“Regular Show” was one of the last, great cartoons that Cartoon Network had to offer. It was a true classic, blending humor, action, science fiction, horror, fantasy and plots involving relatable problems that the audience could understand. Now, the show “Close Enough” lives up to the hype.
“Close Enough” was originally supposed to premier on TBS in 2017. A trailer was released, and the hype was evident. For one, J.G. Quintel, the creator of “Regular Show” was the developer and voice actorfor the characters. Just one look at the trailer, the show was done in the same art style as “Regular Show,” and had similar themes to it as well, such as characters attempting to do something, but a bizarre event occurring.
Unfortunately, the show was shelved, and no release date was given. Fans were afraid it wold never see the light of day. Thankfully, the show finally released when HBO Max announced that it would premier on their streaming service. I was enthralled and excited, and when I watched it, I was not disappointed.
The show follows Josh Singleton (voiced by Quintel), his wife Emily (voiced by Gabrielle Walsh) and their 5-year-old daughter Candice (voiced by Jessica DiCicco) living in Los Angeles. Like “Regular Show,” the beginning starts off with an average, normal crisis which then takes a surreal turn. The difference is, since this show is made for adults, there is more adult content and humor, which is played up to hilarious effects.
Each episode will have you in stitches, because some of them are so absurd. Such as how a simple errand puts the characters in the crosshairs of a meat mafia and stripper clowns. A pregnancy scare leads to the characters being pursued by robots with Boston accents. Each episode had me laughing and craving more.
What’s worth mentioning is the vocal performances. Each actor does a great job with their character and is fairly likeable. Jason Mantzoukas’ character is fairly relatable, showing a man who used to be full of energy, who has been beaten down by the world and is now just trying to get on with his life. He is one of the funniest characters in the show and has some really good development throughout.
This show is perfect for fans of “Regular Show” and those that desire a show full of pop culture references and clever humor. Fans will also enjoy the little easter eggs and nods to the previous series, hopefully hinting at a potential crossover. It’s definitely worth watching on HBO Max. I give this show five out of five stars.
Ryan Hill can be reached at [email protected].