All Hail King Julien (2014–2017)

This show has recently ended, and while it didnt have as long a run as other shows, I think it should be remembered. It was easily the best Dreamworks film to Netflix adaptation, and it is also in my opinion one of the best cartoons in years. I could go on and on about why I liked this series but Ill narrow it down to the main things I appreciated.

First, the show is itself very funny. It has slapstick, yes, but the real humor of the show is through the written dialogue and consistent character writing, something that few cartoons are able to achieve. The humor is not just funny, it is smart and sometimes surprisingly timely. It does a great job of poking fun at stuff we see these days like media bias, gun control, religion etc. And instead of taking sides of these issues it makes fun of the fact that they are issues in the first place and the characters take it from there. A very high level of funny that most cartoons choose not to attempt.

Now, the characters. Julian, Mort and Maurice weve seen before. They are still great, as always. Mort in particular is used much more effectively than in Penguins of Madagascar. But the standouts for this series are its background characters, which are fantastic. Many times background/recurring characters will be written to fit the episode or situation, but not this show. Every single lemur that is named in the series is consistently and carefully, and because of that their personalities are what makes them funny, rather than what they do. My personal favorite is Horst. Never seen without an ambiguous coconut drink in his hand, his semi-vain persona and strange affection towards a Foosa is the cause for much hilarity. And thats just one example, there are may others like him and you will remember all of them my shows end,

I want to talk about Clover, who was a brand new character created for this show. Alot of times with tv prequels to movies, the extra main character that is added just plays off of everyone else exists purely to add so e jokes. Clover, though, is a very tightly written, funny and *important* character. I dont want to give away too much but it is also perfectly explained why she isnt in the films. She is a standout and I actually wished she was in the films now. She is also masterfully voice acted by India de Beaufort, and actress I am not familiar with but that I will give my kudos to and follow from this point.

That brings me to the voice talent of the series,which is just absolutely top notch. Cartoons usually do a pretty good job of this but these actors go above and beyond in this series. Danny Jacobs is honestly more Julian to me than Sasha Baron Cohen. His little mannerisms and slight voice ticks suit Julian so well, its almost uncanny. Morts voice actor(I believe it is Andy Richter) is fantastic as well, ranging from cute to creepy instantaneously. Kevin Michael Richardson is great as Maurice as usual, fitting the mold of the character perfectly. You can almost feel the fun these guys have doing this. I already mentioned de Beaufort, but the background characters are all voiced exceptionally as well. Jeff Glenn Bennett, a veteran voice actor plays several characters in this show and he is as great as ever. His instantly recognizable voice is used so many different ways and to great effect Richter also plays many characters including a masterful voice of Ted, a flamboyant, and emotional unstable lemur with many different voices. I could go on and on, even the guest stars do great work.

The animation is excellent as well. Cartoons these days usually have this down pat but this series incorporates texture, color, and fluid movement like no other. It is surprisingly high grade for a TV show and while it can be seen where budgets were made, it is very well integrated and the jungles of Madagascar are depicted beautifully, dare I say better than the films.

A show of this nature doesnt really incorporate plot as its main draw, but unlike most comedy cartoons like this, AHKJ actually keeps continuity throughout the series. This is something that is rarely seen but much appreciated and shows the effort out in. Not only the plot threads run throughout many episodes, even seasons(Season 6 or the Exiled season is particularly strong in this category), but what happens to the characters continues to effect them and the jungle for the entire series. Yes, even for the background characters. Top notch quality.

Overall, I cannot recommend this show enough. I dont care how old you are, you will not regret watching this show. It is funny, gives you a good feeling and through it all you can feel the effort and care that went into every facet of this show. It stands out from other cartoons in this regard. No expense is spared. You may wonder why I talk so little about Julian and its because, while he is the shows main character, this series is really about how he truly loves his kingdom and is a worthy king to them. Inept and vain as he may be, he always puts his kingdom first went it comes down to the wire. With the help of his advisors and friends he always comes out on top. Honestly I was very sad to see this show go, but now you, reading this, get to watch the entire thing in one fell swoop. I had to vent my appreciation but you have just yet to discover it for yourself. So what are you still doin here? Watch it, your king commands you!