The Penguins of Madagascar
Encyclopedia
The Penguins of Madagascar is an American CGI
animated television series airing on Nickelodeon
. It stars nine characters from the DreamWorks Animation
animated film Madagascar
: The penguins Skipper (Tom McGrath
), Kowalski (Jeff Bennett
), Private (James Patrick Stuart
), and Rico (John DiMaggio
); the lemurs King Julien (Danny Jacobs
), Maurice (Kevin Michael Richardson
), and Mort (Andy Richter
); and Mason (Conrad Vernon
) and Phil the chimpanzees. Characters new to the series include Marlene the otter (Nicole Sullivan
) and a zookeeper named Alice (Mary Scheer
).
A pilot episode, "Gone in a Flash", aired as part of "Superstuffed Nicktoons Weekend" on November 29, 2008 before a new episode of SpongeBob SquarePants
, and The Penguins of Madagascar became a regular series on March 28, 2009. The series takes place after the events of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (with elements from the Penguins' Christmas Caper
intact; noticeably, Rico's scar and mohawk). This is the first Nicktoon produced with DreamWorks Animation
. The series premiere drew 6.1 million viewers, setting a new record as the most-watched premiere. The show finished 2010 as the number two animated program on television among kids age 2–11 and in basic cable total viewers, with only SpongeBob SquarePants ahead in the ratings.
-like missions to protect their home in the Central Park Zoo
. The penguins often have to deal with problems caused, or made worse, by King Julien XIII (a ring-tailed lemur), Maurice (an aye-aye
), and Mort (a mouse lemur
).
It is not known how the penguins and lemurs arrived at the zoo after their adventures in both Madagascar films, although the penguins and chimpanzees are seen flying away in a plane at the end of Madagascar 2. During the show's opening title, the penguins are also seen opening a crate that reads "Madagascar" and contains the three lemur characters.
announced that they would collaborate to create a Nicktoon based on the Madagascar
films. The new series would star the penguins from the film series. Nothing was confirmed on what the series would be about until November 2007.
At first, in November 2007, Nickelodeon advertised a sneak peek of three new Nicktoons coming to Nickelodeon, The Mighty B!
, Making Fiends
, and The Penguins of Madagascar all on November 25, 2007 part of Superstuffed Nicktoons Weekend. Then, in December 2007, Nickelodeon advertised many events that were going to premiere in 2008 (The Mighty B!
, Fairly OddBaby
, The Penguins of Madagascar, KCA 2008
, Sidekicks, and "Pest of the West"). Since then, The Penguins of Madagascar was delayed at least twice in 2008, and saw a debut in March 2009, most likely due to Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa being delayed to November 7, 2008. On November 28, 2008, Nickelodeon aired an episode from the series as a sneak peek. The Double DVD Pack of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa includes an early DVD of the show.
, who had voiced Kowalski, was replaced by Jeff Bennett
, while Christopher Knights
was replaced by James Patrick Stuart
for the voice of Private. Danny Jacobs
took over from Sacha Baron Cohen
as the voice of King Julien, and Cedric the Entertainer
's character, Maurice, is now voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson
. Tom McGrath
, John DiMaggio
and Andy Richter
reprised their roles of Skipper, Rico and Mort for the TV series, respectively. Other characters are voiced by the same actors who had voiced them in the films, while some characters, like Marlene and Alice the zookeeper, are new characters created especially for the series.
, with animation carried out in India, New Zealand and Taiwan. Both Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation
were planning on a 26 episode season. The Penguins of Madagascar aired after the 2009 Kids' Choice Awards
on March 28, 2009 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.
gave the show a favorable review. She said that the show had strong comedic timing and action scenes, saying that it recalled both Wile E. Coyote cartoons and 1940s gangster movies. Tim Goodman's review in the San Francisco Chronicle
is also favorable. He said that he considered the penguins and Julien as having the most comedic potential from the movies, with his review focusing on the voice actors' comedic timing, and said that the show also contained several jokes which would make it appealing to adults.
Brian Lowry of Variety
described the show as "loud, exuberant and colorful" and praised its animation quality, but he did not think that it was funny and said that the show seemed more like a "merchandising bonanza".
, the company who assisted Playmates Toys in the development of the phenomenally successful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
, to work systemically with DreamWorks and develop toys inspired by and for the series. The toy line included a full range of unique and funny feature plush characters, as well as clever collectible figures and wacky vehicles. Fast food restaurants courted DreamWorks to glean the rights for a QSR deal, which finally materialized in late 2009. McDonald's had produced a line of toys based on the second film. This relationship forged a new deal with McDonald's.
Licensed merchandise based on the show began debuting in January 2010. In February 2010, McDonald’s began their “Mission: Play” Happy Meal toy campaign, which featured eight toys based on the penguins in the series.
, the co-director of Bee Movie
, produced by Lara Breay
, and written by Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, the writers of DreamWorks' Megamind.
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
animated television series airing on Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon is a US cable TV channel.Nickelodeon may also refer to:-In television:*Spinoffs of the Nickelodeon channel:** Nickelodeon Magazine, a children's magazine.** Nickelodeon Universe, an amusement park....
. It stars nine characters from the DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
animated film Madagascar
Madagascar (2005 film)
Madagascar is a 2005 computer-animated film produced by DreamWorks Animation, and released in movie theaters on May 27, 2005. The film tells the story of four Central Park Zoo animals who have spent their lives in blissful captivity and are unexpectedly shipped back to Africa, getting shipwrecked...
: The penguins Skipper (Tom McGrath
Tom McGrath (animator)
Thomas "Tom" McGrath is an American voice actor and animator who co-directed the 2005 feature Madagascar and its sequel, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa in 2008. He has also worked as a voice actor on other DreamWorks animated features like Flushed Away in 2006 and Shrek the Third in 2007...
), Kowalski (Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett
Jeffrey Glenn "Jeff" Bennett is an American voice actor and musician, listed "among the top names in the voice-over field", best known as the voice of Johnny Bravo in the series of the same name...
), Private (James Patrick Stuart
James Patrick Stuart
James Patrick Stuart is an English-American stage, film and television actor.-Theater:His early career began on stage, where his work received recognition.-Television:...
), and Rico (John DiMaggio
John DiMaggio
John William DiMaggio is an American voice actor. A native of North Plainfield, New Jersey, he is known for his gruff, deep voice and New Jersey accent, which he uses to voice mainly villains and anti-heroes.-Filmography:...
); the lemurs King Julien (Danny Jacobs
Danny Jacobs (actor)
Daniel "Danny" Jacobs is an American voice actor, comedian, and actor. He is best known as the voice King Julien XIII on the Nickelodeon television series The Penguins of Madagascar and the Christmas TV special Merry Madagascar, substituting for British stand-up comic Sacha Baron Cohen...
), Maurice (Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson is an American actor and voice actor who currently stars as Cleveland Brown, Jr. in The Cleveland Show...
), and Mort (Andy Richter
Andy Richter
Paul Andrew "Andy" Richter is an American actor, writer, comedian, and late night talk show announcer. He is best known for his role as the sidekick of Conan O'Brien on each of the host's programs: Late Night and The Tonight Show on NBC, and Conan on TBS...
); and Mason (Conrad Vernon
Conrad Vernon
Conrad Vernon IV is an American director, writer, and voice actor, best known for his work on the DreamWorks animated films Shrek 2 and Monsters vs...
) and Phil the chimpanzees. Characters new to the series include Marlene the otter (Nicole Sullivan
Nicole Sullivan
Nicole Julianne Sullivan is an American actress, comedian and voice artist. Sullivan is best known for her six seasons on the sketch comedy series MADtv and five seasons on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens.She has played a recurring character on Scrubs and voices the villainous Shego in...
) and a zookeeper named Alice (Mary Scheer
Mary Scheer
Mary Scheer is an American actress and comedian. She is best known as one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for playing Freddie's mother, Marissa Benson, on iCarly...
).
A pilot episode, "Gone in a Flash", aired as part of "Superstuffed Nicktoons Weekend" on November 29, 2008 before a new episode of SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants
SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
, and The Penguins of Madagascar became a regular series on March 28, 2009. The series takes place after the events of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (with elements from the Penguins' Christmas Caper
The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper
The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper is a computer-animated short produced by DreamWorks Animation. The 12-minute Madagascar spin-off features the adventures of four penguins, sometimes known as the Madagascar Penguins, who live in the Central Park Zoo and are trained as spies.The short...
intact; noticeably, Rico's scar and mohawk). This is the first Nicktoon produced with DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
. The series premiere drew 6.1 million viewers, setting a new record as the most-watched premiere. The show finished 2010 as the number two animated program on television among kids age 2–11 and in basic cable total viewers, with only SpongeBob SquarePants ahead in the ratings.
Plot
The Penguins of Madagascar is a spin-off of the Madagascar films. The series follows the adventures of the four penguin protagonists: Skipper, Kowalski, Rico, and Private, who perform various paramilitaryParamilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
-like missions to protect their home in the Central Park Zoo
Central Park Zoo
The Central Park Zoo is a small zoo located in Central Park in New York City. It is part of an integrated system of four zoos and the New York Aquarium managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society , and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums .The zoo began in the 1860s as a...
. The penguins often have to deal with problems caused, or made worse, by King Julien XIII (a ring-tailed lemur), Maurice (an aye-aye
Aye-aye
The aye-aye is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth and a special thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker...
), and Mort (a mouse lemur
Mouse lemur
The mouse lemurs are nocturnal lemurs of the genus Microcebus. Like all lemurs, mouse lemurs are native to Madagascar.Mouse lemurs have a combined head, body and tail length of less than , making them the smallest primates ; however, their weight fluctuates in response to daylight duration.Mouse...
).
It is not known how the penguins and lemurs arrived at the zoo after their adventures in both Madagascar films, although the penguins and chimpanzees are seen flying away in a plane at the end of Madagascar 2. During the show's opening title, the penguins are also seen opening a crate that reads "Madagascar" and contains the three lemur characters.
Characters
The Penguins of Madagascar features the four penguin characters from the Madagascar franchise, the two chimpanzees, as well as the three lemur characters. Characters new to the franchise include Marlene the otter and Alice the zookeeper.Main characters
- Skipper (Tom McGrathTom McGrath (animator)Thomas "Tom" McGrath is an American voice actor and animator who co-directed the 2005 feature Madagascar and its sequel, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa in 2008. He has also worked as a voice actor on other DreamWorks animated features like Flushed Away in 2006 and Shrek the Third in 2007...
) is the leader of the penguins; he devises tactics and gives orders. Calculating and nearly unflappable, Skipper's raving paranoia and tendency to view everything as a military operation, combined with his experience in covert ops, has driven him to prepare for nearly any situation, no matter how bizarre or unlikely. - Kowalski (Jeff BennettJeff BennettJeffrey Glenn "Jeff" Bennett is an American voice actor and musician, listed "among the top names in the voice-over field", best known as the voice of Johnny Bravo in the series of the same name...
) acts as the group strategist and gadgeteer. Kowalski is a brilliant inventor, but cannot read (although he does carry around a clipboard which he records plan options on). He also tends to over-analyze situations. - Private (James Patrick StuartJames Patrick StuartJames Patrick Stuart is an English-American stage, film and television actor.-Theater:His early career began on stage, where his work received recognition.-Television:...
) is the emotionally sensitive rookie of the group. Though younger and less experienced than the other penguins, he is the most down to earth; Private tends to offer simpler, more commonsense solutions in response to Skipper and Kowalski's complex strategies (although he also shows an unusual interest in unicorns on occasion). - Rico (John DiMaggioJohn DiMaggioJohn William DiMaggio is an American voice actor. A native of North Plainfield, New Jersey, he is known for his gruff, deep voice and New Jersey accent, which he uses to voice mainly villains and anti-heroes.-Filmography:...
) is the team's weapons and explosives specialist, who mainly communicates through grunts and squeals. Slightly unhinged, Rico swallows useful tools, such as dynamite, and regurgitates them when needed, to the point of regularly regurgitating objects that appear to be too large for him to have swallowed in the first place. He has been referred to as a psychopath several times. - King Julien XIII (Danny JacobsDanny Jacobs (actor)Daniel "Danny" Jacobs is an American voice actor, comedian, and actor. He is best known as the voice King Julien XIII on the Nickelodeon television series The Penguins of Madagascar and the Christmas TV special Merry Madagascar, substituting for British stand-up comic Sacha Baron Cohen...
), normally shortened to King Julien, is a fun loving, narcissistic ring-tailed lemurRing-tailed LemurThe ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
. The King of the Lemurs is a comically conceited character who has little regard for others, even his subjects. He has a tendency to use malapropismMalapropismA malapropism is an act of misusing or the habitual misuse of similar sounding words, especially with humorous results. An example is Yogi Berra's statement: "Texas has a lot of electrical votes," rather than "electoral votes".-Etymology:...
s and misinterpret figures of speechFigures of SpeechFigures of Speech is a hip hop group consisting of MCs Eve and Jyant. They performed at the Good Life Cafe in the early 1990s and were featured on the Project Blowed compilation....
. - Maurice (Kevin Michael RichardsonKevin Michael RichardsonKevin Michael Richardson is an American actor and voice actor who currently stars as Cleveland Brown, Jr. in The Cleveland Show...
), an aye-ayeAye-ayeThe aye-aye is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth and a special thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker...
, is one of King Julien's subjects. Maurice accepts his life as a servant, but he often shows disdain towards King Julien and his inconsiderate attitude. - Mort (Andy RichterAndy RichterPaul Andrew "Andy" Richter is an American actor, writer, comedian, and late night talk show announcer. He is best known for his role as the sidekick of Conan O'Brien on each of the host's programs: Late Night and The Tonight Show on NBC, and Conan on TBS...
) is an excitable, dimwitted, accident-prone mouse lemurMouse lemurThe mouse lemurs are nocturnal lemurs of the genus Microcebus. Like all lemurs, mouse lemurs are native to Madagascar.Mouse lemurs have a combined head, body and tail length of less than , making them the smallest primates ; however, their weight fluctuates in response to daylight duration.Mouse...
. Unlike Maurice, Mort is fiercely devoted to Julien, even displaying an obsession with the lemur king's feet. King Julien, however, treats him with contempt. - Marlene (Nicole SullivanNicole SullivanNicole Julianne Sullivan is an American actress, comedian and voice artist. Sullivan is best known for her six seasons on the sketch comedy series MADtv and five seasons on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens.She has played a recurring character on Scrubs and voices the villainous Shego in...
) is a female otterOtterThe Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
who was transferred to the Central Park Zoo from an aquarium in CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. She is close friends with Skipper and sometimes tags along on his missions, but she is often a neutral character who does not take sides between the penguins and the lemurs. By being a levelheaded, feminine voice of reason, she is a counterpoint to Skipper's masculine, covert-ops character. Since she was born in captivity, once she sets out of the confines of the zoo, she goes berserk as she cannot cope with the lack of boundaries.
Secondary characters
- Mason (Conrad VernonConrad VernonConrad Vernon IV is an American director, writer, and voice actor, best known for his work on the DreamWorks animated films Shrek 2 and Monsters vs...
) and Phil are two intelligent chimpanzeeChimpanzeeChimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
s. Mason can speak but cannot read; Phil is muteMutenessMuteness or mutism is an inability to speak caused by a speech disorder. The term originates from the Latin word mutus, meaning "silent".-Causes:...
but is an avid reader, and communicates through sign languageSign languageA sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
which is interpreted by Mason. - Alice (Mary ScheerMary ScheerMary Scheer is an American actress and comedian. She is best known as one of the original cast members of the sketch comedy series MADtv and for playing Freddie's mother, Marissa Benson, on iCarly...
) is a surly zookeeperZookeeperA zookeeper is a worker in a zoo, responsible for the feeding and daily care of the animals. As part of their routine, they clean the exhibits and report health problems...
, who regularly expresses disinterest in her job. Though another worker can sometimes be heard on her walkie-talkieWalkie-talkieA walkie-talkie is a hand-held, portable, two-way radio transceiver. Its development during the Second World War has been variously credited to Donald L. Hings, radio engineer Alfred J. Gross, and engineering teams at Motorola...
, and seen working around the zoo, his face is never seen. - The Rat King (Diedrich BaderDiedrich BaderKarl Diedrich Bader , better known as Diedrich Bader, is an American actor, voice artist and comedian. Many know him for his roles as Oswald Lee Harvey on The Drew Carey Show, Lawrence from the film Office Space, the Tae Kwon Do instructor Rex from Napoleon Dynamite, Tank "Shredder" Evans in Surf's...
) is a genetically enhanced, muscular lab rat who resides in the sewers. He is a secondary antagonist to the penguins. He constantly torments the penguins and never learns his lesson when he is defeated each time, although his raw strength often requires them to resort to less direct measures to defeat him. He even tries to take over their home, but is beaten by King Julien in an ice hockey game. - Roger (Richard KindRichard KindRichard John Kind is an American actor known for his roles in the sitcoms Mad About You and Spin City .- Early life :...
) is the penguins' alligatorAlligatorAn alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
friend who lives in the sewer. They meet him in the episode "Haunted Habitat" when Skipper and Marlene go to investigate in the sewer under Marlene's habitat because of a strange sound. Roger tells the penguins that he is from FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. He appears again in "Roger Dodger" when the sewer rats terrorize him and in "Gator Watch" when he wants a new home, eventually being captured and sent to the zoo. - Max (Wayne KnightWayne KnightWayne Eliot Knight is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor perhaps best known for his role as Newman in the TV sitcom Seinfeld...
) is the penguins' stray cat friend. He first meets the four penguins in the episode "Launchtime" when the penguins end up on a rooftop across the street from the zoo instead of on the moon. At first, the penguins thought he was a "moon-cat" but at the end they figure out he was a stray cat. Max is skinny and hopes to catch a bird in his life. He at first wanted to eat the penguins, but was so touched that he was given a can of fish by them that he became their friend instead. He appeared again in "Cat's Cradle", in which he tried to hide from Officer X from Animal Control. - Joey (James Patrick StuartJames Patrick StuartJames Patrick Stuart is an English-American stage, film and television actor.-Theater:His early career began on stage, where his work received recognition.-Television:...
) is an ill-tempered kangaroo with an Australian accent. He has fought other characters on the show. - Bada and Bing (John DiMaggioJohn DiMaggioJohn William DiMaggio is an American voice actor. A native of North Plainfield, New Jersey, he is known for his gruff, deep voice and New Jersey accent, which he uses to voice mainly villains and anti-heroes.-Filmography:...
and Kevin Michael RichardsonKevin Michael RichardsonKevin Michael Richardson is an American actor and voice actor who currently stars as Cleveland Brown, Jr. in The Cleveland Show...
) are two gorillas who enjoy fighting. They once beat up Mort, which led to Mort growing after he was thrown into Kowalski's latest invention, and they then got beat up by Mort to get a mango. Julien once gave them lots of bananas but it is possible that they beat him up due to him giving too much to them. - Fred (Fred StollerFred StollerFrederick "Fred" Stoller is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and voice artist, best known for his frequent guest starring as Gerard on the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond...
) is a squirrel that takes everything said literally and has a slow monotone speech pattern. Fred lives in a park near the zoo. He dated Marlene in "Otter Things Have Happened", but she broke up with him. - Officer X (Cedric YarbroughCedric YarbroughCedric Yarbrough is an American comedian and actor.Yarbrough was born in Burnsville, Minnesota. Yarbrough attended Burnsville Senior High School and later Minnesota State University, Mankato. He is also an alumnus of Dudley Riggs' Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis.Yarbrough starred on the Comedy...
) is an officer in animal control. He is obsessed with catching stray animals. He has a stronger grudge against the penguins than Alice. His first appearance is when he is searching for Max and the second appearance is when he was tracking down the penguins when they escaped the zoo. He is a very strong man and can take down even the strongest of animals, like Joey the Kangaroo. Officer X is very cocky and seems to have hunted many other animals before. In his second appearance he was arrested for going on a rampage after losing the penguins. He was an exterminator hired to remove cockroaches that Rico had befriended in "Stop Bugging Me" and a temporary zookeeper when Alice went on vacation in "The Officer X Factor". - Dr. Blowhole (Neil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick HarrisNeil Patrick Harris is an American actor, singer, director, and magician.Prominent roles of his career include the title role in Doogie Howser, M.D., Colonel Carl Jenkins in Starship Troopers, the womanizing Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, a fictionalized version of himself in the Harold...
) is Skipper's archenemyArchenemyAn archenemy, archfoe, archvillain or archnemesis is the principal enemy of a character in a work of fiction, often described as the hero's worst enemy .- Etymology :The word archenemy or arch-enemy originated...
. He is a bottlenose dolphinBottlenose DolphinBottlenose dolphins, the genus Tursiops, are the most common and well-known members of the family Delphinidae, the family of oceanic dolphins. Recent molecular studies show the genus contains two species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin , instead of one...
who has red lobsterLobsterClawed lobsters comprise a family of large marine crustaceans. Highly prized as seafood, lobsters are economically important, and are often one of the most profitable commodities in coastal areas they populate.Though several groups of crustaceans are known as lobsters, the clawed lobsters are most...
s as servants. He was mentioned in the episodes "Eclipsed" and "Roomies", but he makes a full appearance in the special "Dr. Blowhole's Revenge", where he captures Julien and served as the primary antagonist of the episode (He was also referenced in "Invention Intervention", when Skipper believed that Kowalski's out-of-control invisible invisibility ray was Blowhole's creation, although Skipper also noted that disintegration was more Blowhole's style). He rides on a SegwaySegway PTThe Segway PT is a two-wheeled, self-balancing transportation machine invented by Dean Kamen. It is produced by Segway Inc. of New Hampshire, USA. The name "Segway" is a homophone of "segue" while "PT" denotes personal transporter....
-type vehicle as his means of transportation on land. Four running gags are that his skin is "surprisingly pleasant to the touch", that he constantly mispronounces "penguins" as "peng-u-ins", that he calls the penguins "flightless", and that he constantly rubs in the fact that he has far superior technology than the penguins do. - Burt (John DiMaggioJohn DiMaggioJohn William DiMaggio is an American voice actor. A native of North Plainfield, New Jersey, he is known for his gruff, deep voice and New Jersey accent, which he uses to voice mainly villains and anti-heroes.-Filmography:...
) is an elephant who was just one of the extra animals during the beginning of the series, but then he evolved into a character later on and even got a central episode in "An Elephant Never Forgets". He is shown to be obsessed with peanuts. - Manfredi and Johnson are two unseen recruits, referenced mainly by Skipper, who have suffered horrible, seemingly fatal ("You know, one up there and one down there!" –Skipper.) events in a number of previous penguin missions. Their "fates" have included having been attacked by "flying piranhas", their remains later ladled into their graves with a teaspoon; having been short one escape tunnel, their remains later sent back in a manila envelope, coincidentally from ManilaManilaManila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
; having mistook the "business end" of a beluga for an escape tunnel, resulting in them not being able to speak for months; having fallen for the "exploding elephant foot trick"; having lost their hearts, a lung, and 15 feet of intestine when they fell in love with two ChinstrapChinstrap PenguinThe Chinstrap Penguin is a species of penguin which is found in the South Sandwich Islands, Antarctica, the South Orkneys, South Shetland, South Georgia, Bouvet Island and Balleny...
sisters; and being apparently literally smothered when a message informing the others to smother them with affection was misinterpreted. "Manfredi" and "Johnson" are also the names of the two American POWs killed while trying to escape the German prison camp in the 1953 movie Stalag 17Stalag 17Stalag 17 is a 1953 war film which tells the story of a group of American airmen held in a German World War II prisoner of war camp, who come to suspect that one of their number is a traitor...
. - Eggy (Tara StrongTara StrongTara Lyn Strong is a Canadian actress, voice-over artist, singer, who is best known for her voice work in cartoons.-Early life and career:...
) is a duckling who the penguins once "egg-sitted" in "Paternal Egg-Stinct". In the episode "Hard Boiled Eggy", the penguins learn that because they influenced him while inside the egg, Eggy had all their commando strengths combined. At the end of the episode, Julien teaches Eggy how to dance and Eggy finds such better than trying to be a penguin.
Episodes
Production
In mid 2006, Nickelodeon and DreamWorks AnimationDreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
announced that they would collaborate to create a Nicktoon based on the Madagascar
Madagascar (film series)
Madagascar is an animated film series produced by DreamWorks Animation. Voices of Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, Chris Rock and David Schwimmer are featured in the films...
films. The new series would star the penguins from the film series. Nothing was confirmed on what the series would be about until November 2007.
At first, in November 2007, Nickelodeon advertised a sneak peek of three new Nicktoons coming to Nickelodeon, The Mighty B!
The Mighty B!
The Mighty B! is an American animated television series co-created by Amy Poehler, Cynthia True and Erik Wiese for Nickelodeon. The series centers on Bessie Higgenbottom, an ambitious Honeybee girlscout that believes she will become a superhero called the Mighty B if she collects every Honeybee badge...
, Making Fiends
Making Fiends (TV series)
Making Fiends is an American animated television series. Based upon a web series with the same name, the series premiered on October 4, 2008 on Nicktoons. The series follows the evil Vendetta and the new happy girl, Charlotte, at school in the gloomy town of Clamburg. Vendetta hates Charlotte and...
, and The Penguins of Madagascar all on November 25, 2007 part of Superstuffed Nicktoons Weekend. Then, in December 2007, Nickelodeon advertised many events that were going to premiere in 2008 (The Mighty B!
The Mighty B!
The Mighty B! is an American animated television series co-created by Amy Poehler, Cynthia True and Erik Wiese for Nickelodeon. The series centers on Bessie Higgenbottom, an ambitious Honeybee girlscout that believes she will become a superhero called the Mighty B if she collects every Honeybee badge...
, Fairly OddBaby
Fairly OddBaby
Fairly OddBaby is a 2008 television film and season premiere of The Fairly OddParents’ sixth season, which first aired on February 18, 2008. The episode was the first to air after a one-year hiatus...
, The Penguins of Madagascar, KCA 2008
2008 Kids' Choice Awards
The 21st annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards were held at the Pauley Pavilion, Los Angeles, California on March 29, 2008. The show was the first live-action/animated Kids Choice Awards show. The event was hosted by Jack Black. Voting began March 3 on Nick.com and Nicktropolis. A "Bring on the...
, Sidekicks, and "Pest of the West"). Since then, The Penguins of Madagascar was delayed at least twice in 2008, and saw a debut in March 2009, most likely due to Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa being delayed to November 7, 2008. On November 28, 2008, Nickelodeon aired an episode from the series as a sneak peek. The Double DVD Pack of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa includes an early DVD of the show.
Casting
Some of the voice actors who voiced the characters in the films were unable to reprise their roles for the series. Chris MillerChris Miller (animator)
Chris Miller is an American animator, director, screenwriter, storyboard artist, and voice actor. He studied animation at the California Institute of Arts, and joined Dreamworks SKG in 1998 as a storyboard artist for the studio's first animated comedy, Antz...
, who had voiced Kowalski, was replaced by Jeff Bennett
Jeff Bennett
Jeffrey Glenn "Jeff" Bennett is an American voice actor and musician, listed "among the top names in the voice-over field", best known as the voice of Johnny Bravo in the series of the same name...
, while Christopher Knights
Christopher Knights
Christopher Knights is an English voice actor, editor and camera operator best known for providing the voice of Private the Penguin in Madagascar , also, he worked on several DreamWorks films Shrek, Shrek 2, Shrek the Third and Shrek 4-D...
was replaced by James Patrick Stuart
James Patrick Stuart
James Patrick Stuart is an English-American stage, film and television actor.-Theater:His early career began on stage, where his work received recognition.-Television:...
for the voice of Private. Danny Jacobs
Danny Jacobs (actor)
Daniel "Danny" Jacobs is an American voice actor, comedian, and actor. He is best known as the voice King Julien XIII on the Nickelodeon television series The Penguins of Madagascar and the Christmas TV special Merry Madagascar, substituting for British stand-up comic Sacha Baron Cohen...
took over from Sacha Baron Cohen
Sacha Baron Cohen
Sacha Noam Baron Cohen is an English stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and voice artist. He is most widely known for his portrayal of three unorthodox fictional characters: Ali G, Borat, and Brüno...
as the voice of King Julien, and Cedric the Entertainer
Cedric the Entertainer
Cedric Antonio Kyles , known professionally by his stage name Cedric the Entertainer, is an American actor, comedian and director...
's character, Maurice, is now voiced by Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson
Kevin Michael Richardson is an American actor and voice actor who currently stars as Cleveland Brown, Jr. in The Cleveland Show...
. Tom McGrath
Tom McGrath (animator)
Thomas "Tom" McGrath is an American voice actor and animator who co-directed the 2005 feature Madagascar and its sequel, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa in 2008. He has also worked as a voice actor on other DreamWorks animated features like Flushed Away in 2006 and Shrek the Third in 2007...
, John DiMaggio
John DiMaggio
John William DiMaggio is an American voice actor. A native of North Plainfield, New Jersey, he is known for his gruff, deep voice and New Jersey accent, which he uses to voice mainly villains and anti-heroes.-Filmography:...
and Andy Richter
Andy Richter
Paul Andrew "Andy" Richter is an American actor, writer, comedian, and late night talk show announcer. He is best known for his role as the sidekick of Conan O'Brien on each of the host's programs: Late Night and The Tonight Show on NBC, and Conan on TBS...
reprised their roles of Skipper, Rico and Mort for the TV series, respectively. Other characters are voiced by the same actors who had voiced them in the films, while some characters, like Marlene and Alice the zookeeper, are new characters created especially for the series.
Nickelodeon debut
After some delays of the series to air, The Penguins of Madagascar debuted on Nickelodeon in 2009. The series is produced at the Nickelodeon Animation Studio in Burbank, CaliforniaBurbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, with animation carried out in India, New Zealand and Taiwan. Both Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. is an American animation studio based in Glendale, California that creates animated feature films, television program and online virtual worlds...
were planning on a 26 episode season. The Penguins of Madagascar aired after the 2009 Kids' Choice Awards
2009 Kids' Choice Awards
Nickelodeon's 22nd Annual Kids' Choice Awards were held on March 28, 2009 at 8 p.m. on the Nell and John Wooden Court of Pauley Pavilion. Dwayne Johnson hosted this awards show which lasted for more than one and half hours. Voting commenced on March 2, 2009. Performers and presenters have been...
on March 28, 2009 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT.
International release
| Country / region | Series premiere | Network | Episodes aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| |
March 2, 2009 (preview) June 5, 2009 (official launch) |
Nickelodeon Latin America Nickelodeon (Latin America) Nickelodeon Latin America is a cable and satellite television channel, counterpart of the American network Nickelodeon. It is oriented to Latin American region and the caribbean; mainly for children and teens. It is owned by MTV Networks Latin America. The channel was launched on December 20, 1996... |
Popcorn Panic, Gone in a Flash |
| April 18, 2009 | Nickelodeon Australia | ||
| May 2011 | Network Ten Network Ten Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country... |
||
| |
April 10, 2009 (preview) September 12, 2009 (official launch) |
Nickelodeon Germany | Popcorn Panic, Gone in a Flash, Launchtime, Haunted Habitat, Tangled in the Web, Crown Fools |
| |
April 12, 2009 | Nickelodeon Netherlands & Flanders | Gone in a Flash |
| March 6, 2010 | Nova Television | ||
| December 2009 | Nickelodeon Croatia Nickelodeon (Croatia) Nickelodeon Croatia is a Croatian TV Channel.It is broadcasting Croatia but also in Montenegro,and Bulgaria.Nickelodeon Croatia is just Nickelodeon Europe.... |
Episodes 1-40 as of April 2011 | |
| |
December 2009 | ||
 Serbia Albania |
January 2010 | Nickelodeon Serbia Nickelodeon (Serbia) Nickelodeon Serbia is a Serbian TV channel.It is broadcasting Serbia but also Albania.Nickelodeon Serbia is just Nickelodeon.Nickelodeon in Serbia and Albania was launched in September 2001 with shows like Rugrats, SpongeBob, Hey Arnold! and many more shows.... |
Episodes 1-28 as of April 2011 |
| September 12, 2009 | YTV/ Nickelodeon Canada Nickelodeon (Canada) Nickelodeon is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel based on the U.S. cable network Nickelodeon. It is wholly owned by Corus Entertainment, with its name licensed from MTV Networks International, a division of Viacom.... |
, all of season 1 plus "Huffin & Puffin" and "The Lost Treasure of the Golden Squirrel" | |
| December 2009 | Super3 | ||
| September 2011 | Comedy Central Hungary | ||
| February 2010 | Nickelodeon (Central & Eastern Europe) Nickelodeon (Central & Eastern Europe) -History:Nickelodeon premiered in November 1998 in Malta as a 12/7 feed. On Christmas Eve 1998, Nickelodeon came to Romania airing 14/10 in Romanian. Later, Nickelodeon debuted in the Czech Republic on February 10, 2010. Originally, all 3 countries shared Romania's website... |
||
| |
February 2010 | ||
| September 2010 | Nickelodeon France Nickelodeon (France) Nickelodeon France is the French version of the kids' channel Nickelodeon, it also airs in Belgium: in Wallonia and Brussels. Nickelodeon France was one of the first Nickelodeon Channel's to change its style and logo to the new Nickelodeon logo after Nickelodeon USA. Its sister channels are... |
||
| September 3, 2010 | Nickelodeon Greece Nickelodeon (Greece) Nickelodeon ' is the Greek version of Nickelodeon. It launched on 3 September 2010. It is available free-to-air in the Athens area on 35 UHF signal broadcast from Hymettus, while it is also available through the DIGEA DVB-T2 digital consortium on 54 UHF signal broadcast from Aegina.. Nickelodeon HD... |
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| |
September 10, 2009 | Nickelodeon Southeast Asia | Launchtime, Haunted Habitat |
| May 15, 2010 | Nickelodeon Indonesia Nickelodeon Indonesia Nickelodeon Indonesia is an Indonesian television stations which is an affiliate of MTV Indonesia. It was launched together with MTV Indonesia on 1 January 1993, and was owned by Bakrie & Brothers, together with Viacom Indonesia. It has its programming block from time to time... Global TV Global TV (Indonesia) Global TV is an Indonesian private television station based in West Jakarta. It is established in early January 1, 1998 and first went on air on January 1, 2001 with MTV programming.... |
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| |
April 12, 2009 | Nickelodeon UK & Ireland Nickelodeon (UK & Ireland) Nickelodeon is a children's television channel available on Sky, Virgin Media, Smallworld Cable, TalkTalk TV and UPC Ireland in the United Kingdom and Ireland, including on demand on BT Vision. The channel was launched on 1 September 1993... CITV CITV CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00... RTÉ Two RTÉ Two RTÉ Two is a free-to-air general entertainment channel operated by Irish state broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. RTÉ Two is available throughout the island of Ireland through digital terrestrial service Saorview, VHF and UHF bands, and is also available via satellite to Irish subscribers of... |
Episodes mainly aired on Nickelodeon. Most episodes in Season 1 have aired in the UK. |
| February 28, 2010 | Nickelodeon Israel | ||
| November 2009 | Italia 1 Italia 1 Italia 1 is an Italian commercial television channel on the Mediaset network. It is oriented especially at young people.Italia 1 was launched in January 1982 and, originally, was owned by Rusconi; after a few months, however, due to the aggressive dumping practices of Silvio Berlusconi's rival... /Nickelodeon Italy Nickelodeon (Italy) In 2004, Telecom Italia Media starts to broadcast the Italian version of Nickelodeon on SKY Italia.Since 1997 Rai Sat 2 has broadcast Nickelodeon cartoons for three hours a day.-Current:*SpongeBob SquarePants*iCarly*Rugrats... |
||
| April 4, 2010 | NHK Educational TV NHK Educational TV is the second television service of NHK . It is a sister service of NHK General TV, showing programs of a more educational, cultural or intellectual nature, periodically also showing anime... |
||
| April 10, 2009 | Nickelodeon South Korea | Popcorn Panic | |
| August 2010 | TV3 TV3 Lithuania TV3 is a television channel owned by Modern Times Group and targeted at a Lithuanian-speaking audience. It was founded on May 7, 1992 and launched on April 11, 1993 as "Tele-3" before being renamed "TV3" in 1996.... |
||
| April 18, 2009 | Nickelodeon New Zealand | Popcorn Panic, Gone in a Flash | |
| |
June 2010 | Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (Africa) Nickelodeon Africa is a 24-hour children's channel. Before it was a channel, it was a block on the African children's channel K-TV, before it created another channel in 2006, Koowee, and rebranded itself as Nickelodeon.... |
|
| April 15, 2009 | Nickelodeon Poland Nickelodeon (Poland) - Programming :Before the Polish Nickelodeon channel, Nickelodeon aired a feed of Nickelodeon Russia that was dubbed into Polish. The channel soon was taken off the air due to low ratings and availability.- Shows broadcast :... |
||
| October 2009 | Nickelodeon Portugal Nickelodeon (Portugal) Nickelodeon Portugal is the fourth Portuguese television network mostly for children and teens. The network was launched on September 1, 2005 at 10 a.m. Nickelodeon Portugal is a simulcast of Nickelodeon España in Portuguese... |
||
| October 4, 2010 | 2×2 | ||
| October 2009 | Nickelodeon Spain Nickelodeon (Spain) Nickelodeon Spain is a Spanish channel for kids shown in Spain.-Current:*SpongeBob SquarePants *Big Time Rush*Almost Almonds *Dora the Explorer... |
||
| August 2010 | BBTV Channel 7 | ||
| April 4, 2010 February 6, 2010 |
Nickeledeon Turkey Nickelodeon (Turkey) Nickelodeon Turkey, is a kids channel for Turkish children and teens, that's aired both by satellite and cable television. It is the Turkish arm of Nickelodeon.It launched in November 1997 as a block, and then in February 2003 as a channel... CNBC-e CNBC-e CNBC-e is a hybrid business/financial and entertainment channel operated in Turkey by CNBC Europe and the NTV Group.The channel shares its name with a co-owned magazine about CNBC-e.... |
||
| November 29, 2008 ("sneak peek") March 28, 2009 (official launch) |
Nickelodeon Nickelodeon (TV channel) Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers... |
Gone in a Flash Launchtime, Haunted Habitat |
Critical reception
The Penguins of Madagascar has been given mixed to positive critical reviews. Mary McNamara of the Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
gave the show a favorable review. She said that the show had strong comedic timing and action scenes, saying that it recalled both Wile E. Coyote cartoons and 1940s gangster movies. Tim Goodman's review in the San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle
thumb|right|upright|The Chronicle Building following the [[1906 San Francisco earthquake|1906 earthquake]] and fireThe San Francisco Chronicle is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California, but distributed throughout Northern and Central California,...
is also favorable. He said that he considered the penguins and Julien as having the most comedic potential from the movies, with his review focusing on the voice actors' comedic timing, and said that the show also contained several jokes which would make it appealing to adults.
Brian Lowry of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
described the show as "loud, exuberant and colorful" and praised its animation quality, but he did not think that it was funny and said that the show seemed more like a "merchandising bonanza".
Awards and recognition
| Year | Association | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Artios Awards | Outstanding Achievement in Casting - Animation TV Programming | Sarah Noonan, Meredith Layne | |
| BAFTA | International children’s programming | |||
| Golden Reel Award Golden Reel Award Golden Reel Award may refer to:* Golden Reel Award , presented by the Genie Awards to high-grossing Canadian films... s |
Best Sound Editing: Television Animation | Episode: "Gone in a Flash" | ||
| 2010 | Annie Award Annie Award The Annie Awards have been presented by the Los Angeles, California branch of the International Animated Film Association, ASIFA-Hollywood since 1972... s |
Best Animated Television Production for Children | ||
| Directing in a Television Production | Bret Haaland (for "Launchtime") | |||
| BAFTA | international children’s programming | |||
| Daytime Emmy Award Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming... s |
Outstanding Special Class Animated Program | Bob Schooley Bob Schooley Robert "Bob" Schooley is an American screenwriter, television writer and television producer. He and Mark McCorkle are the creators of the animated television series Kim Possible, which aired on Disney Channel. He was also an executive producer of the series, as well as having written scripts for... , Mark McCorkle Mark McCorkle Mark McCorkle is an American screenwriter, television writer and television producer. Among others, he is creator of the popular Disney cartoon Kim Possible. He frequently collaborates with fellow writer Bob Schooley... , Bret Haaland Bret Haaland Bret Haaland is an American animation director. He worked on The Simpsons during the first season as a layout artist. He has directed episodes of The Critic, Futurama and Father of the Pride... , Dina Buteyn, Dean Hoff Tied with SpongeBob SquarePants SpongeBob SquarePants SpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"... |
||
| Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition | Adam Berry Adam Berry Adam Berry is an Emmy winning television and film composer. His credits include South Park, The Penguins of Madagascar, The Sarah Silverman Program, Kim Possible, American Dragon: Jake Long, The Buzz on Maggie, Beethoven's Fifth, Hood Rat, Balto II: Wolf Quest, Balto III: Wings of Change, and Buzz... |
|||
| Outstanding Writing in Animation | Brandon Sawyer, Bill Motz, Bob Roth, Eddie Guzelian, Bob Schooley, Mark McCorkle | |||
| Golden Reel Award Golden Reel Award Golden Reel Award may refer to:* Golden Reel Award , presented by the Genie Awards to high-grossing Canadian films... s |
Best Sound Editing: Television Animation | Episode: "What Goes Around" | ||
| Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Cartoon | |||
| 2011 | Golden Reel Award Golden Reel Award Golden Reel Award may refer to:* Golden Reel Award , presented by the Genie Awards to high-grossing Canadian films... s |
Best Sound Editing: Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue and ADR Animation in Television | Episode: "The Lost Treasure of the Golden Squirrel" | |
| Daytime Emmy Award Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards are awards presented by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Los Angeles-based Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in recognition of excellence in American daytime television programming... s |
Outstanding Achievement in Music Direction and Composition | Adam Berry Adam Berry Adam Berry is an Emmy winning television and film composer. His credits include South Park, The Penguins of Madagascar, The Sarah Silverman Program, Kim Possible, American Dragon: Jake Long, The Buzz on Maggie, Beethoven's Fifth, Hood Rat, Balto II: Wolf Quest, Balto III: Wings of Change, and Buzz... |
||
| Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing | James Lifton, Paulette Lifton, Dominick Certo, Ian Nyeste, Matt Hall, Lawrence Reyes | |||
| Outstanding Casting for an Animated Series | Meredith Layne | |||
| Outstanding Children's Animated Program | Bob Schooley Bob Schooley Robert "Bob" Schooley is an American screenwriter, television writer and television producer. He and Mark McCorkle are the creators of the animated television series Kim Possible, which aired on Disney Channel. He was also an executive producer of the series, as well as having written scripts for... , Mark McCorkle Mark McCorkle Mark McCorkle is an American screenwriter, television writer and television producer. Among others, he is creator of the popular Disney cartoon Kim Possible. He frequently collaborates with fellow writer Bob Schooley... , Bret Haaland Bret Haaland Bret Haaland is an American animation director. He worked on The Simpsons during the first season as a layout artist. He has directed episodes of The Critic, Futurama and Father of the Pride... , Chris Neuhahn, Dean Hoff, Dina Buteyn |
|||
| Outstanding Direction in an Animated Program | Nick Filippi, Christo Stamboliev, Dave Knott, Lisa Schaffer | |||
| Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program | Danny Jacobs Danny Jacobs (actor) Daniel "Danny" Jacobs is an American voice actor, comedian, and actor. He is best known as the voice King Julien XIII on the Nickelodeon television series The Penguins of Madagascar and the Christmas TV special Merry Madagascar, substituting for British stand-up comic Sacha Baron Cohen... (for "King Julien") |
|||
| Outstanding Performer in an Animated Program | Tom McGrath Tom McGrath (animator) Thomas "Tom" McGrath is an American voice actor and animator who co-directed the 2005 feature Madagascar and its sequel, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa in 2008. He has also worked as a voice actor on other DreamWorks animated features like Flushed Away in 2006 and Shrek the Third in 2007... (for "Skipper") |
|||
| Outstanding Writing in Animation | Brandon Sawyer, Bill Motz, Bob Roth | |||
| Kids' Choice Awards | Favorite Cartoon |
Toys
DreamWorks has licensed to a number of manufacturers, including Hooga Loo Toys, who had a successful run creating a line of plush toys associated with the second Madagascar movie. Based on its success, Hooga Loo was granted a license to create an entirely new toy line for the new series. Hooga Loo recruited the creative development team, Pangea CorporationPangea Corporation
Pangea Corporation is an entertainment development and creative services company that specializes in the animation and toy industries. The company was part of the original creative team that launched the wildly popular "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" for Playmates Toys and Murakami-Wolf-Swenson, the...
, the company who assisted Playmates Toys in the development of the phenomenally successful Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are a fictional team of four teenage anthropomorphic turtles, who were trained by their anthropomorphic rat sensei in the art of ninjutsu and named after four Renaissance artists...
, to work systemically with DreamWorks and develop toys inspired by and for the series. The toy line included a full range of unique and funny feature plush characters, as well as clever collectible figures and wacky vehicles. Fast food restaurants courted DreamWorks to glean the rights for a QSR deal, which finally materialized in late 2009. McDonald's had produced a line of toys based on the second film. This relationship forged a new deal with McDonald's.
Licensed merchandise based on the show began debuting in January 2010. In February 2010, McDonald’s began their “Mission: Play” Happy Meal toy campaign, which featured eight toys based on the penguins in the series.
Video games
- The Penguins of Madagascar video game is a Nintendo DS action-adventure game based on the TV show of the same name. The game was released by THQTHQTHQ Inc. is an American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company develops products for video game consoles, handheld game systems, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices...
on November 2, 2010, and developed by Griptonite Games. - The Penguins of Madagascar: Dr. Blowhole Returns - Again! was released by THQ on September 13, 2011, for Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Nintendo DS.
Feature film
A direct-to-video film featuring penguins had been in the works since 2005, when Madagascar film had been released, with a release date planned for 2009. In March 2011, it was announced that the penguin characters would be given their own feature film, to be directed by Simon J. SmithSimon J. Smith
Simon J. Smith is a British voice actor, director, animator, camera operator and layout artist for DreamWorks Animation and PDI. Smith came to PDI/Dream Works in 1997 as Head of Layout for the company’s feature film division...
, the co-director of Bee Movie
Bee Movie
Bee Movie is a 2007 computer animated family comedy film starring Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, Megan Mullally, John Goodman, Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, and Patrick Warburton. Produced by DreamWorks Animation, it is directed by Simon J...
, produced by Lara Breay
Lara Breay
Lara Breay is a feature film producer whose credits include "Tropic Thunder", "Blades of Glory" and "Megamind" which stars Brad Pitt, Will Ferrell and Tina Fey and was released in November of 2010.-External links:...
, and written by Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, the writers of DreamWorks' Megamind.
DVD releases
- The Penguins of Madagascar, a 24-minute long "sneak peek" of the series, was released as part of the double DVD pack of Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa. It included two episodes: "Popcorn Panic" and "Gone in a Flash".
- The Penguins of Madagascar: Operation: DVD PremiereThe Penguins of Madagascar: Operation: DVD PremiereThe Penguins of Madagascar: Operation: DVD Premiere is a DreamWorks Animation direct-to-DVD feature starring the characters of The Penguins of Madagascar, a spin-off TV show stemming from the popular Madagascar movie franchise...
, a 130-minute-long, direct-to-DVD release which featured both all-new missions and TV-aired episodes, was released on February 9, 2010. - The Penguins of Madagascar: Happy King Julien Day!, an 88-minute-long, direct-to-DVD release which features both TV-aired episodes and some (as-of-yet) unaired episodes was released on August 10, 2010.
- The Penguins of Madagascar: New to the Zoo, a direct-to-DVD release featuring seven TV-aired episodes, and one never-before-seen episode was released on August 10, 2010.
- The Penguins of Madagascar: I Was a Penguin Zombie, an 88-minute DVD containing eight penguins missions, including one never-before-seen episode, was released on October 5, 2010.
- The Penguins of Madagascar: All-Nighter Before Christmas, a 99-minute DVD was released on October 11, 2011, featuring six episodes of The Penguins.