'2 in the AM PM (2006)' is essentially JG Quintel's test run for 'Regular Show (2009-2017)', featuring characters who would go onto become Mordecai and Benson in that show and also displaying the same sort of absurdist humour (albeit a less child-friendly version). Taking inspiration from Kevin Smith's 'Clerks (1994)', the piece follows two gas station employees who take acid-laced candy while working the night shift. The pair experience strange visions that freak them out and, eventually, threaten their job security. My brother pointed out that this could actually be canonical with Quintel's later work: the main character looks a lot like Josh from 'Close Enough (2020-2022)' and his hallucinations look a lot like the characters from 'Regular Show (2009-2017)', so perhaps the latter actually depicts Josh's life prior to meeting Emily but shows it through his own constantly-high eyes (which is why the characters are mostly animals or objects and their daily lives are so crazy). It's an interesting fan theory that strikes at the heart of what makes this piece as enjoyable as it is: its connection to Quintel's later work. It still works fairly well on its own, though, and is entertaining for most of its duration. It is rough around the edges, with a storyboard animation style and a slack pacing, but it's occasionally quite funny and it's typically rather charming in its own way. Plus, it's enjoyably strange to see versions of characters we're familiar with swear and overtly drop acid. It's a solid short overall.
