I caught an episode of The Penguins of Madagascar in a pizza parlor while vacationing recently near Yosemite. It was mediocre. I thought the penguins were hilarious in M1, played out in M2, and very disappointing in the Nick show. The King Lemur remained consistently funny throughout, even though it's not really Borat for the Nick show. I can hardly wait for Bruno.
‘Kung Fu Panda’ to Become a Series on Nickelodeon
DreamWorks Animation and Paramount Pictures
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By BROOKS BARNES
Published: May 13, 2009

"The Penguins of Madagascar," based on characters from the film, "Madagascar," has been a hit for Nickelodeon since debuting in March.

Two months ago Nickelodeon, the cable channel, introduced “The Penguins of Madagascar,” a series about the sop****ric sphenisciformes made famous by DreamWorks on the big screen. The result was an overnight hit, a rarity in the hotly competitive children’s entertainment business.

In just six weeks the series is reaching nearly 13 million viewers age 2 to 11 a week, according to Nielsen Media Research. Among cartoons only “SpongeBob SquarePants” delivers stronger ratings for Nickelodeon.

Now the channel is adding “Kung Fu Panda: The Series,” a program built around the DreamWorks smash film from last June. The series, planned for a premiere early next year, will chronicle the further adventures of Po, a portly bear and martial arts master.

“The great thing about working with DreamWorks is that they’ve spent as many as seven years developing these characters,” said Brown Johnson, president of Nickelodeon Animation. “We could hit the ground running.”

Some parents might find “The Penguins of Madagascar” crass — bodily functions figure prominently in the humor — but DreamWorks is thrilled with the creative integrity of the series, said Ann Daly, the studio’s chief operating officer. Critics have been generally supportive.

“We love that television is a way to keep these characters alive with kids every day,” she said.

Jeffrey Katzenberg, the studio’s chief executive, told analysts on April 28 that “a very ambitious” merchandising line tied to “The Penguins of Madagascar” will hit stores in the first quarter of 2010.

DreamWorks has a tortured history with television. In 2004 it produced “Father of the Pride” for NBC, an expensive show modeled on the Las Vegas performers Siegfried & Roy and their menagerie. The program, which had its debut shortly after Roy Horn was mauled by a tiger, was such a flop that Hollywood still winces at its mention.

This time DreamWorks is letting a more experienced hand take the lead. The animation and promotion is handled almost entirely by Nickelodeon, though the channel works closely with the creators of the films.

“The Penguins of Madagascar” stands out in part because Nickelodeon has struggled to develop new hit animation series to match the blockbuster success of “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Dora the Explorer.” Among live-action programs Nickelodeon has fallen far behind the Disney Channel, though “iCarly” is showing juggernaut potential.

As with “The Penguins of Madagascar,” the “Kung Fu Panda” series will not feature the same celebrity voices as the film. Rather, cheaper sound-alikes will be hired. Jack Black, though, will likely return to voice Po in a big-screen sequel that is planned for 2011; the “Madagascar” franchise will have a third film ready for theaters in 2012.