Three years after the end of J.G. Quintel's acclaimed cartoon Regular Show comes his latest series, Close Enough. The series was supposed to premiere on TBS' original animation block back in 2017. However, after some delays and TBS forgoing the block, the series was picked up by HBO Max. After a long wait, Close Enough finally premiered on July 9th, 2020. The network released eight episodes (with two more on the way) from season one on its streaming service.
Since its debut, Close Enough has received positive reviews. The show is worth checking out, especially for fans of Regular Show and animated comedy series.
Created By JG Quintel
Besides Regular Show, Quintel has worked on various hit series including The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack, Phineas and Ferb, and Adventure Time. His time spent on these programs included serving as a storyboard artist, creative director, writer, and storyboard revisionist.
Case in point, Quintel knows his stuff and knows how to produce decent work that appeals to a medley of demographics. The series' first season shows remarkable potential and already has viewers clamoring for more.
Animation
Viewers will recognize that Close Enough's animation and style is reminiscent of Quintel's past work. The animation can range from the down-to-earth to the surreal. Any moment can be turned into a trippy and zany experience including Josh (J.G. Quintel) and Emily (Gabrielle Walsh) running errands, them exploring a haunted house, or even hosting a school function.
The intro sequence was animated by veteran and prestigious animator James Baxter. Baxter formerly worked for Disney, Dreamworks, and is specifically renowned for his work on horses.
Hilarious
Close Enough delivers on the hilarity and offers a variety of different comedy genres for viewers to eat up. Including physical, dark, referential, situational, high-brow, and low-brow, there is something for everyone.
While all the main players are comedic in their own ways, the majority of the show's comedy stems from three characters: Josh is an oblivious but well-meaning dad, Alex (Jason Mantzoukas) is an eccentric and wild college professor and Bridgette (Kimiko Glenn) has a penchant for getting into trouble.
Resonating
The series should resonate with audiences, especially millennials. The two main leads, Josh and Emily, are parents of a five-year-old named Candice (Jessica DiCicco) who are struggling financially due to student debt, living in Los Angeles, and having their daughter in a decent school district.
Meanwhile, Alex is trying to pitch a book and works a (sometimes) low-paying job. On the other hand, Bridgette is gradually coming to terms with adulthood after being spoiled for years.
This represents many hardships and inner conflicts millennials face. Seeing how the characters adapt and respond to these trials and tribulations can make it feel less lonely.
The Characters
Be it the main characters, the recurring characters, or the side characters, everyone in the series has a three-dimensional personality and appealing character quirks. These include the leads' landlord Pearle (Danielle Brooks), a former LAPD cop who serves as a grandmother-type figure to Candice.
Her son Randy (James Adomian) is the building's property manager and incredibly overprotective of his mother. Quintel based Josh on himself, both physically and internally, and the show is inspired by his experiences as a parent and married man in his 30s.
Diversity
The show's characters feature a menagerie of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and career positions. The leads are lower-middle-class citizens with low-paying jobs, Bridgette comes from a wealthy family, and Alex is barely getting by on his teaching salary.
Living in Los Angeles, the series represents the cesspool of different cultures living and thriving in the city. Bridgette is Japanese similar to her voice actress, while Emily is Hispanic like her actress.
Music
The show's opening theme is composed by Mark Mothersbaugh, a former member of Devo who is responsible for the creation of iconic cartoon opening themes including Rugrats and Regular Show.
The show includes two other music composers, John Enroth and Albert Fox. Close Enough also features current pop songs and perfectly incorporates them in scenes; for example, "Stay Fly" playing while Emily and Bridgette cruise the city after smoking a joint or "Turn Down for What" while Josh and Emily run errands.
Memorable Guest Appearances
The series has some big names on its roster. Musical comedian Weird Al Yankovic played an exaggerated version of himself where he meets Bridgette and Emily while they are on a retreat.
British comedian Noel Fielding voices a snail whose hats are enchanted and he agrees to help Emily. Some of the side characters have also been voiced by popular actors including Chris Parnell, Dave Foley, Judy Greer, Grey Griffin, David Hasselhoff, and Jessica St. Clair.
Heartwarming
Apart from its comedy, Close Enough knows how to hit viewers in the feels. So far, some of the most heart-tingling and emotional moments have stemmed from a flashback scene of Josh meeting Candice for the first time, Alex making up with Bridgette while on their double-date, and Randy explaining to his mother why he is so concerned about her.
As viewers get to know these characters more and see them evolve throughout the series, there will surely be more touching sequences to come.
Great Cast
The majority of the cast are already seasoned pros in the eyes (ears?) of voice acting. Jason Mantzoukas previously acted on Big Mouth, James Adomian portrayed Bane on Harley Quinn Show, Kimiko Glenn can be heard on Bojack Horseman, and Jessica DiCicco has been doing voice-over since her teens and famously portrayed Flame Princess on Adventure Time. Meanwhile, this was Gabrielle Walsh's first animated series and she did a terrific job of voicing Emily.