The Penguins of Madagascar (Nickelodeon)

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.