A popular animated TV show is ending after three seasons… despite previously being renewed for a fourth and fifth season.
Videos by Suggest
Indeed, the creators of Adult Swim‘s animated comedy Smiling Friends, Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel, are calling it a wrap. Cusack and Hadel announced the news unexpectedly through an audio message on the programming block’s X account.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom for fans of the quirky animated series. While the eight-episode Season 3 ended its run on Adult Swim on Nov. 30, we haven’t seen the last of Pim and Charlie just yet.
Cusack and Hadel revealed that two bonus episodes will drop on April 12, describing them as “little stragglers, little rogue planets out there.” They’re not tied to the series finale, which means there could always be a revival down the line.
Creators of ‘Smiling Friends’ Tell Fans Ending the Beloved TV Show Was ‘Our Decision’
Meanwhile, Cusack and Hadel stated that ending Smiling Friends was “our decision” and confirmed that Adult Swim executives supported their choice.
“After we finished Season 3, Zach and I both had the same feeling where we feel pretty burnt out after putting years and years into this, but also pretty accomplished, like we just came to this feeling we’re all like, I think that could just be it after Season 3,” Cusack explained.
“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, 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. We wouldn’t want to be doing more seasons with half- hearted or burnt out or not feeling it. That’s not fair to us. It’s not fair to the audience to give you guys f—ing slop,” Hadel added.
Cusack and Hadel also thanked fans for their overwhelming support.
“It’s been a ride of a lifetime, Cusack reflected. “The show got way bigger than either of us ever imagined: all the fan art, all the costumes, people sharing memes, all of it.”
Smiling Friends is available to stream the next day on HBO Max.