Smiling Friends to End After Season 3, Creators Say It Was Their Decision

Creators Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel announced that Smiling Friends will conclude after its third season, a choice they say stems from exhaustion after years of nonstop production. The news matters now because two previously unreleased Season 3 episodes are scheduled to air April 12, even as the creators emphasize the decision to stop was their own.

Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel Deliver the Announcement

In a message posted to Adult Swim's X account, Cusack and Hadel opened by saying, "I'm gonna cut right to the chase, " and stressed "this is not a bit, this is not a joke. " They described a shared feeling after finishing Season 3: both proud and burned out after investing years into the show. Cusack said they reached a point where "I think that could just be it" and Hadel said the pair always intended to give the series "110%" and "go out on top. " The creators added they would rather leave viewers wanting more than continue producing episodes half‑heartedly.

Adult Swim, Williams Street and Streaming on HBO Max

Cusack said the decision to end Smiling Friends was "our decision" and that Adult Swim had been "very supportive, " telling them to take a break and return only if they wanted to. The series is produced by Williams Street, Adult Swim's in‑house production company, and remains available to stream the following day on HBO Max. Executives were described as open to the creators coming back in the future if they choose to do so.

Season 3 Closure, Two Episodes and an April 12 Air Date

Season 3 of Smiling Friends consisted of eight episodes and completed its Adult Swim run on November 30. Cusack and Hadel revealed that two unreleased Season 3 episodes will air on April 12. Hadel clarified these installments are "not finales" but rather "little stragglers" that did not make the initial rollout; another description labeled them "little rogue planets" and emphasized they are not thematically related to a series capstone. The creators called the episodes extras rather than a deliberate ending note and left open the possibility of revisiting the series later.

Renewals, Burnout and Why the Show Is Ending

The decision to stop came despite past renewals for Seasons 4 and 5. Cusack and Hadel said that after several years of "really, really grinding" on Smiling Friends "non‑stop, without any breaks, 24/7, " they arrived at the conclusion that continuing would risk producing work done while burned out. Hadel warned that producing more episodes under that condition would be unfair to both the creators and the audience, bluntly rejecting the idea of delivering what he called "fucking slop. " That sense of fatigue was the proximate cause cited for ending the series even though the show had been successful enough to merit additional seasons.

Zam Studios, the Crew and the Series' Reach

Cusack and Hadel said they will continue to work together and have teamed with producer Aron Fromm to launch Zam Studios, a Los Angeles‑based independent animation studio. They also urged other shows to hire the Smiling Friends crew. The creators thanked fans for embracing the show with fan art, costumes and memes, calling the response larger than they had imagined. They noted Smiling Friends has been one of Adult Swim's top‑performing programs on HBO Max outside of Rick and Morty.

Pim, Charlie and Flint in the Final Season

Season 3 finds characters Pim, Charlie and Flint, along with the rest of the cast, "going absolutely bonkers" as they pursue their quest to spread joy. Cusack admitted it was difficult to record the announcement, describing the moment as emotionally challenging and expressing hope that fans would understand the creators' choice and appreciate what the show achieved.

While the April 12 airings will give viewers two additional episodes to watch, Cusack and Hadel framed the end of Smiling Friends as a deliberate pause rather than a closed door: the series may return if the creators decide to make more, but for now they are stepping away.