The animated comedy concludes earlier than originally planned.
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Smiling Friends has been cancelled after three seasons, with creators Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel confirming that the recently concluded third season will mark the end of the animated comedy. The announcement comes despite the series originally being renewed through Season 5 in June 2025.
Cusack claims the decision to end the series was their own, and followed years of continuous production on the series:
“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, like we just just came to this feeling we’re all like, I think that could just be it after Season 3. We both felt like it was right.”
Hadel added:
“Even from the very, very beginning of the show, we always said, oh man, how great would it be to try to make the show as good as it could be, and really put 110% into it, and then go out what feels like on top, what feels like leave them wanting more, rather than people going, oh, that show is still on the air. After several years of really, really grinding on this show, non-stop, without any breaks, 24/7, we got to a point where we just felt like that’s a good spot to end it. And we wouldn’t want to be doing more seasons half-hearted or burnt out or not feeling it. That’s not fair to us. It’s not fair to the audience.”
The series follows Smiling Friends Inc., a small charity dedicated to bringing happiness to the world. Its representatives, the cynical Charlie and the optimistic Pim, spend their days helping troubled callers who reach out to their hotline.
Two additional episodes, considered part of Season 3 but not crafted as a series finale, will be released April 12 on Adult Swim.
