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The people at DreamWorks Animation definitely know a good thing when they see it. If a movie is a hit, it gets a sequel…and another one. If a character is popular, a spin-off is soon to follow. Just months ago, the Madagascar franchise got its first big-screen spin-off with Penguins of Madagascar. Now, another popular Madagascar character returns in all new episodes of the Netflix original series, All Hail King Julien.
This five-episode release finds the wild and crazy king of the lemurs (who’s voiced by Danny Jacobs) up to his usual antics. Joined by some beloved characters from the Madagascar movies—like his best friend, Maurice (Kevin Michael Richardson), and lovable but oh-so-creepy Mort (Andy Richter)—and a few new friends, too, King Julien learns about things like the wonders of science, the joys (and trials) of friendship, and the challenges of addiction. The latter is the subject of an absolutely hilarious final episode—one that will most likely appeal more to moms and dads than with younger viewers, since it deals with the kingdom’s discovery of (and subsequent addiction to) coffee (a.k.a. Brown Julien).
All Hail King Julien has everything that fans of the Madagascar franchise love about the misguided, move-busting monarch. It has music; it has dancing; it has Mort. And while Julien and his loyal subjects remain on the island—instead of bringing their funky dance moves to the rest of the world—he still finds plenty of trouble to get into at home.
The show’s format, meanwhile, is a perfect fit for the characters. While Penguins of Madagascar showed that popular supporting characters can’t always carry an entire film on their own, the 22-minute runtime of All Hail King Julien allows the lovably bombastic ruler plenty of time for his signature shenanigans—without overstaying his welcome.
Of course, the animated series doesn’t quite live up to the same standards as a DreamWorks animated feature. The animation is pretty basic, with vibrant characters set on a flat background. And the voice cast doesn’t have the same star power—with Andy Richter the only original cast member left. But the animation is still above average for a TV series, and even the new cast members do an impressive job of maintaining the characters’ quirky personalities.
Thanks to the silly characters and their non-stop shenanigans, the latest episodes of All Hail King Julien are sure to be a hit with kids. And the sometimes clever comedy might have parents stopping to watch, too.
