

The first Shrek movie was amazing. An absolute classic from my childhood. I wasn't sure what to expect when I heard there was going to be a sequel. I was hoping for a good follow-up, and I wasn't disappointed. It wasn't as good as the first, but it was decent.

When I became aware of a third one being made, I was excited. I haven't seen that movie since I saw it in the theater, but I know that I didn't like it. It was a disaster compared to the first two. Then came the fourth, which I took my seven-year old cousin to. He loved it, and I thought it was a little better than the third, but still significantly bad.

So when do shows and movies need to stop? For Shrek, it should have stopped after the second. Some would say the first was perfect enough. When you have a good show or movie, businesses make sequels or more seasons to make more money, but often those follow-ups ruin the legacy built by the original.

I saw Madagascar with some friends, and I enjoyed it. I never saw the sequel, but I've seen the show, "Penguins from Madagascar." It's an awful show really; entertaining enough for children, but from a critic's viewpoint, not very good. The penguins were good as side characters in the movie, but when you make them the main focus, it dulls the plot. Those side characters are typically static, and most movies need a main character that changes throughout the movie.

There is a movie coming out, "Puss in Boots," that is doing the same thing: pulling a character from a previous movie, and turning the focus on them. Not having seen the movie yet, I can't criticize it. However, I can predict that the same thing will happen, while also hoping it doesn't. Who knows, maybe Hollywood spent more time on this movie to make it good, instead of doing it just because they know Shrek fans won't miss it.

TV shows too. I admit, I am a sucker for crime shows, but when the episodes turn to a more personal level with the characters, when it was originally supposed to be about the crime, then I don't like it as much. If it's a crime show, stick with the crime. They should establish ahead of time how personal they want to be with characters, and stay with that theme. It shouldn't change to a soap opera mid-season. It bothers me when crime shows turn into Grey's Anatomy.