OHHHHHHHHHHH! J.G. Quintel, who helmed one of Cartoon Network's most successful modern series, Regular Show, is back with a new TV show. While it remains to be seen whether or not it has what it takes to celebrate even some of the accolades Regular Show got in its lengthy run, I'm sure all fans of the show are willing to tune in and find out whether his latest project, Close Enough, will be just as great. From what we know so far, it sounds pretty promising.
Close Enough has been ordered for 13 episodes to air on TBS in 2018. The series is said to be a surrealist take on that transition in adulthood that takes place between your twenties to your thirties, and all the weirdness that comes along with it. The show will tackle topics such as finding the right daycare, friendship, parenthood, and clown strippers. Obviously, that last one is a slight indicator this show will be a bit more mature than J.G. Quintel's Regular Show.
If you've seen Regular Show, you know that's not a worrying thing. J.G. Quintel's first series often skated the line between children's show and something for adults with its numerous references to '80s pop culture, potential subtle references to drugs, and just outright goofiness. That formula not only won over kids and adults alike, but it also scored the team an Emmy. Quintel's innovative thinking and writing proved to pan out considering his future on TBS with Close Enough, but not everyone was convinced when Regular Show first began that it would be the success it is now regarded as. Here's what Mark Hamill, who voiced Skips on the show, had to say about what he thought of the series when he talked to our editor Nick Venable earlier this year:
I told J.G. - this was after two or three seasons, and we wound up going eight - I said to him when I read the first half-dozen of these shows, I liked it, I thought it was really original and offbeat and surrealistic. Sort of like Beavis and Butthead in the sense that you had these two underachievers highly critical of everybody else. But I didn't in a million years think it would be a success. I read it and I said, 'Well this is six episodes and out.' I thought it was too esoteric or weird for the audience. I thought maybe if it was on Adult Swim, but this is for Cartoon Network where you're going after grade school kids. And I didn't see it as a success. So, basically, I was copping to the fact that I was completely wrong. Which is not unusual for me. ... And in this case I was spectacularly wrong.
Fast forward to now, with Close Enough, which joins a growing TBS animation, lineup looking to make a statement. American Dad will begin airing new episodes this summer on the network, and as far as original shows the series will join the returning Louis C.K. animated series The Cops, and new shows Tarantula and Final Space. Those shows make for a talented animation lineup that could potentially hang with Adult Swim, which is also owned by Turner, so I'm sure they aren't too concerned about sharing the domination of primetime adult-themed animation. It's looking like 2018 will be a good time to be a fan of cartoons with adult themes.
As previously mentioned, J.G. Quintel's Close Enough is set to air in 2018 on TBS. That's plenty of time for you to browse our list of summer shows, find a new show to watch, and probably forget about all of this until the next time we ring the bell about it. Don't worry, it happens, I'm sure you've already forgotten what shows have been canceled and renewed, as well so be sure to refresh your memory with our handy guide.
