The series was announced in March 2014 as part of an agreement between Netflix and DreamWorks Animation, under which the studio will develop more than 300 hours of exclusive programming for the service.

[6] Danny Jacobs, Andy Richter and Kevin Michael Richardson reprised their roles from previous Madagascar media, while Henry Winkler, India de Beaufort and Betsy Sodaro joined the cast.

[11] In an uninhabited islet off the coast of mainland Madagascar, fearmongering "Uncle" King Julien XII runs a tyrannical monarchy in which lemurs must stay silent at all hours to avoid invasion by predator fossa.

The Prince, a notorious party animal, ascends to become King Julien XIII, immediately legalizing noise and public events.

With the help of royal advisor Maurice; head of security Clover; and his obsessive lackey, Mort, nephew King Julien XIII leads the kingdom.

He impulsively decrees a variety of changes, include sovereign audiences, opinion polling, water slides, trampolines, caffeinated beverages, art shows, interviews, electric technology, border walls, and other attempted improvements.

King Julien's haphazard schemes create a complex web of allies, political enemies, and love interests across the islets of Madagascar.

[13] At the conclusion of Season 4, King Julien barrels off of a waterfall, accidentally killing a giant snake and thereby rescuing Koto, a mountain lemur.

As the new King, Koto deposes Julien, schedules his and Maurice's public execution, then imprisons all surviving lemurs in a POW camp.

Loyal to Julien, Mort attempts to assassinate Koto via harpoon guns, poisoned beverages, and traps, but only manages to injure and maim himself.

The fifth and final season takes place after Koto's demise; villains such as Karl and Uncle King Julien decide to give up their evil ways and start a new life.