Reason to watch: Animated Christmas special starring the
characters you know so well.
What it’s about: Alex the Lion (Ben Stiller), Marty the
Zebra (Chris Rock), Melman the Giraffe (David Schwimmer) and Gloria the Hippo
(Jada Pinkett Smith) are getting ready to evacuate the island for another
island — Manhattan — but the balloon they plan to escape in catches fire.
Reason: King Julien accidentally torched it, thinking it was the strange UFO
that comes by every year around Christmas. Suddenly, the “UFO” arrives
— it’s Santa! But he gets shot down, too. Injured, Santa’s in no shape to
deliver the toys. Alex gets a very bright idea: What if they deliver the toys
instead, and take Santa’s sled to NYC when they’re done?
My take: This holiday special is 22 densely packed minutes
of gags, jokes and very familiar voices and fur patterns. It’s sweet and gentle
and free of the double entendres the big screen hits sometimes revel in.
Bottom line: Kiddies will love it. You may, too.
‘Merry Madagascar’
8 p.m. EST Tuesday
NBC
Via McClatchy-Tribune News Service.
