Smiling Friends was on a path to be Adult Swim's biggest original series since Rick and Morty, but the creators brought that to a grinding halt with an announcement that no one expected. Creators Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel revealed they'd be ending the show after Season 3, with two unreleased episodes coming at a later date. While there's still some content to look forward to, there's definite division amongst fans in how they feel about this news arriving in the midst of the 2026 TV schedule.
I can understand the feeling of whiplash, given that Adult Swim previously announced that Smiling Friends was renewed for Seasons 4 and 5. Now, the creators said in an announcement they're ending the series out of fear of creative burnout. The news is still fresh, but what's interesting is that there's no clear consensus on how fans feel based on online comments:
