Scene-stealing schemers get their own gig; fun for kids.

Set in the wake of the action that played out in "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa," this animated spin-off sets four of the film's secondary characters -- resourceful penguins Skipper (voiced by Tom McGrath), Kowalski (Jeff Bennett), Private (James Patrick Stuart), and Rico (John DiMaggio) -- firmly in the spotlight.

While their other friends are living it up in darkest Africa, the flightless foursome have staked their claim in the Central Park Zoo. But now they're competing for supremacy against an old royal pain of a rival: pompous lemur "king" Julien (Danny Jacobs).

Bottom line? Thanks to random plot lines and less-intricate animation, this Nickelodeon series isn't quite as good as the movies that inspired it. But if you love the Madagascar characters, you'll be thoroughly entertained. Kids, especially, are bound to giggle when the penguins spring into action with the show-stealing Mission: Impossible antics that made them famous.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that kids who haven't already seen the Madagascar movies -- where the scene-stealing penguins got their start -- may or may not be interested in the shenanigans presented here, because the series doesn't offer any backstory (exactly who these penguins and their other friends are is never explained).

There's also a bit of iffy behavior like cartoon violence and burping that parents wouldn't want their kids emulating on a good day. But on the whole, this is harmless entertainment.

Families can talk about the cartoon critters featured in the series. Why do you think they were chosen to get their own show? How does this series compare to the Madagascar movies? Families can also have fun researching how the animals behave in their natural environments. How is a real-life penguin different from the animated version? How do lemurs really live in the wild? And how do animals' lives change when they're raised in captivity? Are zoos good or bad for animals' well-being?

TV Rating: TV-G Network: Nickelodeon Cast: Jeff Bennett, Tom McGrath, Danny Jacobs Genre: Children, Cartoons, & Animation Available On: DVD

Reviewed by Kari Croop.

See more about "The Penguins of Madagascar" at Common Sense Media.