It’s better to choose a hero’s death than a Simpsons-esque fate.

“Smiling Friends” is an American animated sitcom rated TV-MA created by Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack. It stars Hadel and Cusack alongside Marc M. to fill out a zany and colorful cast of people of the beautiful fantasy land of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The show started airing on Adult Swim in 2020 and ran for three seasons until concluding April 12, 2026. The relatable and conversational dialogue of the characters completely contrasts the ludicrous and irrational situations the non-profit company “The Smiling Friends” would get into.

The first final episode, “Friend-Bot (Version 12589218731809213528796879521),” features the titular Friend Bot. He is initially abused by his owner and forced to perform household tasks excessively quickly, but after a sudden heart attack Friend Bot is free to act as he pleases. Shenanigans ensue.

The true final episode is “Charlie’s Uncle Dies and Doesn’t Come Back.” Charlie’s uncle does not die on screen however, but he does only have one day to live. As Pim and Charlie work on making his uncle have the best day of his life, Allen goes on a date with a mysterious stranger that seems too good to be true. Shenanigans ensue.

These episodes don’t feel like a traditional climax or season finale because they aren’t supposed to be.  “Smiling Friends” episodes typically stand by themselves, and though callbacks aren’t uncommon, the show doesn’t rely on a continuous story. Sitcoms like “Smiling Friends” generally don’t rely on long continuities, and that’s fine.

The show was greenlit for a fourth and fifth season June 11, 2025, at the Annecy International Film Festival, but on Feb. 25, Hadel and Cusack announced on YouTube that the series would be unceremoniously ending after the third season. 

The show creators cited reasons like burnout and a lack of ideas for why they decided to not continue making episodes but also pointed out degradation of quality. The showrunners also stated that they are willing to return to making “Smiling Friends” if they have ideas they find good enough.

The loss of “Smiling Friends” is bittersweet, but it still tastes a lot better than seeing the episode count for “The Simpsons” pass 800 or a 2026 release date on a “Family Guy” season. “Smiling Friends” didn’t end on an extravaganza or big blow-out, but it at least ended.

There comes a point where a show stops being aired out of a genuine love for the artform and for the story it can tell and where it starts being about merchandise sales. Art should be about storytelling, not maximizing cashflow.