«Smiling Friends will end after the third season, the creators announced»
26 february 2026 в 22:13
Despite a devoted fan base and positive reviews since its debut in January 2022, the animated comedy series «Smiling Friends» will not return for a fourth season. Co-creators Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack surprised fans in February 2026 by announcing that the show would conclude after its third season, even though the network had previously renewed it for fourth and fifth seasons.
«I'll get straight to the point», - Hadel said at the beginning of the announcement. «This is not a joke, this is not a prank. Michael and I are here to announce that 'Smiling Friends' will end after the completion of the third season».
«Smiling Friends» is an animated comedy from Adult Swim that follows Pim and Charlie, two employees of a small company who try (often with humor and chaos) to help people become happy. The surreal and unconventional series combines dark humor, absurd situations, and vibrant character moments, which earned it a dedicated fan base after its 2022 debut.
No, «Smiling Friends» will not return for a fourth season or beyond. Although the series was previously renewed for fourth and fifth seasons in June 2025, co-creators Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack announced in February 2026 that the show would conclude after the third season.
However, two additional episodes (originally unreleased) from the third season are scheduled to air on April 12, 2026, on Adult Swim as part of the final showcase.
The decision to end «Smiling Friends» was not made by the network—Hadel and Cusack chose to conclude the series themselves after many years of continuous work, as they felt creatively burnt out and wanted to maintain the quality of the show rather than stretch it out.
«To be honest, after finishing the third season, Zach and I both felt burnt out after many years of work, but we also felt quite proud of ourselves», - Cusack added. «We came to the feeling that after the third season, this could be it».
«We wouldn’t want to make more seasons without enthusiasm or feeling burnt out», - Hadel added. «It would be unfair to us and to the viewers to give you something subpar. That would be terrible».
The creators stated that they preferred to end the show «on a high note» rather than produce episodes without full passion, and Adult Swim publicly supported their decision. They also left the door open for future specials or materials if inspiration strikes, but for now, regular seasons are concluded
«I'll get straight to the point», - Hadel said at the beginning of the announcement. «This is not a joke, this is not a prank. Michael and I are here to announce that 'Smiling Friends' will end after the completion of the third season».
«Smiling Friends» is an animated comedy from Adult Swim that follows Pim and Charlie, two employees of a small company who try (often with humor and chaos) to help people become happy. The surreal and unconventional series combines dark humor, absurd situations, and vibrant character moments, which earned it a dedicated fan base after its 2022 debut.
No, «Smiling Friends» will not return for a fourth season or beyond. Although the series was previously renewed for fourth and fifth seasons in June 2025, co-creators Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack announced in February 2026 that the show would conclude after the third season.
However, two additional episodes (originally unreleased) from the third season are scheduled to air on April 12, 2026, on Adult Swim as part of the final showcase.
The decision to end «Smiling Friends» was not made by the network—Hadel and Cusack chose to conclude the series themselves after many years of continuous work, as they felt creatively burnt out and wanted to maintain the quality of the show rather than stretch it out.
«To be honest, after finishing the third season, Zach and I both felt burnt out after many years of work, but we also felt quite proud of ourselves», - Cusack added. «We came to the feeling that after the third season, this could be it».
«We wouldn’t want to make more seasons without enthusiasm or feeling burnt out», - Hadel added. «It would be unfair to us and to the viewers to give you something subpar. That would be terrible».
The creators stated that they preferred to end the show «on a high note» rather than produce episodes without full passion, and Adult Swim publicly supported their decision. They also left the door open for future specials or materials if inspiration strikes, but for now, regular seasons are concluded
© Puhova Marina
