Close Enough
View on Wikipedia
| Close Enough | |
|---|---|
| Genre | |
| Created by | J. G. Quintel |
| Developed by | J. G. Quintel Sean Szeles Matt Price Calvin Wong |
| Voices of | |
| Composers | Mark Mothersbaugh John Enroth Albert Fox |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 24 (46 segments) |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
|
| Producer | Ryan Slater |
| Running time | 22–24 minutes (11–12 minutes per segment) |
| Production company | Cartoon Network Studios |
| Original release | |
| Network | HBO Max |
| Release | July 9, 2020 – April 7, 2022 |
| Related | |
| Regular Show | |
Close Enough is an American adult animated sitcom created by J. G. Quintel. Originally intended to air on TBS in 2017, the project faced various delays and setbacks before eventually premiering on HBO Max on July 9, 2020. The series has received positive reviews, with critics comparing it favorably to Quintel's previous series, Regular Show, which aired on Cartoon Network from 2010 to 2017.[1][2][3][4]
In July 2022, HBO Max cancelled the series after three seasons,[5] and a month later, the show was removed from the service.[6] The show was available on Netflix in international countries until it was removed from the service in May 2023.[7]
Premise
[edit]A couple in their early 30s, Josh and Emily, and their young daughter, Candice, live in a Los Angeles duplex with their divorced friends, Alex and Bridgette. They get into what seem like normal domestic crises, which tend to escalate in surreal (often even in science fiction and fantasy-esque) ways.
Cast and characters
[edit]Main
[edit]- Joshua "Josh" Singleton (voiced by J. G. Quintel) – an aspiring video game developer who works for Plugger-Inners; a television installation company based on Geek Squad. His appearance and mannerisms are based on those of Quintel. Quintel also voices himself.
- Emily Ramirez (voiced by Gabrielle Walsh) – Josh's wife, who works as an assistant for a food corporation called FoodCorp. Emily and Bridgette play guitar and sing at local cafes hoping to become famous. She is based on Quintel's own wife, Cassia. Walsh also voices herself.
- Candice Singleton-Ramirez (voiced by Jessica DiCicco) – Josh and Emily's six-year-old (as of "Birthdaze") daughter, who can be very hyperactive and struggles with school work. She attends Chamomile Elementary School, after being transferred out of an unnamed elementary school where the children ran wild and killed a bus driver after tipping over his bus. DiCicco also voices herself.
- Alex Dorpenberger (voiced by Jason Mantzoukas) – Josh's best friend and Bridgette's ex-husband, who works as a community college professor and a struggling Viking-themed fantasy author. He is a conspiracy theorist. Following the series finale "Match Made in Valhalla", Alex and Bridgette got back together. Mantzoukas also voices himself. He is Greek-American.
- Bridgette Hashima (voiced by Kimiko Glenn) – Emily's best friend and Alex's ex-wife. She is a Japanese-American social media influencer, and a part-time comedy singer-songwriter in a band with Emily. Her middle name was revealed as "No Stress" in an episode from the first season, which also revealed that it was the result of a legal name change that she authorized while she was under the influence of drugs. Glenn also voices herself.
- Pearle Watson (voiced by Danielle Brooks) – A retired African-American LAPD police officer, and the landlady of the duplex.
- Randall "Randy" Watson (voiced by James Adomian) – Pearle's adopted white son, and the duplex's property manager. He was adopted by Pearle after his biological parents, Wyatt and Deborah Trickle, were arrested for siphoning gas from multiple cars. Randy is revealed to be gay in season 3.
Supporting
[edit]- Mr. Timothy Campbell (voiced by John Early) – Candice's hippie teacher at Chamomile Elementary.
- Mr. Salt (voiced by Fred Stoller) – Emily's boss at FoodCorp.
- Dr. Glandz (voiced by Cheri Oteri) – A physician who works at a hospital called Pretty Good Samaritan.
- Dante (voiced by Eugene Cordero) – One of Josh's coworkers at Plugger-Inners who has a prosthetic lower arm.
- Jojo (voiced by Mo Collins) – A biker woman who is the leader of the Cool Moms, and the mother of Candice's classmate, Mia.
- Trish (voiced by Kate Higgins) – A former member of the Cool Moms and the mother of Candice's best friend and classmate, Maddie.
- Ms. Hashima (voiced by Suzy Nakamura) – Bridgette's mother and a successful businesswoman.
Additional voices
[edit]- William Salyers
- Max Mittelman
- Roger Craig Smith
- Erica Lindbeck
- Fred Tatasciore
- Kevin Michael Richardson
- Matthew Mercer
- Grey Griffin
- Scott Menville
- Ali Hillis
- Eric Bauza
- Kate Micucci
- Marc Evan Jackson
- Sam Marin
- Eden Riegel
- Ashley Johnson
- Courtenay Taylor
- Chris Cox
- Susanne Blakeslee
- Travis Willingham
- Scott Whyte
- Troy Baker
- Lauren Lapkus
- Nancy Linari
- Vanessa Marshall
- Laura Bailey
Guest stars
[edit]- "Weird Al" Yankovic as himself
- David Hasselhoff as himself
- Noel Fielding as Snailathan Gold
- Dave Foley as Dr. Ferguson
- George Lopez as Wurst Bros. leader
- Matt Besser as Bush Guy
- Rachel Dratch as Meredith Breedmore
- Seth Morris as Robot guards/Anders
- Eugene Cordero as Dante
- Jane Lynch as Barb
- Chris Parnell as Ron
- Jessica St. Clair as Joy
- Rich Sommer as Keith Nash
- Brent Weinbach as Lee
- Steve Agee as Davey Wegman
- Judy Greer as Nikki
- Diamond White as Caitlin Olsman/Young Pearle
- Kate Berlant as River Lake
- Paul F. Tompkins as The Amazing Sardini
- Lea DeLaria as Prisoner
- Horatio Sanz as Raoul
- Lennon Parham as Toluca Lake
- James Urbaniak as Commercial Bot
- Whitmer Thomas as The Goosh
- Jordan Black as Pterodactyl
- Skyler Gisondo as Cameron
- Rachel Bloom as Kira
- Michaela Watkins as Brienne Bishop
- Nicole Byer as Ophira
- Heidi Gardner as Becca
- Beck Bennett as Luc
- David Koechner as Wyatt Trickle
- Wendie Malick as Deborah Trickle
- Keith David as "World's Greatest Teacher" mug
- Thomas Lennon as Henri
- Ken Marino as Dave Colider
- Laraine Newman as Frederica
- Monét X Change as Margo
- Anjelika Washington as Rikki
- Leonardo Nam as Ty
- Nikki Glaser as Ranessa
- Henry Winkler as Alex’s Dad
- George Newbern as Sam Snood
- Brian Blessed as Jack Kleghorn
- Andy Daly as Obo
- Keith Szarabajka as Sam "The Sandman" Sanders
- Danny Cooksey as Little Sandy
Episodes
[edit]Season 1 (2020)
[edit]The first season was originally set to run for 10 episodes, but only 8 episodes were released when the series launched.[8][9]
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Storyboard directors | Original release date [10][11] | TBS air date | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Quilty Pleasures" | Sean Szeles Randy Meyers (animation) | Minty Lewis, Ryan Pequin, and Madeline Queripel Storyboarded by : Mike Bertino, Kris Wimberly, and J. G. Quintel | Aminder Dhaliwal, Ryan Pequin, Madeline Queripel, and Andres Salaff | July 9, 2020 | October 25, 2021 | |||||||
| "The Perfect House" | Sean Szeles and Calvin Wong Randy Meyers (animation) | Minty Lewis Storyboarded by : Miggs Perez, Kris Wimberly, and Raul Guerra | Aminder Dhaliwal and Andres Salaff | |||||||||||
|
"Quilty Pleasures": While picking up Candice from school, Josh and Emily learn from her teacher, Mr. Campbell, that she must turn in a family tree quilt project. Forcing Alex and Bridgette to babysit Candice, they travel to the fashion district to collect the materials they need for the quilt, only to end up stuck as the district closes. Josh's wallet is stolen, and he and Emily track the thief to an abandoned factory, where they meet a group of street urchins. Employing their help, Josh and Emily successfully create the quilt and spend the night at the factory. In the morning, Josh and Emily realize that the street urchins are actually dwarfish adults who try to force them to stay and act as their parents, although they escape. Arriving at the school, they discover that Candice has already made her own family quilt, and Mr. Campbell passes her. "The Perfect House": Emily develops a hobby of visiting open houses, bringing her family along with her. After becoming overwhelmed by the mess in the duplex building, she visits another open house by herself, meeting Dave, a stressed-out father, and Mona Arizona, a pre-teen pop star, who are also visiting. They pretend to be a family in order to remain at the open house longer; although Emily soon realizes that they have become trapped in an 80s-style sitcom within the open house. Meanwhile, Josh orders a family bike, and goes looking for Emily when he realizes she has been missing for days. Arriving at the open house, Josh is also trapped in the sitcom, which he and Emily realize can only be escaped by doing something that cannot happen on sitcoms. Emily confesses that she likes being able to escape the chaos at home, and peacefully disowns her sitcom family, allowing her and Josh to leave, although Dave and Mona choose to stay. Josh gives Emily a set of tin containers from the open houses to help her, and together with Candice, Alex and Bridgette they ride on the family bike. | ||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Logan's Run'd" | J. G. Quintel and Calvin Wong Brian Hogan (animation) | Chris Kula | David Davis and Siti Lu | July 9, 2020 | November 1, 2021 | |||||||
| "Room Parents" | Aaron Burdette | Janice Chun and Cal Ramsey | ||||||||||||
|
"Logan's Run'd": Candice leaves on her first-ever sleepover, allowing Josh and Emily the night for themselves, which they quickly use to perform errands. Bridgette points out that they are acting "old", driving them and Alex to accompany her to the popular night club Logan's. Arriving at the club, Josh, Emily and Alex begin to party but quickly find themselves exhausted, while Bridgette tries to get acquainted with a popular YouTube influencer but is horrified to learn that he is actually a baby. Realizing that anyone in the club over thirty is deemed a VIP (Very Irrelevant Person) and killed via giant fan, Josh, Emily and Alex try to escape. When Josh is nearly discovered, Alex decides to sacrifice himself as a distraction; however, Josh, Emily and Bridgette convince him that there are benefits to growing old and rescue him from the fan. Learning that the barkeeper based his club off of Logan's Run, Alex unveils him as being an old man himself, leaving him at the mercy of the club-goers. Afterwards, the friends go out to eat pancakes, although Alex is still unnerved by having seen a man die. "Room Parents": At a parent-teacher conference, Mr. Campbell asks for volunteers for class "room parent", to which Josh inadvertently volunteers. Tasked with organizing a fundraiser for constructing a new playground, Josh befriends a single mother named Nikki (voiced by Judy Greer), who offers to assist him. Emily realizes that Nikki is trying to woo Josh, and teams up with Pearle in order to investigate. Emily confronts Josh over her findings, and he insists to have no interest in Nikki, but comes to recognize the advances she is making. Josh visits Nikki with Emily to break off their partnership for the fundraiser, only to realize that her son is a dummy and end up held at gunpoint. Tying the couple up, Nikki reveals herself as a con-artist who poses as a single mother in order to help overworked room parents and steal fundraiser money out from under them, and leaves to take the playground funds. Escaping, Josh and Emily head to the playground fundraiser to stop Nikki, and Josh manages to recover the funds while Nikki seemingly dies by crashing into a novelty fireworks factory. Returning to the fundraiser, Josh is elected room parent for life by Mr. Campbell, much to his dismay. Songs: "Turn Down for What" by DJ Snake and Lil Jon; "Crazy on You" by Heart | ||||||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Skate Dad" | Calvin Wong Randy Meyers (animation) | Minty Lewis and J. G. Quintel Storyboarded by : Mike Bertino, Raul Guerra, J. G. Quintel, and Fabien Tong | Owen Dennis, Ryan Pequin, Andres Salaff, and Sam Spina | July 9, 2020 | November 8, 2021 | |||||||
| "100% No Stress Day" | Sean Szeles Randy Meyers (animation) | Bill Oakley and Marlena Rodriguez Storyboarded by : Mike Bertino, Ben Adams, Raul Guerra, Miggs Perez, and Kris Wimberly | Chris Allison, Benton Connor, Aminder Dhaliwal, Madeline Queripel, Ryan Pequin, Andres Salaff, and Sam Spina | |||||||||||
|
"Skate Dad": Wanting to bond with Candice, Josh takes her and Emily to a skateboard shop, determined to teach her how to skate unlike his own neglectful father. At the store, the family meets a professional skater called "The Goosh", whom Candice begins to look up to, much to Josh's envy. Buying Candice a skateboard, Josh takes her to a skate park and tries to perform an ollie to prove his skating ability, only to end up with a severe pelvic fracture. Due to Josh's injury, Emily hires Goosh to give Candice skating lessons in Josh's place. In a fit of jealousy, Josh challenges Goosh to a race down Baxter Street, the steepest road in the city. Before Emily can try to talk Josh out of it, Candice rolls down the street on her skateboard, forcing the couple and Goosh to try and rescue her. Realizing that he is becoming like his own father, Josh apologizes to Goosh and works with Emily to rescue Candice. Afterwards, Goosh declares that Josh is not a skate dad, but rather a skate father. "100% No Stress Day": Emily is diagnosed with stress, while Josh and the roommates beta-test his new game, Ladder World. Realizing Emily's diagnosis, Josh offers to take care of her to-do list while Bridgette takes her to de-stress. Josh, Alex and Candice complete the tasks, but are unable to buy ham due to a ham shortage, caused by a company called "Wurst Bros" who have been stealing hams across the city; and are additionally accosted by circus clowns pursuing Alex over money he owes them from a bet. Escaping the clowns, Josh and Alex arrive at Wurst Bros to steal a ham, but are captured and put into a meat grinder. Recovering a ham and Candice from the company daycare, they attempt to escape, while being pursued by both the ham-thieves and the clowns, causing Josh to bet their lives on a game of Ladder World. Meanwhile, Emily smokes marijuana with Bridgette to relax, but ends up getting stressed out again and rushes to find a calming activity. Returning home, she finds Josh, Alex, the ham-thieves and the clowns, and joins their game of Ladder World, winning the game and forcing the criminals and the clowns to leave. Emily realizes that video games are her de-stressing activity, while Bridgette hooks up with one of the clowns. Song: "Stay Fly" by Three 6 Mafia | ||||||||||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Prank War" | Sean Szeles Randy Meyers (animation) | Minty Lewis, Ryan Pequin, Matt Price, and Madeline Queripel Storyboarded by : Ben Adams, Raul Guerra, and Fabien Tong | Owen Dennis, Ryan Pequin, and Sam Spina | July 9, 2020 | November 15, 2021 | |||||||
| "Cool Moms" | Alison Agosti and Matt Price Storyboarded by : Miggs Perez and Kris Wimberly | |||||||||||||
|
"Prank War": Wanting to relive his youth, Josh sets up a prank war with the roommates who are none too impressed. He ends up befriending a "bush guy" to scare Emily and Bridgette, but thinking that he is assaulting them, they beat him into a coma. The two are arrested and Josh must wake Bush Guy or else Emily and Bridgette get charged for manslaughter. Meanwhile, Alex gives Candice candy. "Cool Moms": Mr. Campbell sets Emily up with the cool moms clique and she befriends their leader Jojo (voiced by Mo Collins). However, Jojo's style of teaching affects Emily and messes up her relationship with Candice. Meanwhile, Josh and Alex take Randy to a getaway to "rescue" his mom, Pearle. Song: "Don't Stop Me Now" by Queen | ||||||||||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Robot Tutor" | Sean Szeles Randy Meyers and John McIntyre (animation) | Matt Price Storyboarded by : Mike Bertino, Mark Maxey, Miggs Perez, Kris Wimberly, Aminder Dhaliwal, Ben Adams, Raul Guerra, Tara Helfer, and Andres Salaff | Chris Allison, Ryan Pequin, Madeline Queripel, and Sam Spina | July 9, 2020 | November 22, 2021 | |||||||
| "Golden Gamer" | Calvin Wong Randy Meyers and Kevin Petrilak (animation) | Storyboarded by : Owen Dennis, Mark Maxey, Tara Helfer, Miggs Perez, Kris Wimberly, Aminder Dhaliwal, and Andres Salaff | Mike Bertino and Sam Spina | |||||||||||
|
"Robot Tutor": Josh and Emily plan to spend their Spring Break by going to the beach, but must stay when Candice is revealed to have trouble learning and are equipped with a robot they cannot leave unattended. Meanwhile, Alex and Bridgette go in their stead for "divorce sex", but end up with different plans. "Golden Gamer": After Josh meets a fellow game designer who has become a huge success, Josh tries to revive his unfinished game Dude Man, resulting in him reverting to an immature twenty-something. Meanwhile, Alex tries to earn the respect of his students by performing a dangerous stunt. | ||||||||||||||
| 6 | 6 | "So Long Boys" | Calvin Wong Randy Meyers (animation) | Matt Price and Deepak Sethi Storyboarded by : Ben Adams, Raul Guerra, Miggs Perez, and Kris Wimberly | Chris Allison, Aminder Dhaliwal, Ryan Pequin, and Andres Salaff | July 9, 2020 | November 29, 2021 | |||||||
| "Clap Like This" | Deepak Sethi Storyboarded by : Ben Adams, Raul Guerra, Tara Helfer, and Mark Maxey | Chris Allison, Mike Bertino, Owen Dennis, Ryan Pequin, and Sam Spina | ||||||||||||
|
"So Long Boys": After having a pregnancy scare, Josh agrees to have a vasectomy and brings Alex to the procedure. They discover that the facility is corrupt and Josh begins to have doubts just as Emily does so as well. At the facility, they meet two teens whom Alex is convinced are his offspring. "Clap Like This": Josh manages to sell his game Clap Like This as he, Emily, and Candice will now be rich. When the deal falls through, Josh is forced to pick up extra shifts at his old job in secret. Meanwhile, Bridgette is financially cut off at 26 and gets a job at a clothing store where the mannequins come to life. | ||||||||||||||
| 7 | 7 | "First Date" | Calvin Wong Randy Meyers (animation) | Marlena Rodriguez and Kristy Grant Storyboarded by : Mark Maxey and Tara Helfer | Mike Bertino, Andres Salaff, and Sam Spina | July 9, 2020 | December 6, 2021 | |||||||
| "Snailin' It" | Sean Szeles Randy Meyers and Kevin Petrilak (animation) | Minty Lewis Storyboarded by : Miggs Perez and Kris Wimberly | Aminder Dhaliwal and Andres Salaff | |||||||||||
|
"First Date": Bridgette goes on a date with a man who is conjoined to his ex and brings Alex along as her wingman, leading to some personal issues. Meanwhile, feeling that they have lost their "spice", Josh and Emily decide to recreate their first date at a haunted attraction that is all too real. "Snailin' It": Emily does not have enough time to spend with Candice due to her job. A seemingly friendly snail allows her to use his magical time hat to get things done. Unfortunately, this causes her to rapidly age with every use and the snail tries to kidnap Candice. Elsewhere, Josh spends the day with Randy. Song: "Too Much Time on My Hands" by Styx | ||||||||||||||
| 8 | 8 | "The Canine Guy" | Calvin Wong Randy Meyers (animation) | Andres Salaff and Deepak Sethi Storyboarded by : Mike Bertino, Mark Maxey, and Miggs Perez | Aminder Dhaliwal, Andres Salaff, and Sam Spina | July 9, 2020 | December 13, 2021 | |||||||
|
In this half-hour special, after Alex bails on their annual Medieval Times Dinner/Jim Carrey celebration, Josh ends up meeting a genetically modified dog-human hybrid named Tery and spends time with him, much to Alex's jeleaously. Meanwhile, Bridgette gets Emily away from home so that they can write more comedic song material, but Emily is constantly distracted by things Candice is doing back home, and Pearle becomes suspicious of a cold case involving Meredith Breedmore, Tery's creator, and recruits Candice and Randy to resolve the case. Song: "Don't You (Forget About Me)" by Simple Minds | ||||||||||||||
Season 2 (2021)
[edit]Every episode in this season was directed by J. G. Quintel and Calvin Wong.
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Written by | Storyboard by | Original release date [10][11] | TBS air date | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 1 | "Josh Gets Shredded" | Gabe Delahaye | Jen Lee and J. G. Quintel | February 25, 2021 | January 24, 2022 | ||||||
| "Meet The Frackers" | Aaron Burdette | Janice Chun and Cal Ramsey | ||||||||||
|
"Josh Gets Shredded": After breaking his back trying to lift Candice, Josh is told that he must exercise his core. He goes to a special gym that works its visitors until they are absolutely ripped. Soon, Josh becomes more obsessed with keeping his muscles than he does with wanting to play with Candice and tries to reach his peak. "Meet the Frackers": Randy learns through a DNA test and Pearle that his biological parents, Debra (Wendie Malick) and Wyatt (David Koechner), are fuel thieves who did time in prison and now are on the straight and narrow with their own fracking business. But when Debra and Wyatt plot to frack the apartment for natural gas, Randy must choose between being like his criminal parents and saving his adopted family. Meanwhile, Josh buys Candice a leaf blower as a toy. | ||||||||||||
| 10 | 2 | "Sauceface" | Chris Kula | Raul Guerra and Jessica Xu | February 25, 2021 | January 31, 2022 | ||||||
| "Houseguest From Hell" | Melissa Hunter | David Davis and Siti Lu | ||||||||||
|
"Sauceface": In this parody of Mafia crime films like the 1983 version of Scarface and the 1990 film Goodfellas, Candice and her friend Maddie start an illegal hot sauce ring (after Mr. Campbell bans hot sauce from the school cafeteria) to raise money for remote-controlled drones. "Houseguest from Hell": Emily is reunited with her obnoxious college friend Becca (voiced by Heidi Gardner), who ends up crashing at their apartment after breaking up with her latest boyfriend, Luc (voiced by Beck Bennett). Things get worse when Becca reveals that she is pregnant, is planning a home birth, and that the father of the unborn child is literally The Devil. Song: "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" by The Rolling Stones | ||||||||||||
| 11 | 3 | "Joint Break" | Gabe Delahaye | Raul Guerra and Jessica Xu | February 25, 2021 | February 7, 2022 | ||||||
| "Cyber Matrix" | David Davis and Siti Lu | |||||||||||
|
"Joint Break": In this parody of the 1991 action crime film, Point Break, Pearle reluctantly takes water aerobics (after discovering her hip replacement surgery is not covered by her insurance) where she meets a group of elderly women who live life to the fullest by robbing banks. "Cyber Matrix": Alex is finally convinced to get a new phone called Fractal which has the Siri-esque A.I. Kira. Alex becomes addicted to his new phone until he is in a suspended cocoon. The rest of the gang must rescue Alex from having his consciousness downloaded with Josh entering the cyber matrix while the rest take Kira's power. Song: "All Star" by Smash Mouth (Close Enough Mix) | ||||||||||||
| 12 | 4 | "Haunted Couch" | Alison Agosti | Johnny Koester and Jen Lee | February 25, 2021 | February 14, 2022 | ||||||
| "Man Up" | Chris Kula | |||||||||||
|
"Haunted Couch": In this parody of the 1990 paranormal romance film Ghost, after getting ghosted by her recent boyfriend, Bridgette comes home to a new couch that Josh and Alex found and cries on it. She meets the ghost of a French aristocrat named Henri and starts a relationship with him. However, Bridgette begins to see that might be the problem. "Man Up": In this parody of the 1988 action movie Die Hard, after bailing on Emily and Candice during an alien invasion at Hollywood bank (which turned out to be a publicity stunt), Pearle teaches Josh the art of "manning up" and the skills get put to the test when a group of European terrorists hold everyone hostage at Emily's boss' holiday party. Song: "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers | ||||||||||||
| 13 | 5 | "Handy" | Marlena Rodriguez | Raul Guerra and Jessica Xu | February 25, 2021 | February 21, 2022 | ||||||
| "Birthdaze" | John Aboud, Aaron Burdette and Michael Colton | Jen Lee | ||||||||||
|
"Handy": Upset that Pearle would rather hire another handyman than her own adopted son, Randy goes out to sea and ends up shipwrecked on a desert island, where Bob Vila, Tim "The Toolman" Taylor from the 1990s sitcom Home Improvement, and the IKEA Man help Randy become a competent handyman. "Birthdaze": Sick of the forced, cheesy fun of children's birthday parties, Emily and Josh decide to have another party in the garage just for the adults while having a birthday party for Candice, but a birthday party magician takes the children to another dimension to teach Emily and Josh a lesson in being there for their daughter. | ||||||||||||
| 14 | 6 | "Time Hooch" | Chris Kula and Craig Rowin | Raul Guerra and Jessica Xu | February 25, 2021 | February 28, 2022 | ||||||
| "World's Greatest Teacher" | Chris Kula | Janice Chun and Cal Ramsey | ||||||||||
|
"Time Hooch": After Bridgette finds out that Alex never signed the divorce papers, he and Josh get drunk on some homemade moonshine the two made in college that gives them the power to time travel. Alex keeps going back to try and salvage his relationship with Bridgette, but ultimately decides to try and prevent himself from meeting her. "World's Greatest Teacher": Mr. Campbell is upstaged by a more competent female teacher named River Lake who can sing and is better at interacting with the kids. Campbell's "World's Greatest Teacher" mug urges him to sabotage River, but she catches on and decides to toy with him leading to a sing-off. Songs: "Greatest Love of All" by Whitney Houston; "I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)" by George Michael and Aretha Franklin | ||||||||||||
| 15 | 7 | "Where'd You Go, Bridgette?" | Marlena Rodriguez | Janice Chun and Cal Ramsey | February 25, 2021 | March 7, 2022 | ||||||
| "The Erotic Awakening of A. P. LaPearle" | Chris Kula | Marcy Bones and David Davis | ||||||||||
|
"Where'd You Go, Bridgette?": After landing in jail due to causing chaos over being distracted by her cell phone, Pearle bails Bridgette out and keeps her in her apartment, so Bridgette can go on a no-phone cleanse, which causes Emily, Josh, and Alex to worry that Bridgette has gone missing. Things get worse when two podcasters who cover abductions and missing persons stories interview Emily, Josh, and Alex and conclude that Bridgette was murdered and eaten by the trio. "The Erotic Awakening of A.P. LaPearle": Alex's latest Viking erotica novel disgusts and offends everyone, except for Pearle. When Alex's work gets rejected due to the publisher preferring female romance and erotica writers, Pearle becomes the face of the work while Alex becomes the ghostwriter. | ||||||||||||
| 16 | 8 | "Men Rock!" | Stephanie Amante-Ritter | Marcy Bones and David Davis | February 25, 2021 | March 14, 2022 | ||||||
| "Secret Horse" | Alison Agosti | Janice Chun and Cal Ramsey | ||||||||||
|
"Men Rock!": Emily and Bridgette's new song "Men Rock" -- meant to be an ironic anthem about modern sexism and misogyny -- becomes a hit with an Eastern European dictator who sees the song as a celebration of sexual discrimination and oppression towards women. "Secret Horse": On a day affected by California's Santa Ana winds, a fat, wall-eyed horse (named "Pickles" by Candice) escapes a farm and ends up at the duplex. He interacts with Candice, Josh, Bridgette, Alex, Randy, Pearle and Emily and gives each of them a moment of clarity. | ||||||||||||
Season 3 (2022)
[edit]| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Written by | Storyboard by | Original release date [10][11] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 | 1 | "Where the Buffalo Roam" | Eileen Alvarez and Aaron Burdette | Siti Lu and Hye Lynn Park | April 7, 2022 | |||||
| "Venice Vengeance" | Eileen Alvarez | Sammy Savos and Tynan Wilson | ||||||||
|
"Where The Buffalo Roam": After years of saving their pocket change, Emily and Josh finally have enough to go on the honeymoon they never had... and end up going to a resort overrun by bison. "Venice Vengeance": Pearle helps Candice win a sandcastle-building contest. Meanwhile, Josh and Alex try to get their burgers back from a seagull. | ||||||||||
| 18 | 2 | "Hellspital" | Aaron Burdette | David Davis and Bea Ritter | April 7, 2022 | |||||
| "Candice Candice Revolution" | Sean O'Connor | Sammy Savos and Tynan Wilson | ||||||||
|
"Hellspital": Alex is suffering from stomach cramps but refuses to go to the hospital because of his father's death instilling him with a fear of hospitals. "Candice Candice Revolution": After Josh serves pancakes for dinner (after the planned dinner of hot dogs gets eaten by Alex after he got high and stuffed himself in the refrigerator), Candice gets it in her head that following rules are meaningless and leads the students of Chamomile Preschool into a Lord of the Flies-style anarchy. Song: "Judy is a Punk" by Ramones | ||||||||||
| 19 | 3 | "Randy Free Solos" | Aaron Burdette | Siti Lu and Jessica Xu | April 7, 2022 | |||||
| "Summer Job" | Alison Agosti | Sammy Savos and Tynan Wilson | ||||||||
|
"Randy Free Solos": Randy falls for a climbing instructor and lies to him by saying he can free solo. "Summer Job": Alex gets a job at Plugger-Inners (the Geek Squad-esque store that Josh works at), and Josh must keep his boss from discovering that Alex is inept at technology. | ||||||||||
| 20 | 4 | "Bridgette the Brain" | Sierra Katow | Siti Lu and Hye Lynn Park | April 7, 2022 | |||||
| "Never Meet Your Heroes" | Aaron Burdette | Dan Davis and Bea Ritter | ||||||||
|
"Bridgette the Brain": Bridgette's sister Olivia has always been treated as the favorite by her mother, but when Olivia announces that she is unveiling a new pill that helps with cognitive function, Bridgette takes one of the pills and becomes smarter than her sister. "Never Meet Your Heroes": Alex decides to ask his favorite author (guest voiced by Brian Blessed) to help him with his manuscript, only to learn that he has a bizarre secret behind his genius. | ||||||||||
| 21 | 5 | "Robots with Benefits" | Jordan Young | Raul Cuerra and Jessica Xu | April 7, 2022 | |||||
| "The Weird Kid" | Alison Agosti | Johnny Koester and Jen Lee | ||||||||
|
"Robots with Benefits": Josh and his co-workers, Dante and Anders, feel like their jobs are on the line when their boss unveils a new robot named Obo that can do their jobs at twice the speed, and resolve to try and get rid of it. "The Weird Kid": When Emily notices that Candice is starting to ignore her, she wishes she could reconnect with her daughter and, thanks to a magic Viking pendant owned by Alex, wakes up in the body of a 5-year-old. Meanwhile, the same pendant curses Alex into being obsessed with listening to "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" by The Offspring. Song: "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)" by The Offspring | ||||||||||
| 22 | 6 | "Legend of the Pier" | Sierra Katow | David Davis and Bea Ritter | April 7, 2022 | |||||
| "Bike & Survive" | Alison Agosti, Eileen Alvarez, and Aaron Burdette | Janice Chun, Siti Lu, and William Wibisono | ||||||||
|
"Legend of the Pier": Bridgette attempts to regain her social media relevance by redoing a stunt she did on a Ferris wheel years ago. "Bike & Survive": Alex grows attached to his new exercise bike because of the instructor on the screen, but is unaware that the instructor has a dark motive. | ||||||||||
| 23 | 7 | "Halloween Enough" | Aaron Burdette, Sean O'Connor, and Opeyemi Olagbaju | David Davis, Siti Lu, Bea Ritter, and Jessica Xu | April 7, 2022 | |||||
|
In this, the show's first Halloween special and the second full half-hour episode, after trick-or-treating gets canceled due to rain, Emily, Josh, Bridgette, Alex, Pearle, and Randy decide to stay home and tell three tales of horror, and Candice has a nightmare where her reality is part of an animated series by Cartoon Network Studios. Song: "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffett | ||||||||||
| 24 | 8 | "The Perfect Couple" | Alison Agosti | Janice Chun and William Wibisono | April 7, 2022 | |||||
| "Match Made in Valhalla" | Sierra Katow | Siti Lu and Bea Ritter | ||||||||
|
"The Perfect Couple": Sick of being invited to kiddie venues, Alex and Bridgette decide to stop hanging out with Josh and Emily. While Josh and Emily befriend a seemingly normal couple with a daughter that turns out to be a dog, Alex and Bridgette find themselves caring for a party animal named Cokey Brian. "Match Made in Valhalla": Bridgette uses her knack for matchmaking to set up her string of failed boyfriends with more compatible partners, but when she pairs Alex with a woman who loves everything Alex loves, Bridgette must choose whether to tell Alex that she still has feelings for him or let him go. She confesses that she still has feeling for Alex, who tells Bridgette he feels the same. Song: "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness | ||||||||||
Release
[edit]The series was announced in May 2017, four months after Quintel's previous series, Regular Show, concluded its run on the sibling Cartoon Network. The series was originally announced to air on TBS,[12] but was delayed several times. It would later be revealed that TBS had planned to premiere the show as part of its own animation block, but those plans fell through when production on lead-in program The Cops was shut down after its co-creator Louis C.K. admitted to several instances of sexual misconduct.[13] On October 29, 2019, it was announced that the series would instead move to HBO Max.[14] The second half of the third episode was premiered at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival on June 15, 2020.[15]
On August 6, 2020, the series was renewed for a second season.[16] The following month, the series was distributed internationally through Netflix as a Netflix Original, beginning September 14, 2020 in Latin America.[17][18]
The second season premiered on February 25, 2021 on HBO Max.[19] Prior to the season premiere, a third season was announced on February 10, 2021.[20] The second season was released internationally on Netflix on May 26, 2021.[21] The series altogether was removed from Netflix globally in May 2023.[22]
On October 24, 2021, the first two seasons became available to buy digitally on iTunes.[23][24] The third season was released digitally on May 8, 2022.[25]
With the announcement of TBS and TNT's Front Row blocks, the series debuted on the former network on October 25, 2021.[26][11]
The third season premiered on April 7, 2022 on HBO Max.[27] On July 15, 2022, HBO Max cancelled the series after three seasons.[5]
On August 17, 2022, the service announced the removal of several shows, including Close Enough.[6] The show was removed from digital purchase in October 2023 alongside all other shows that used to be off Max.[28]
Reception
[edit]Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 100% based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10, for the first season. The website's critical consensus reads, "Completely absurd and yet, utterly relatable, Close Enough captures the strange experience that is being an adult."[29] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 based on 6 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[30]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "HBO Max Unveils Exciting Second Wave Slate of Max Originals to Debut Throughout the Summer Beginning June 18th". Pressroom. May 13, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ Trumbore, Dave (July 9, 2020). "'Close Enough' Review: J.G. Quintel's Comedy Gets Parental in HBO Max Animated Series". Collider. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ "'Close Enough' Will Make You Feel Good About Getting Old". Decider. July 9, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ "'Black Mirror' has a cartoon counterpart in the artful 'Close Enough'". Los Angeles Times. July 9, 2020. Retrieved July 12, 2020.
- ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (July 15, 2022). "'Close Enough' Canceled By HBO Max After 3 Seasons". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 15, 2022.
- ^ a b White, Peter (August 17, 2022). "'Ellen's Next Great Designer', 'The Not-Too-Late Show With Elmo' & 'My Mom, Your Dad' Among Unscripted & Animated Titles Pulled From HBO Max". Deadline. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
- ^ Moore, Kasey (April 26, 2023). "'Close Enough' Seasons 1-2 Leaving Netflix Internationally in May 2023". What's on Netflix. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ Close Enough on HBO Max [@CloseEnoughMax] (June 18, 2020). "Prepare to clear your schedule for approx. 221 minutes" (Tweet). Retrieved July 21, 2020 – via Twitter.
- ^ "Shows A-Z - close enough on hbo max". Thefutoncritic.com. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Close Enough Episode Listings". The Futon Critic.
- ^ a b c d "Close Enough Timeslots". Zap2it. Retrieved October 11, 2021.[dead link]
- ^ Jennifer Wolfe (May 17, 2017). "TBS Greenlights 'Close Enough,' New Animated Series from J.G. Quintel". Animation World Network. Retrieved April 22, 2018.
- ^ Rogers, Olan [@finalspace] (October 29, 2019). "Lol what No. No. No. The entire block failed. Cops was shut down because of Louis CK. Tarantula was burned out and canceled. Close Enough had their own production struggles unrelated to Final Space. Bad Luck is what happened. -Olan" (Tweet). Retrieved November 25, 2019 – via Twitter.
- ^ HBO Max [@hbomax] (October 29, 2019). "No more searching. The most beloved TV, movies, and family favorites, plus new originals, all on #HBOMax [VIDEO](@0:53)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ "TV Films in Competition Close Enough "100% No Stress Day"". Annecy. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- ^ Taylor, Drew (August 6, 2020). "'Close Enough' Renewed for Season 2 on HBO Max". Collider. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
- ^ "Close Enough, la nueva serie del creador de Un Show Más, llegará a Netflix en Latinoamérica". TVLaint. August 19, 2020. Retrieved August 28, 2020.
- ^ Evershed, John (2020). Adult Animation Finally Breaking Free of its Comedy Shackles (PDF) (Report). High Concentrate, LLC in Squarespace. p. 27. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
- ^ "HBO Max Highlights - February 2021". WarnerMedia (Press release). January 27, 2021. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 28, 2021.
- ^ "HBO Max Orders Three Adult Animated Series, CLONE HIGH, VELMA and FIRED ON MARS, Picks Up Two More Seasons of CLOSE ENOUGH". WarnerMedia (Press release). February 10, 2021. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
- ^ "'Close Enough' Season 2 Coming to Netflix Internationally in May 2021". Whats-on-netflix.com. May 5, 2021.
- ^ Moore, Kasey (April 26, 2023). "'Close Enough' Seasons 1-2 Leaving Netflix Internationally in May 2023". What's on Netflix. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
- ^ "Close Enough, Season 1". iTunes. July 9, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
- ^ "Close Enough, Season 2". iTunes. July 9, 2020. Retrieved November 5, 2021.
- ^ "Close Enough, Season 3". iTunes. July 9, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
- ^ "TBS and TNT Launch Front Rowa Limited Commercial Interruption Programming Destination". WarnerMedia Pressroom. May 19, 2021. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2021.
- ^ "This April Stream "The Flight Attendant," "A Black Lady Sketch Show," "Barry," "The Survivor," "We Own This City," "Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off," and More on HBO Max" (Press release). WarnerMedia. March 21, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022 – via The Futon Critic.
- ^ "Cartoon Network: Several Hit Shows Are Disappearing From Streaming". Anime. October 25, 2023. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
- ^ "Close Enough: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
- ^ "Close Enough". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved August 14, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Close Enough at IMDb
Close Enough
View on GrokipediaPremise
Close Enough follows Josh Singleton and his wife Emily Ramirez, a couple in their early thirties raising their toddler daughter Candice in a rent-controlled duplex in Los Angeles. They share the home with their two recently divorced best friends: Alex Dorpenberger, Josh's high school buddy and a freelance graphic designer, and Bridgette Hashima, an aspiring actress and Emily's close friend. The series depicts the group's navigation of adult responsibilities, including parenting, careers, relationships, and friendship, often escalating into surreal, absurd, and fantastical scenarios involving dream logic, bizarre inventions, and over-the-top mishaps.[1]Production
Development
Close Enough was created by animator J.G. Quintel, best known for his work on the Cartoon Network series Regular Show, with initial development commencing around 2016. The project was initially targeted for TBS as part of the network's push into adult animation, aiming for a potential premiere in 2017 or 2018. In May 2017, TBS greenlit a pilot episode and placed a straight-to-series order for 13 episodes, produced by Cartoon Network Studios.[11] Following the production of the pilot, the series faced significant setbacks due to executive changes at Turner Broadcasting amid AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner, which led to a reevaluation of TBS's animation slate. As a result, Close Enough was shelved indefinitely in late 2017, leaving the completed pilot unaired and the project in limbo for nearly two years. Quintel has noted that these network shifts prompted a pause in momentum, though the core concept remained intact.[12] The series was revived in 2019 when WarnerMedia announced it as part of HBO Max's original programming lineup, with Quintel returning as showrunner. The October 2019 reveal highlighted adjustments to the show's tone to align with the streaming platform's emphasis on mature, character-driven comedies, incorporating more surreal elements suited to an on-demand audience. Pre-production resumed, including script refinements from 2018 onward that drew on feedback from evolving adult animation trends, such as those seen in competitors like Netflix's offerings. Quintel collaborated closely with a writing team that included co-creators Sean Szeles, Calvin Wong, Matt Price, and Mike Bertino, building on millennial life themes from his Regular Show era, including the absurdities of young adulthood and relationships.[13]Animation and staff
Close Enough employs a 2D animation style produced by Cartoon Network Studios, characterized by vibrant colors, exaggerated expressions, and dynamic movements that echo the aesthetic of J.G. Quintel's Regular Show while incorporating more realistic proportions to underscore its adult-oriented themes of millennial life.[14][15] The production process involves overseas animation services from Saerom Animation in South Korea, where the bulk of the hand-drawn frames are created, followed by post-production in Los Angeles that encompasses sound design, editing, and final compositing to integrate the surreal visual gags.[12][5] Directing duties were shared among key staff members, including Calvin Wong, who helmed 23 episodes; series creator J.G. Quintel, directing 17 episodes; and Sean Szeles, overseeing 5 episodes, ensuring a consistent blend of humor and visual storytelling.[5] The original score, which amplifies the show's comedic timing and emotional beats, was composed by Mark Mothersbaugh, Albert Fox, and John Enroth, with Mothersbaugh also crafting the opening theme to set a quirky, upbeat tone.[16] Art direction focuses on capturing the gritty, urban essence of Los Angeles—featuring cluttered apartments, bustling streets, and everyday locales—infused with surreal, dreamlike distortions to heighten the narrative's absurd twists.[3][4] Across its three seasons, the series delivered 24 episodes comprising 46 individual 11-minute segments, with production occurring in parallel batches to align with HBO Max's streaming release schedule and accommodate the format's rapid pacing.[17][18] Digital inking and painting tools were utilized to achieve fluid character animations and seamless transitions for the visual gags, optimizing the workflow for the show's concise, gag-driven structure.[19]Characters
Main characters
Josh Singleton serves as the central protagonist, a laid-back husband and father in his thirties who aspires to become a renowned video game designer but works as a TV installer for Plugger-Inners while struggling with the realities of adulthood. Often immature and nostalgic for his youth, Josh frequently embarks on ill-advised schemes that reflect his reluctance to fully embrace parental responsibilities, yet his deep love for his family grounds him.[1] Emily Ramirez, Josh's wife and the family's anchor, is an ambitious, logical, and highly organized professional who juggles a demanding career as an assistant at a processed-food company with motherhood. As the voice of reason, she navigates work-life balance with determination, evolving from a more carefree demeanor in her twenties to a responsible figure who prioritizes stability for her daughter while managing household chaos. Her structured approach often contrasts with Josh's spontaneity, highlighting the tensions and strengths in their partnership.[20] Their precocious five-year-old daughter, Candice Singleton-Ramirez, embodies innocence amid disruption, frequently sparking chaotic situations through her curiosity and limited understanding of the adult world. Candice's antics underscore the everyday parenting challenges faced by Josh and Emily, such as balancing discipline with play, and she reads at a level below her age, adding layers to the family's developmental dynamics.[21] The household extends to Alex Dorpenberger and Bridgette Hashima, Josh's best friend and Emily's closest companion, respectively, who are divorced but continue cohabitating in the shared Los Angeles duplex. Alex, a neurotic and anxious community college professor, contributes to the group's comedic tension with his overthinking and schemes alongside Josh, while Bridgette's free-spirited, job-hopping lifestyle as an aspiring actress injects unpredictability and youthful energy. This arrangement strains Josh and Emily's marriage at times due to the unconventional living setup, but the five form a surrogate family unit, relying on their intertwined relationships to cope with millennial life's absurdities.[22]Supporting characters
Pearle Watson serves as the landlord of the apartment complex housing the main characters, acting as a maternal figure and source of wisdom for the group. A retired LAPD detective, she is portrayed as patient, nurturing, and supportive, often providing guidance to her tenants while maintaining a strong bond with her adopted son, Randy. Her interactions with the ensemble highlight themes of community and mentorship, contrasting the chaotic millennial life of the protagonists. Pearle recurs throughout the series.[23] Randy Watson, Pearle's adopted son and the building's property manager, is an eccentric, shirtless everyman in his late 30s who delivers much of the show's comic relief through his neurotic quirks, overprotectiveness toward his mother, and bungled attempts at romance. Despite his unemployed status beyond property duties, Randy forms close friendships with the main cast, frequently joining their misadventures with naive optimism and oddball enthusiasm. His character adds layers of absurdity and heartfelt moments to the ensemble, recurring throughout the series.[20] Extended family members recur in episodes centered on familial tensions and generational contrasts, underscoring the main characters' struggles with adulthood. Josh's estranged father appears in arcs exploring paternal relationships and conservative values clashing with modern life, while Alex's interactions with relatives highlight his personal growth. Bridgette's intelligent younger sister, Olivia Hashima, features prominently in sibling rivalry storylines, such as the episode "Bridgette the Brain," where her achievements amplify Bridgette's insecurities. Other recurring figures include coworkers like Josh's demanding boss at the video game studio, who drives work-related humor, and neighbors who facilitate community gags. The series also incorporates fantastical supporting elements, such as talking animals and surreal entities, to propel thematic comedy in dreamlike sequences.[24]Voice cast
Principal voice actors
The principal voice cast of Close Enough features a mix of established animation talents and comedic performers, selected to bring authenticity and humor to the show's millennial characters navigating adulthood. J.G. Quintel, the series creator best known for voicing Mordecai in the Emmy-winning Regular Show (which he also created), leads the ensemble as Josh Singleton, the laid-back graphic designer and protagonist; Quintel also provides voices for various minor characters throughout the series, drawing on his experience in blending surreal comedy with relatable scenarios.[1] Gabrielle Walsh voices Emily Ramirez, Josh's ambitious wife and a corporate assistant.[1] Jason Mantzoukas lends his distinctive chaotic energy to Alex Dorpenberger, Josh's best friend, Bridgette's ex-husband, and a freelance journalist, channeling the improvisational comedic timing he honed as the hormone monster Jay Bilzerian in Netflix's Big Mouth.[25] James Adomian portrays Randall "Randy" Watson, Pearle's adopted son, the building's eccentric property manager, and a roommate, bringing his improvisational background from Comedy Bang! Bang! and impressions in MadTV to the role's quirky domesticity.[5] Jessica DiCicco voices Candice Singleton-Ramirez, the precocious daughter of Josh and Emily; known for her work voicing characters in Clarence and multiple siblings in The Loud House, DiCicco excels in capturing youthful energy.[26][27] Kimiko Glenn voices Bridgette Hashima, the sharp-witted neighbor, Emily's best friend, and Alex's ex-wife, infusing the character with the bubbly yet sarcastic flair from her roles as Brook Soso in Orange Is the New Black and Peni Parker in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.[1] Danielle Brooks rounds out the core group as Pearle Watson, Randy's tough, no-nonsense mother and retired cop, leveraging her dramatic depth from Orange Is the New Black (as Taystee) into animated sass.[28][29] Casting emphasized ensemble chemistry, with Quintel actively involved in auditions to ensure voices complemented the show's blend of absurdity and realism; sessions were conducted at studios in the Los Angeles area, including facilities tied to Cartoon Network Studios in Burbank, allowing for collaborative recordings that enhanced the performers' improvisational interplay.[12][30]Guest stars
The Close Enough series incorporates numerous guest voice actors for one-off or limited appearances, adding flair to its satirical take on adulting and relationships. Prominent guests in Season 1 include "Weird Al" Yankovic voicing himself in episode 8, "The Canine Guy," where he delivers comically fatal inspiration to aspiring songwriters Emily and Bridgette.[31] David Hasselhoff also appears as himself in episode 6, "Clap Like This," participating in an absurd social media challenge that escalates into chaos.[32] Other notable Season 1 contributors are Noel Fielding as the eccentric snail Snailathan Gold in "Snailin' It," Dave Foley as the inept Dr. Ferguson in "So Long Boys," and George Lopez as the Wurst Bros. leader in "100% No Stress Day".[33][32][34] In Season 2, guests such as Rachel Bloom, Heidi Gardner, Keith David, and Cheri Oteri provide voices for thematic roles that poke fun at career pressures and social dynamics.[35] Season 3 features high-profile appearances including Henry Winkler as Alex's dad, along with Laraine Newman, John Early, Nikki Glaser, Debra Wilson, and Monét X. Change in various episodic spots.[4] These guest roles frequently portray exaggerated versions of the actors themselves or archetypal figures—like inspirational gurus or viral influencers—to heighten the humor and underscore the show's millennial absurdities, such as creative blocks or performative online culture. For instance, Yankovic's self-parody culminates in a darkly comedic demise that satirizes artistic obsession.[31] Guest appearances are distributed more heavily in Seasons 2 and 3 for narrative variety, building on the core ensemble, with roughly 20 such spots across the series' 24 episodes.[5] Casting decisions prioritized celebrities whose personas aligned with the satirical lens on millennial experiences, like fame and self-expression, and were integrated during production to fit specific episode arcs.[35]Episodes
Season 1 (2020)
The first season of Close Enough premiered exclusively on HBO Max on July 9, 2020, comprising 8 episodes that introduce the series' central premise of millennial adulthood amid shared living arrangements. Each episode runs approximately 22 minutes, structured as two 11-minute segments to deliver compact, interconnected stories centered on family and roommate interactions, except for the final episode which is a single segment. The pilot, "Quilty Pleasures/The Perfect House," sets up the household dynamics by showcasing the characters' attempts to balance creative projects and domestic ideals while managing parenting duties.[36] The season's key arcs revolve around establishing the strains of parenthood and evolving friendships within the group, portraying the absurdities of transitioning into one's 30s through relatable yet exaggerated scenarios. For instance, "Logan's Run'd/Room Parents" examines youthful partying interrupted by adult realities and the hazards of school volunteering. Thematically, the episodes progress from foundational character conflicts to deeper reflections on maturity and compromise, incorporating humorous critiques of contemporary life, such as gaming rivalries in "Golden Gamer." Overall, the season earned an average rating of 8.5/10 on IMDb, praised for its sharp wit and character-driven comedy.[37][36]Episode list
| No. overall | No. in season | Seg. 1 title | Seg. 1 description | Seg. 2 title | Seg. 2 description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Quilty Pleasures | Josh and Emily rush to complete a quilt for Candice's class project, leading to chaotic family bonding. | The Perfect House | Emily creates a fake family to tour open houses, highlighting idealized domestic dreams.[38] |
| 2 | 2 | Logan's Run'd | Candice's sleepover gives Josh and Emily a chance to party, but adult interruptions ensue. | Room Parents | Volunteering as room parents exposes Emily to school dangers and Josh to awkward parenting.[39] |
| 3 | 3 | Skate Dad | Josh teaches Candice skateboarding, facing father-daughter bonding challenges and mishaps. | 100% No Stress Day | A routine errand reveals bizarre urban underbelly, testing the group's stress levels.[34] |
| 4 | 4 | Prank War | Josh starts a prank war with roommates, escalating into dangerous antics that strain relationships. | Cool Moms | Emily tries to fit in with Candice's school moms, while the others help Randy with a scheme. |
| 5 | 5 | Robot Tutor | A family vacation is ruined by Candice's need for tutoring, leading to a robotic intervention. | Golden Gamer | Josh battles to finish a video game, confronting inner demons and rivalry.[40] |
| 6 | 6 | So Long Boys | A pregnancy scare prompts Josh to consider a vasectomy, exploring family planning fears. | Clap Like This | Josh pitches a game idea; Bridgette lands a quirky job involving applause. |
| 7 | 7 | First Date | Josh and Emily attempt to rekindle their romance on a date night. | Snailin' It | Emily goes to extremes to spend quality time with Candice at a snail-paced event. |
| 8 | 8 | The Canine Guy | Josh feels disconnected from Alex and adopts a "companion"; Emily and Bridgette deal with band drama (single segment).[41] |
Season 2 (2021)
The second season of Close Enough consists of eight episodes, each comprising two 11-minute segments, and was released in its entirety on HBO Max on February 25, 2021. This season builds on the foundational dynamics of the series by introducing more external conflicts, such as career pressures and family discoveries, while emphasizing the characters' ongoing struggles with millennial adulthood. Directed by J. G. Quintel and Calvin Wong, the episodes maintain the show's blend of relatable humor and absurd scenarios, with a focus on parenting challenges and social relationships.[42][43] Key narrative arcs in the season deepen the friendships among Josh, Emily, Alex, and Randy, showcasing collaborative mishaps like shared virtual reality escapades and time travel adventures, which highlight their evolving support systems. Parenting milestones are explored through Josh's fitness obsessions to keep up with Candice and innovative tools for communication. External tensions arise in storylines involving career ambitions, such as Emily's professional pitches, and personal regrets, exemplified in "Time Hooch," where time travel addresses past marital issues. These elements underscore themes of balancing adult responsibilities with lingering youthful impulses.[42][43] The season evolves the series' style with heightened surrealism, incorporating fantastical elements like haunted furniture, virtual worlds, and time hooch that amplify the humor around everyday issues. Guest star integrations expand the ensemble, featuring voices such as Rachel Bloom, Keith David, and Kate Micucci in roles that add fresh comedic layers to social and familial interactions. While specific viewership metrics for individual episodes are not publicly detailed, the season contributed to the show's growing cult following on the streaming platform.[42][35][43]| No. overall | No. in season | Seg. 1 Title | Seg. 1 Summary | Seg. 2 Title | Seg. 2 Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 1 | Josh Gets Shredded | Josh obsessively gets fit to play with Candice, leading to extreme bodybuilding satire. | Meet the Frackers | Randy reunites with fracking birth parents threatening their home, exploring class and family. |
| 10 | 2 | Sauceface | Candice builds a secret hot sauce business, delving into child entrepreneurship. | Houseguest from Hell | Emily hosts an old friend who overstays, exaggerating adult friendship boundaries. |
| 11 | 3 | Joint Break | Josh and Emily bond with neighbors over marijuana, clashing generations. | Cyber Matrix | The group dives into VR fantasies, critiquing digital escapism. |
| 12 | 4 | Haunted Couch | Bridgette's post-breakup couch is haunted, parodying ghosts and dating woes. | Man Up | Josh trains to handle crises alone, challenging gender roles. |
| 13 | 5 | Handy | Randy discovers handyman skills on a remote island adventure. | Birthdaze | Josh and Emily amp up Candice's birthday with chaotic surprises. |
| 14 | 6 | Time Hooch | Josh and Alex time travel to fix Alex and Bridgette's marriage regrets. | World's Greatest Teacher | Mr. Campbell schemes against a popular new teacher at school. |
| 15 | 7 | Where'd You Go, Bridgette? | Bridgette's disappearance sparks a search revealing her secret life. | The Erotic Awakening of A.P. LaPearle | Alex explores his sensual side through a pearle's erotic journey. |
| 16 | 8 | Men Rock! | Bridgette and Emily become rock stars in a foreign tour mishap. | Secret Horse | A mysterious horse inspires the gang's absurd communal quest.[42][18] |
Season 3 (2022)
Season 3 serves as the concluding chapter for the series, released exclusively on HBO Max on April 7, 2022, comprising eight episodes with 15 individual segments, including a 22-minute Halloween special titled "Halloween Enough." This season intensifies the exploration of adulthood's challenges, resolving key arcs such as the group's evolving living arrangements, romantic reconciliations, and personal growth amid chaotic family life. The narratives build on prior setups, like the characters' ongoing struggles with parenting and relationships, while amplifying the surreal, absurd elements that define the show—such as interdimensional travels and historical interventions—to deliver humorous payoffs.[44] Episodes like "Halloween Enough" use spooky storytelling to blend horror and comedy. The finale, "The Perfect Couple / Match Made in Valhalla," wraps major threads with afterlife adventures, emphasizing themes of found family and acceptance. No renewal was announced following the season's release, and HBO Max cancelled the series on July 15, 2022.[45][46] The season's episodes escalate in absurdity, often juxtaposing everyday dilemmas with fantastical twists, such as school revolutions or survival challenges, to underscore the characters' resilience in navigating millennial parenthood and friendships.| No. in season | Segment | Title | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1a | 1a | Where the Buffalo Roam | Josh and Emily's honeymoon windfall leads to cabin survival chaos with wildlife.[47] |
| 1b | 1b | Venice Vengeance | Bridgette faces a high school rival at the beach, involving Candice in grudge matches.[47] |
| 2a | 2a | Hellspital | Alex's illness turns a hospital visit into nightmarish medical comedy.[47] |
| 2b | 2b | Candice Candice Revolution | Candice leads a school revolt against a strict principal, echoing historical uprisings.[47] |
| 3a | 3a | Randy Free Solos | Randy free-solos a climb for validation, confronting his recklessness.[47] |
| 3b | 3b | Summer Job | Candice's arcade job brings workplace absurdities and ethical choices.[47] |
| 4a | 4a | Bridgette the Brain | Bridgette's intelligence boost for career gains causes extreme side effects.[47] |
| 4b | 4b | Never Meet Your Heroes | Josh meets his inventor idol, facing disillusionment and growth.[47] |
| 5a | 5a | Robots with Benefits | The group experiments with AI companions, exploring tech in relationships. |
| 5b | 5b | The Weird Kid | Interactions with an odd child highlight social awkwardness and empathy. |
| 6a | 6a | Legend of the Pier | A pier legend draws the gang into mythical local lore and adventure. |
| 6b | 6b | Bike & Survive | Alex's exercise bike leads to cult-like obsession and group intervention. |
| 7 | 7 | Halloween Enough (Halloween Special) | Thunderstorm forces indoor Halloween with scary stories from the gang (single 22-min segment).[48] |
| 8a | 8a | The Perfect Couple | Josh and Emily befriend another couple, sparking jealousy in their group.[47] |
| 8b | 8b | Match Made in Valhalla | Randy's near-death sends him to Valhalla for romantic closure and bonds (series finale).[47] |