But that doesn't mean that Close Enough is a grounded, realistic animated sitcom; not by any means. It eagerly wades into the weird world(s) it exists in, a heightened sort of reality where little British orphans who are talented in handicrafts may not be all they appear to be, or where a house-hunting session turns into a fight for your life. Or whatever the hell is going on here:
The comedy of Close Enough works for two reasons: The extended family dynamics, and the bizarre surreal settings they often find themselves in. It's a little bit slice-of-life, a little bit good old-fashioned American animated sitcom, and, one can't help but feel it's somewhat autobiographical, giving us a peek into Quintel and his writing team's personal lives a bit. Some scenes, like the clip below, feel both very specifically derived and yet wholly relatable to viewers of a certain age range and demographic:
So while I'm still waiting for Close Enough to do something a little different to separate itself from the pack and avoid being lost to the archives of forgotten animated sitcoms, it's a fine watch in the meantime, especially for fans of Quintel's work. All in all, Close Enough is a departure from Quintel's Regular Show in a number of ways, but the heart and humor serve as the connective threads. Viewers who grew up watching the Cartoon Network hit from 2010 to 2017 can now enjoy a slightly older, more parental take on Quintel's comedy. It's not perfect, but it's close enough (and you are well within your rights to groan at this very obvious pun; in fact, I encourage you to do so!)
Rating: B
Dave Trumbore is Collider's Senior Editor overseeing Games, Animation, and all those weird Saturday-morning cartoons no one else remembers. Test his trivia IQ on Twitter @DrClawMD