Adult Swim posted a message from creators Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel confirming Smiling Friends will end when Season 3 is finished.
They frame it as their call, not the network’s. In the message, they say they felt “burnt out” after putting years into the show, but also felt like they’d hit a good stopping point.
Why the creators are calling it quits
Cusack and Hadel say they don’t want the show to drag on just because it can. They talk about wanting to go out “on top,” while people still want more, instead of pushing forward while exhausted.
They also shoot down the idea of handing it off to other people. They describe the show as too tied to their own writing and hands-on control for that to work.
Not a cancellation, and Adult Swim backed them up
The creators say Adult Swim was supportive when they told them their plan, and that the network didn’t pressure them to keep going.
They also leave the door cracked for the future, saying they could come back for a special or more episodes if inspiration hits and it feels right.
Two more Smiling Friends episodes air April 12
The “good news” part: two additional Season 3 episodes are already finished and will air on April 12 at 11 p.m. on Adult Swim.
They stress these aren’t big finales. They describe them as extra Season 3 episodes that round out the season’s total to 10 episodes.
What happens next
Cusack and Hadel say this isn’t the end of them working together, just the end of Smiling Friends as a regular series.
The show ending will sting for fans, but at least they’re not getting a vague “hiatus” promise. The fans are getting a clean ending point now, plus two more episodes on the schedule.
