Adult Swim’s Smiling Friends to End After Season 3
The creators behind the animated comedy announced that smiling friends will conclude with its third season. Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel delivered the news in a pair of posts and videos, and offered reasons, an airing update and a response to fan reaction.
Why Smiling Friends is ending
Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel said the decision to end the show after Season 3 was their choice. Hadel opened the announcement by saying, “I’m gonna cut right to the chase. This is not a bit, this is not a joke. Michael and I are here to announce that ‘Smiling Friends’ will be ending after Season 3 is done. ” Cusack added, “To be perfectly honest, after we finished Season 3, Zach and I just both had the same feeling where we felt pretty burnt out after putting years and years into this, but also pretty accomplished. ”
Creators cite burnout and quality
Hadel said from the beginning they wanted to put “110%” into the show and “go out on top, ” arguing it was better to leave viewers “wanting more” than to risk continuing half-heartedly. He said they “wouldn’t want to be doing more seasons half-hearted or burnt out or not feeling it. That’s not fair to us, and it’s not fair to the audience to give you guys fucking slop. That sucks. ” Cusack and Hadel both described feeling “burnt out and creatively accomplished after completing the third season, ” and said they did not believe they could continue without compromising quality.
How the news was shared
The pair revealed the news in a video posted to Adult Swim’s X account and in a message posted on Adult Swim’s YouTube channels. Cusack characterized the end as “our decision, ” and said Adult Swim has been “very supportive. ” He recounted that when they told the network, management said, “If you’re not feeling like making a cartoon, we’re not going to stop you. Go have a break. Either come back or don’t. ” He added that they could return in the future if they wanted to make more episodes: “But maybe not. Who knows?”
Unreleased Season 3 episodes set
The creators announced that two unreleased Season 3 episodes will air April 12 at 11 p. m. They clarified those installments are “not finales, ” calling them “little stragglers” that did not make the initial season rollout. One statement said the series has “come to an end with the third season, ” confirming there will be no additional seasons for now, though the creators left the door open to specials or other projects in the same universe.
Show history and past renewals
The series had earlier been renewed for two more seasons in June last year before the latest instalment premiered last October. The show, widely considered one of the most influential new animated shows of the decade, follows a group of employees at Smiling Friends Inc. who are thrown into bizarre scenarios to try and make their clients happy. Most characters, including Pim, Charlie, and Allan, are voiced by Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel.
Fan reaction and social posts
Social platforms filled with disappointment after the announcement, with some fans saying the end felt sudden after multi-season talk. One X user wrote, “what you mean there’s no more smiling friends???? how could they do this. ” Another post read, “I’m gonna miss Smiling Friends. Like, really gonna miss it. I haven’t felt this good about a show in a long time, considering how it reminded me [of] so many things I used to watch on the internet when I was younger. ” On Reddit, a commenter noted, “I know season 5 was brought up, but ending on season 3 definitely feels like it came out of nowhere. I know they didn't want to just over extend it, but I think it could've easily hit the 5 season mark and ended there. Either way, ended on a high note. ” Other creator comments included Cusack saying, “Our reps and Adult Swim are like, ‘Surely, we’ll go on forever. ’ But Zach and I know what’s best for the show, ” and Hadel adding, “Even if we had a thousand ideas at the end of season five, we’re not going to go on long. ”
Cusack closed the creators’ message by acknowledging disappointment: “We know this is very disappointing… It’s been very hard to even record this recording for it because it’s just a very difficult thing to say for us. We hope you understand and we hope you’ve enjoyed what we’ve done. It’s been amazing. The fans have been so good. It’s been the best. It’s been the ride of a lifetime. ”
The creators left open the possibility of returning in some form—specials or future episodes—while confirming the active run of the series will conclude with Season 3 and that two additional Season 3 episodes will air April 12 at 11 p. m.
