Josh Gets Shredded

*Season 2,* *Episode 1a*

**"Josh Gets Shredded"** is the first segment of the ninth episode (and the sixteenth story overall) of *Close Enough*, and the Season 2 premier.

## Synopsis

After struggling to play with Candice, Josh tries to get fit, but overdoes it.

## Plot

The episode starts as Josh plays with new-born Candice. Many of the flashbacks show Josh Playing with Candice. Until the present day, Candice comes home and tells her father that she saw an old movie starring Jack Black called "King Kong". She then goes on to tell her father that it would be a good idea to play King Kong right in the den. Josh, who was working on a VR Game jumped out of the couch with excitement and decided to play King Kong with his daughter. Josh threw Candice up in the air but upon catching her, disintegrated three of his spinal discs.

Josh could later be seen waking up at Pretty Good Samaritan with Dr. Glandz explaining to him that his injuries were a result of having absolutely no abdominal or upper body strength. When she explained to Josh that he needed to exercise in order to overcome his shortcomings, Josh requested a second opinion to which Dr. Glandz emphasized that exercising is the only way for Josh to be able to lift his daughter.

Josh goes to a gym called Bare Fitness and makes an attempt at exercise but he had to run outside to throw up after doing just one 50 pound lateral press. It was at this time that Josh makes a new acquaintance - Jim Crunch. Jim Crunch is a very muscular man and for some strange reason had invited Josh to work out at his Bodybuilders' niche gym - Swole Town even though Josh was struggling at a regular gym.

Jim explains to Josh that at Swole Town, they use a Workout of the Day (WOD) and protein shake regime in order to achieve their gains in muscle mass. It was at this time that Josh had decided to train to become an "Absolute Unit", the highest possible stature in bodybuilding that not even Jim Crunch has reached. Josh then attempts to do the introductory exercises at Swole Town, but he collapses after trying to hold a small dumbbell up.

Josh can later be seen recovering on his couch with ice packs all over his body. Candice once again came into the room and asked her father to play with her but Josh told Candice that he will truly be able to play with her after he completes a few WODs and has a few protein shakes. Candice felt reassured and Josh went on to recite some of Jim Crunch's teachings but he realized that Candice had gone outside to play with her toy firetruck.

Josh continued to do the exercise and diet regime instructed to him by Jim Crunch, climbing the hierarchy of bodybuilding statures. The others at the apartment were beginning to take notice of Josh's metamorphosis. While Bridgette didn't like what Josh was doing to himself, Emily exclaimed that she felt more attracted to Josh than ever before. Candice again asked Josh to play King Kong with her but Josh had rejected her and said that he had to get back to Swole Town, explaining that if he even missed a single workout or meal of Creatin Shakes; he would lose all of his gains. Josh then left to go to Swole Town, disappointing his daughter.

Josh eventually becomes Shredded, the fitness Stature that only Jim Crunch held at the time. The other regulars at Swole Town congratulated Josh and he went on to exclaim that he wanted to become an Absolute Unit. Jim Crunch told Josh that doing the workout that is required to become an Absolute Unit - The Impossible WOD - could explode his hamstrings like it did to the last person who had attempted it. Even if Josh did somehow survive, they have absolutely no idea what that much muscle mass will do to his mind. Josh however convinced Jim to let him train to become an Absolute Unit.

Josh could later be seen back at home making a chicken and egg smoothie. Candice came by to show Josh a drawing that she made of the two of them but Josh exclaimed that it was important for him not to miss his Protein intakes. Candice became irate, defaced her drawing and ran back to her room while Josh was busy swallowing his chicken and egg puree. Emily then came by and confronted Josh about not playing with his own daughter for a week, Josh began to realize that he was thinking more about Swole Town than Candice and had decided to play King Kong with Candice no matter what after he becomes an Absolute Unit, even if it means skipping workouts and Protein intakes.

The next day, Josh goes to Swole Town to attempt the Impossible WOD in front of his very muscular peers. The Impossible WOD is doing 10 repetitions of every exercise offered in Swole Town in under 10 minutes. Josh completes the WOD with not a second to spare and transforms into an anime resemblant muscular monster, complete with a visible spiritual energy aura which was actually bits of his Swole Town T-shirt floating about. Jim tosses Josh the instant printing Camera and instructs Josh to take a selfie for the wall, Josh does so and throws the camera back at Jim with such force that the camera went straight through him, thus killing him.

Later on in Chamomile Elementary, Josh broke through the ceiling in order to pick up Candice. His sheer muscle mass had caused him speech impediment and clouded judgment. He picked Candice up and traveled downtown with a single leap. He decided to play King Kong by actually climbing a skyscraper with his daughter in his embrace.

Josh had reached the top of the skyscraper but his theatrics had caused the Los Angeles Police Department and SWAT Team to circumvent the building. Emily was on the street and had used a megaphone to first compliment Josh on his looks and then instruct him to put their daughter down but Josh didn't listen. Josh asked Candice if she was ready to play King Kong to which Candice eventually agreed, Josh was however signaled via his wristwatch that he was due for his next workout. Josh attempted to leave Candice to go the gym yet again but Candice yelled at Josh and pointed out to him that they never got around to playing since he started going to the gym. Josh then told Candice that if he missed a single workout, he would lose all his gains to which Candice stated that she hated the kind of person Josh has become since he started going to the gym.

Josh told Candice that he won't be able to pick her up without his gains to which Candice replied that Josh doesn't have to pick her up as long as they play together. Then for the first time since Josh attended Swole Town, Josh had decided to skip a workout or meal and play with his daughter instead. Josh was spinning Candice around when suddenly he gets shot in the rear with a tranquilizer dart fired from a SWAT Officer via helicopter. Josh puts Candice down and falls off the building and onto a squad car, obliterating it.

Josh wakes up in his couch and finds Bridgette, Candice and Emily looking on. He had realized that he lost all his gains and had gone back to normal. He asked how long he was unconscious to which Emily replied that he was only unconscious for three hours. Josh told his family there was one more workout that he needed to do.

Josh could then be seen at the cemetery with the other Swole Town regulars wearing funeral attire and holding up Jim Crunch's casket with support rods. They powerlifted the casket and tossed it into the grave. They then closed up the grave and sprinkled some Creatin powder on top of the grave adorned with handheld bodybuilding equipment. The gym-goers then embraced each other, chest-bumped each other and walked away crying. After the gym-goers walked away Jim Crunch uttered his name and drove his fist out of his grave.

## Characters

* Josh Singleton
* Candice
* Emily Ramirez
* Jim Crunch
* Dr. Glandz
* Bridgette Yoshida
* Timothy Campbell

## Trivia

* "Absolute Unit" is a euphemism for "Total Dick".
* Josh's fractured speech pattern, immense physical stature, and superhuman leaps are all references to the Hulk of Marvel Comics fame.
* The Impossible WOD is similar to the Shredder from *Regular Show*, as it can kill the person attempting to do it.
	+ The Impossible WOD can explode the hamstrings of those attempting to do it but if done successfully, will transform the user into an Absolute Unit, whereas the Shredder can shred every single muscle of the person attempting to do it
* The scene with Josh throwing out his back while lifting Candice was based on something that happened to J.G. Quintel when he lifted up his daughter.
* Anthony Calamari *(The last person before Josh to complete The Impossible WOD)* died in 2016, which was around the time when *Regular Show* was close to ending.
* Candice mentioned that she saw a "really old movie" called *King Kong*, but mentioned that Jack Black was in it, referring to the 2005 film.