Why Is 'Smiling Friends' Ending After Season 3 Despite Season 4 Renewal Reports? Will It Return?

After a hugely successful three-season run, the hit Adult Swim animated series, Smiling Friends, has wrapped its third season. While viewers had been looking forward to the upcoming season after prior renewal announcements of seasons 4 and 5, the makers have now announced that the show has officially ended after Season 3. Given the cult popularity of the modern classic show, the new announcement comes as a shock to many, with fans wondering what caused this sudden decision change.

The query dominating search engines right now is whether the series will be renewed again, and what it means for the franchise. Are there any more episodes left to see? Here's what the show's creators have said about the show's unexpected ending.

Creators say ending Smiling Friends after Season 3 was "our own decision"

Smiling Friends is arguably the most popular animated show for adults after the cult hit, Rick and Morty. Since its premiere in 2022, the series has proven its mettle as one of the modern age's flagship animated programs. Its unusual humor, meme-ready moments, and emotionally weird yet sincere storytelling made it a breakout phenomenon.

The season finale of Smiling Friends Season 3 aired on Adult Swim on February 23, 2026. And on February 25, 2026 (ET), the show's creator duo, Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel, shockingly announced that this was the final season of Smiling Friends, and contrary to prior announcements, there won't be any new season. 

In an audio message posted on Adult Swim's social media handle, Cusack and Hadel mentioned that it was no joke, and it was completely their decision to end the fan favourite show. The makers revealed that they started to feel "burnt out" after the show's three-year run, and felt it was the perfect time to wrap it after the third season, to end on a good note, leaving fans wanting more. Cusack said: 

"To be perfectly honest, after we finished season three, 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 came to this feeling where we're all like, I think that could just be it after season three... We both felt like it was right."

Smiling Friends creators speak up about creative burnout

Burnout was a recurring theme in their 6-minute explanation. With the show at its peak, the creators mentioned that they always aimed to put their "110% into it"  for every episode, and never wanted to risk diluting the show's quality by extending it unnecessarily. Both feel that leaving the show with fans wanting more was just the right way to go. Hadel mentioned:

"From the very, very beginning of the show, we knew we always said, oh, man, how great would it be to... really 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 in the air. Oh, God."

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the creators mentioned that their decision to end the series came as a shock to Adult Swim's own agents, who had been hoping for a longer run. However, both Cusack and Haden strongly believe that the show was not like other cult hits. Cusack even compared Smiling Friends' journey with The Beatles, who also ended their journey on a high note with Abbey Road. He said:

“Our reps and Adult Swim are like, ‘Surely, we’ll go on forever.’ But Zach and I know what’s best for the show. The Beatles are so cool. They ended with ‘Abbey Road’ on a peak, and it’s like this nice little discography you can go back to watch. Leaving the audience wanting more is the best.”

About Smiling Friends

Smiling Friends is one of the most loved animated adult sitcoms of the decade, borne from the minds of Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack. The series, which airs during Cartoon Network’s late-night Adult Swim block, follows the surreal and often chaotic shenanigans of a small charity group from Pennsylvania and its core employees, Pim, Charlie, Mr. Boss, and Alan, all of whom are committed to making people smile, no matter the circumstances.

It was on April Fool's Day 2020 when the pilot episode of Smiling Friends aired on television and became an overnight sensation. Eventually, it premiered as a full-length show on January 10, 2022, airing all episodes of Season 1 in one night. Since then, the animated series has received widespread acclaim for its slapstick humour, chaotic characters, script, animation, and voice acting.

Will there be any new episodes of Smiling Friends?

While the show has officially wrapped after Season 3, it's not entirely the end just yet. The makers have also announced that two previously unreleased episodes of the third season of Smiling Friends will air on Adult Swim on April 12, 2026. However, the creators clarified that these are not designed as a grand finale. The show is available for streaming on HBO Max and Prime Video.

It's also important to note that the creators have left the door ajar for a potential return in the future. While the chapter seems to be closing, the creators have also left this possibility open, though it depends on how they feel about it. Cusack mused in his note:

"We could come back in the future and make more episodes if we want, if we feel like it. And they’ve [Adult Swim] been super cool and said they would let us do that. But maybe not. Who knows?"

It’s definitely a huge bummer for loyal Smiling Friends fans, but there’s something pretty refreshing about ending a hit show right at its peak. What are your thoughts about it?

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