Close Enough
A couple navigates surreal domestic crises in Los Angeles.
J. G. Quintel, the creator of Regular Show, developed the adult animated sitcom Close Enough. Though initially slated for a 2017 TBS debut, production delays pushed its premiere to HBO Max on July 9, 2020. Critics applauded its animation, humor, and voice acting, often favorably comparing it to Quintel’s earlier Cartoon Network series. HBO Max canceled the show after three seasons in July 2022, removing it a month later. It was available on Netflix internationally until May 2023.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Adult animation
- Animated sitcom
- Black comedy
- Science fantasy
- Surreal comedy
- Creator
- J. G. Quintel
- Developer
- J. G. Quintel
- Sean Szeles
- Matt Price
- Calvin Wong
- Voices
- J. G. Quintel
- Gabrielle Walsh
- Jason Mantzoukas
- Kimiko Glenn
- Jessica DiCicco
- James Adomian
- Danielle Brooks
- Composer
- Mark Mothersbaugh
- John Enroth
- Albert Fox
- Country
- United States
- Language
- English
- Seasons
- 3
Facts from the source article.
Cast and characters
The main characters of "Close Enough" are Josh Singleton, an aspiring video game designer who installs televisions for a company called Plugger-Inners, and his wife Emily Ramirez, who works as an assistant at a food corporation named FoodCorp. Emily also performs guitar and vocals at local cafes with her friend Bridgette, hoping to gain fame. Their five-year-old daughter Candice is hyperactive and struggles with schoolwork; she now attends Chamomile Elementary after being removed from a school where children ran wild and killed a bus driver by tipping his bus. Josh’s best friend is Alex Dorpenberger, a Greek-American community college professor and struggling author of Viking-themed fantasy, who is also a conspiracy theorist and Bridgette’s ex-husband. By the end of the series, Alex and Bridgette reunite. Bridgette Hashima, Emily’s best friend and Alex’s ex-wife, is a Japanese-American social media influencer who also performs comedy songs with Emily. Her middle name, "No Stress," came from a legal name change she made while under the influence of drugs. The duplex where the families live is owned by Pearle Watson, a retired African-American LAPD officer, and managed by her adopted white son Randy, who is revealed to be gay in season three. Randy was adopted after his biological parents were arrested for siphoning gas from cars. Other characters include Candice’s hippie kindergarten teacher Mr. Timothy Campbell, Emily’s boss Mr. Salt at FoodCorp, Dr. Glandz at Pretty Good Samaritan hospital, and Josh’s coworker Dante, who has a prosthetic lower arm. All main voice actors also voice themselves.
Release
Announced in May 2017, the series came just four months after J.G. Quintel's previous show, Regular Show, ended on Cartoon Network. It was initially slated for TBS, but multiple delays followed. TBS had intended to launch it as part of a new animation block, but those plans collapsed when The Cops, the planned lead-in, was shut down after its co-creator Louis C.K. admitted to sexual misconduct. On October 29, 2019, the project moved to HBO Max. The second half of the third episode debuted at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival on June 15, 2020. A second season was ordered on August 6, 2020. International distribution began through Netflix as a Netflix Original on September 14, 2020 in Latin America. The second season arrived on HBO Max on February 25, 2021, with a third season already announced on February 10, 2021. That second season hit Netflix internationally on May 26, 2021. The entire series was pulled from Netflix globally in May 2023. The first two seasons became available for digital purchase on iTunes on October 24, 2021, and the third season followed on May 8, 2022. TBS finally aired the show on October 25, 2021, as part of its Front Row blocks. The third season premiered on HBO Max on April 7, 2022. On July 15, 2022, HBO Max cancelled the series after three seasons. On August 17, 2022, the service announced it was removing several shows, including this one. It was taken down from digital purchase in October 2023, along with all other former Max titles.
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