Merry Madagascar

Merry Madagascar is a Christmas special first broadcast on the NBC network on November 17, 2009, which starred the characters from the film series Madagascar, and takes place sometime between the first and second film. It is the second DreamWorks Animation Christmas special, after Shrek the Halls. It features many of the same voices from the film (except Sacha Baron Cohen, who was replaced by Danny Jacobs, the voice of Julien in both The Penguins of Madagascar and All Hail King Julien television series), including Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer, and Jada Pinkett Smith. Carl Reiner provided the voice of Santa Claus. Plot Taking place two months after the events of the first film and before the events of the second film, Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria attempt to return to New York City in a hot air balloon. However, the lemur population inadvertently thwarts their escape by mistaking them for the "Marauding Red Night Goblin" that visits annually. The "Goblin" then showers the island with coals. Alex shoots it down, discovering it was actually Santa Claus throwing coal at Julien for being naughty. The crash leaves Santa with amnesia, unaware of his responsibilities. The group resolve to deliver the presents and use the sleigh to get back home, but Santa's reindeer won't take orders from anyone other than Santa, so the penguins use Santa's magic dust to fly.