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The world has seen its fair share of animated adult television shows.
From “Family Guy” to “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” the industry has some true gems amongst it. Most of these shows found their homes on the television channel Adult Swim, the late night block of Cartoon Network. With all of these different shows, one would expect them to all have different styles that make them stand out from one another. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the case in many years. That was until 2020 when Adult Swim aired the pilot of what would become one of its most popular shows. That pilot was for none other than “Smiling Friends.”
“Smiling Friends” is an adult animation show created by content creators Zach Hadel (psychicpebbles) and Michael Cusack (Cusack Creatures). Hadel and Cusack had previous experience in animation due to their short animations on their respective YouTube channels. They are also two of the many animators that got their start by creating flash animations on the entertainment website Newgrounds. Although they had been friends for years, this was the first time that they would work together on a project. Unfortunately, after three seasons, it would seem that Hadel and Cusack have decided to cancel the show for the foreseeable future.
“Smiling Friends” followed the misadventures of the titular fictional charity organization. The Smiling Friends are dedicated to helping people smile no matter what. As you’d expect, it’s never that easy. The A-plot usually follows Pim Pimling (Michael Cusack) and Charlie Dompler (Zach Hadel) as they struggle to make their clients smile or just survive another wacky adventure. The other co-workers that round out the main characters include Allan Red, Glep and Mr. Boss.
The show gained popularity for its simplicity and dry humor. Sometimes the conversations between characters are long and drawn out; other times they are short and end very abruptly. Hadel and Cusack managed to find the balance between the two to create a show that can enrapture its audience within its 12-minute runtime.
Cusack previously worked on another project for Adult Swim. It was a special episode for “Rick and Morty” called “Bushworld Adventures.” It was a parody of the show with a more crude depiction of its titular characters, placing them in a fictionalized Australia instead of their usual suburban, or galactic, setting. Cusack wrote, animated, directed, produced and starred in the episode all by himself. This dedication showed Adult Swim that Cusack was passionate about his craft. It is likely the reason that they trusted him with spearheading not just one but two shows on their network. Alongside “Smiling Friends,” Cusack also created “YOLO.” “YOLO” is Cusack’s personal project that is based on some of his earlier animations.
Hadel is more well-known for his time spent on OneyPlays alongside friend and fellow YouTuber Chris O’Neill. Hadel’s experience comes more from YouTube and acting in spare roles on television projects every now and then, even managing to storyboard for an episode of “Spongebob Squarepants” in 2018. With “Smiling Friends,” Hadel’s name was launched into the mainstream. He became more noticed across the internet, especially on short form content apps like TikTok and Instagram reels. To say that “Smiling Friends” did not change its creators’ lives is undermining how quintessential this show has been to the recent success of Adult Swim.
So then, the confusion from fans concerning the cancellation should be more understandable. Why cancel such a successful show when it’s at its highest point? On Feb. 25, 2026, Adult Swim posted a video on all of its social media accounts called “Important announcement from Michael and Zach.” The video saw the creators announce that “Smiling Friends” would be ending after the final episodes of the third season release in April. They cited burnout as the main reason for the cancellation while also proclaiming a sense of accomplishment for all the progress that they’ve made.
They wanted to “go out on top” so to speak, feeling that they had achieved everything that they could with the show. They also did not want to continue creating something that they would eventually despise due to the workload becoming overwhelming. The two made strong, valid points throughout their entire explanation. It’s unfortunate, but it’s better for the mental state of Hadel and Cusack to have the final curtain here while everyone is still craving more.
While “Smiling Friends” is indeed ending, it’s important to remember how the show made its fans feel. From the way it could bring a smile to faces after a long day to the many quotable characters and moments, “Smiling Friends” will surely never be forgotten. Not all hope is lost though, as Hadel and Cusack have stated that one day they may return with an all-new season featuring everyone’s favorite fictional charity. It’ll be nice to see Charlie, Pim, Glep, Allan and Mr. Boss grace our screens and make us smile once again.
