Fans of the absurdist animated hit can stop worrying. Smiling Friends is definitively not canceled and is already moving forward with new episodes. In a major show of confidence, Adult Swim granted the series a two-season renewal back in June 2025, securing both a fourth and fifth season for creators Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack. This news comes as the show’s third season, which premiered on October 5, 2025, just wrapped up its run on November 30, 2025.
While an official release date for Season 4 has not been announced, Hadel and Cusack have confirmed that the writing process is actively underway. In a recent interview, Michael Cusack shared a progress update, stating, “We’ve written two scripts. We’ve got a third in the making. Super happy with it so far. It’s always fun to jump back into getting fresh again with ideas.”.
The Official Renewal and What It Means
The future of Smiling Friends was locked in months before Season 3 even aired. The announcement was made during the show’s panel at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in June 2025. For the creators, this two-season commitment from Adult Swim provides creative freedom and stability.
Michael Cusack explained that the renewal allows the show to expand beyond its core premise. “It means you don’t have to make the same episode that the engine of the show relies on, which is the smiling friends go out and help a depressed character,” he said. “Just like the shows we love and grew up with, the best part is now we can make a whole episode about a secondary character and zoom in on them more and explore the town.”.
This promise has already begun to pay off, with Season 3 featuring a finale that deeply explored the mysterious green character, Glep.
What Happened in the Season 3 Finale?
The Season 3 finale, titled “The Glep Ep,” which aired on November 30, 2025, finally gave center stage to the often-silent character. The episode began with Mr. Boss realizing he has no idea what Glep does at the company, leading to Glep being fired.
This event triggered a series of flashbacks revealing Glep is an immortal being, born in 329 AD. The hilarious and chaotic flashbacks showed that Glep’s unintentional actions were indirectly responsible for major historical events, including the fall of the Roman Empire and the spread of the Black Death.
The most important reveal came in a 1992 flashback, where a despondent Mr. Boss was about to end his life. Glep’s spontaneous “happy dance” made him smile, inspiring the creation of the Smiling Friends company itself, making Glep a secret co-founder. By the episode’s end, Mr. Boss apologizes and re-hires Glep, restoring the team.
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The Show’s Creative Process and Future
Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack, who voice the main characters Charlie and Pim respectively, remain the sole writers for the series. Following Season 3, they feel they’ve hit a strong creative stride. “We’ve finally gotten to the point where it’s coming out more naturally. Scripts can flow out easier,” said Cusack.
While Seasons 4 and 5 are confirmed, the creators have been clear that the series will not run forever. They envision it as a complete package. “We want it to be like a nice little box set,” Cusack noted, adding that they often debate the ideal number of seasons but are “pretty staunch on it not going on forever.”. Hadel suggested that five seasons might be the natural stopping point, saying, “five is getting close to probably where we’ll want to wrap it up.”.
The show is celebrated for its mix of animation styles, including traditional 2D, stop motion, Flash animation, rotoscoping, and live-action. This unique visual approach, combined with its unpredictable humor, is expected to continue in the upcoming seasons.
All current episodes of Smiling Friends, including the complete third season, are available to stream on Max. Production on Season 4 continues, with fans awaiting news on its premiere date on Adult Swim.
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