Adult Swim's Smiling Friends Season 3 Is the End — Two Final Episodes Drop April 12
The beloved animated comedy Smiling Friends is officially closing its doors. Co-creators Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel announced on February 26, 2026, that Adult Swim's Smiling Friends Season 3 will mark the end of the series — a surprise move that caught fans completely off guard just months after a major renewal was confirmed.
Smiling Friends Season 3 Premiered on Adult Swim in October 2025
Adult Swim's Smiling Friends Season 3 debuted on October 5, 2025, at 11:30 p.m. ET, with episodes streaming on Max the following day. The season ran eight episodes weekly on Sundays through November 30, 2025, picking up with Pim, Charlie, Flint, and the gang on their surreal quest to spread joy to the world.
The season delivered everything fans had come to expect — grotesque animation, deadpan humor, dark comedy, and occasional heartfelt moments. Spirit gems, a showdown with an ancient witch, and Mr. Frog sprinting directly at the camera were just a few highlights that defined Season 3's chaotic energy.
Creators Announce Show Is Ending Despite Season 4 and 5 Renewals
In a candid audio message posted to Adult Swim's social media on February 26, Hadel and Cusack confirmed the news directly to fans. "This is not a bit. This is not a joke," Hadel stated plainly. "Michael and I are here to announce that Smiling Friends will be ending after Season 3 is done."
The announcement shocked the animation community. Just months earlier, in June 2025, Adult Swim had publicly announced renewals for a fourth and fifth season during the Annecy International Animation Film Festival — the very same event where Season 3 was previewed.
Creator Burnout Behind the Smiling Friends Season 3 Finale Decision
Cusack and Hadel were transparent about their reasoning, citing burnout and a sense of creative completion after years of intense work. "After we finished Season 3, Zach and I just both had the same feeling where we felt pretty burnt out," Cusack explained, adding that they felt accomplished and believed the show had run its natural course.
Adult Swim responded with full support. The network issued a statement saying it was "incredibly proud" of what Cusack and Zach Hadel built and fully respected their decision to conclude the series with Season 3. The network also left the door open for future collaboration with the creators.
Two Final Episodes Air April 12 on Adult Swim
Fans still have something to look forward to before it's truly over. Two additional episodes from the Smiling Friends Season 3 production batch are scheduled to air on April 12, 2026, at 11 p.m. ET on Adult Swim. Hadel clarified that these episodes are "little stragglers" — not series finales, not thematically connected to the larger story, just two extra episodes that didn't make it into the main Season 3 rollout.
The creators were also careful to leave the door slightly ajar. Cusack noted that 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." A return for specials or new episodes remains a distant but real possibility.
Smiling Friends Legacy on Adult Swim
Smiling Friends launched as an April Fools' Day pilot on Adult Swim in 2020 before a full debut in January 2022. It quickly became one of the network's top-performing shows on Max, outside of Rick and Morty. The show spawned a flood of fan art, viral memes, and a dedicated cult following drawn to its flexible animation style and uniquely strange comedic voice.
Cusack and Hadel are moving forward together. The duo, along with producer Aron Fromm, launched ZAM Studios, a new Los Angeles-based independent animation studio, signaling that their creative partnership is far from finished — even as Smiling Friends takes its final bow on April 12, 2026.
