Smiling Friends Cancelled After Season 3; Two Unreleased Episodes to Air April 12

The creators of the Adult Swim animated comedy announced the series will end after its third season, saying prolonged production left them burnt out and prompting the decision to stop while they still felt satisfied with the work. The statement from Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel, posted to Adult Swim's X account, confirms that two unreleased Season 3 episodes will still air on April 12.

Smiling Friends Cancelled: Creators Cite Burnout

Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel — co-creators and lead voices on the show — delivered the news in an audio/video message on Adult Swim’s X account. Hadel opened with, "This is not a bit, " and the pair made clear ending the series was their decision. Both said that after finishing Season 3 they felt "pretty burnt out" after devoting years to the project, and that feeling of exhaustion, coupled with a sense of accomplishment, led them to conclude "I think that could just be it" for now. They added they did not want to continue producing the show half‑heartedly and risk delivering what they described bluntly as "slop. "

Two Unreleased Season 3 Episodes Set for April 12

The creators said two leftover Season 3 episodes — described by Hadel as "little stragglers" or "little rogue planets" — will air on April 12 on Adult Swim. Hadel emphasized these instalments are not conceived as a series finale and are not thematically tied to a conclusive ending. Season 3 itself ran as an eight-episode block that concluded its Adult Swim run on November 30.

Renewal for Seasons 4 and 5 and Earlier Plans

Notably, the decision to end the show comes despite an earlier pickup for Seasons 4 and 5. The creators had previously written two episodes intended for another season and said in an interview timed to the Season 3 premiere that they planned to reassess how they felt after Season 5. That prior planning underscores the deliberate nature of their choice to stop sooner than the network had initially expected.

Adult Swim Response and Production Credits

Adult Swim publicly expressed support for the pair, stating, "Everyone at Adult Swim is incredibly proud of what Michael and Zach built" and adding, "we are sad to see this series come to an end. " Network executives told the creators they could take a break and might return to the show if they chose to do so in the future; the channel also noted it respects the co-creators' decision to close their current run with the two episodes premiering April 12. The series is produced by Williams Street, Adult Swim's in-house production arm, and has been one of the network's top-performing titles on HBO Max outside of Rick and Morty.

Next Steps for Creators and the Smiling Friends Crew

Cusack and Hadel said they will continue to work together and urged other productions to hire the Smiling Friends crew. The duo and producer Aron Fromm have teamed to launch Zam Studios, a Los Angeles–based independent animation studio. The creators also stated they would rather end the project than hand it off to other creatives — saying they are "control freak-y" about the show — but left open the possibility of returning to make more episodes if inspiration strikes.

What makes this notable is that a program already slated for additional seasons and with clear commercial traction on streaming has been brought to a close by its makers' own choice; the cause—years of nonstop production and creative fatigue—directly produced the effect of an early termination. The move preserves the creators' intent to leave the series on their terms while allowing the network and fans to keep the door ajar for future revivals.

The series, which debuted in 2022 and follows co‑workers Charlie (voiced by Zach Hadel) and Pim (voiced by Michael Cusack) as they attempt to bring positivity to others, will conclude its initial run with the April 12 airings. Fans disappointed by the news are left with the two additional episodes and the knowledge that the creators have control over whether and when Smiling Friends returns.

Note: The timeline of prior renewals, the Season 3 episode count, the Nov. 30 end of Season 3's run, the April 12 air date for two unreleased episodes, the creators' statements about burnout and creative control, Adult Swim's supportive stance, the Williams Street production credit, the formation of Zam Studios with Aron Fromm, and the show's 2022 debut are all part of the official record shared by the creators and the network.