Smiling Friends: creators announce 'smiling friends' will end after Season 3
Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel confirmed that the animated series smiling friends will end after its third season, saying the decision stems from burnout and a desire to leave the show on a high note. The creators and stars announced the news in a video posted to Adult Swim’s X account and outlined plans for two additional Season 3 episodes to air on April 12.
Smiling Friends: Creators Confirm End
Variety wrote that Adult Swim’s animated comedy Smiling Friends is ending after its third season. In the video, Hadel opened with, “I’m gonna cut right to the chase, ” and followed with, “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. ”
How the Announcement Happened
The Hollywood Reporter noted that the project’s co-creators and stars revealed the news in the recorded message on Adult Swim’s X account. Hadel said their intent from the start was to commit “110%” to the series and then “go out on top, ” describing their preference to leave fans “wanting more” rather than continuing half-heartedly. Cusack said the choice to end the show was “our decision, ” and that Adult Swim has been “very supportive. ”
Two Unreleased Season 3 Episodes
Both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter said the pair announced two unreleased Season 3 episodes will air April 12. ComingSoon. net stated those installments will premiere April 12 at 11 p. m. Hadel clarified the episodes are “not finales, ” calling them “little stragglers” or, in his words for another interview, “not big finales” but “little rogue planets out there” that formed part of the season rollout.
Why the Creators Are Stepping Back
Cusack and Hadel repeatedly framed the decision as creative and personal. Cusack said they felt “burnt out and creatively accomplished after completing the third season” and that they “do not believe they could continue the series without compromising its quality. ” Hadel warned they would not want to produce future seasons while “half-hearted or burnt out, ” adding, “That’s not fair to us, and it’s not fair to the audience to give you guys fucking slop. That sucks. ” Cusack said their reps and Adult Swim assumed the show would continue indefinitely, but the creators believe it is better to stop while it is strong: “We pretty much can guarantee it’s not going to go on as much as these other shows. ”
Past Renewal and Future Possibilities
The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the animated series, which debuted in 2022 and centers on co-workers Charlie (voiced by Hadel) and Pim (voiced by Cusack) trying to bring positivity into others’ lives, had previously been picked up for seasons four and five. The outlet said it had written in June that the series had been ordered for two additional seasons. The pair told THR in an October interview that they had already written two episodes for a new season and had planned to evaluate how they felt after season five. Cusack joked, “Even our agents think we’re going to go to season 80, ” and referenced the Beatles before that line becomes unclear in the provided context.
Both Variety and ComingSoon. net emphasized that while the series is ending, the creators have left the door open. Cusack said Adult Swim told them, “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, ” and added, “We could come back in the future and make more episodes if we want, if we feel like it. ” ComingSoon. net noted the creators left “the door slightly open to a special or something along those lines, ” and that they would remain open to collaborating with each other on future projects.
The Hollywood Reporter also published an Adult Swim statement praising Cusack and Hadel’s “bold, boundary‑pushing vision” and saying the network was “sad to see this series come to an end, ” while fully respecting and supporting the creators’ decision and noting the final two episodes will premiere April 12. Cusack closed the announcement by acknowledging fan disappointment: “We know this is very disappointing, ” and saying the announcement was difficult to record because of how meaningful the show and its fans have been to them.
Vritti Johar’s byline appears on a ComingSoon. net piece that summarized the creators’ comments and their intention to end the series with Season 3 while leaving room for future returns in other forms.
The final two Season 3 episodes will air April 12, with one source listing an 11 p. m. premiere time; the creators emphasize those episodes are part of Season 3 rather than crafted as series finales.
