‘Smiling Friends’ Season 4 Was Already Written — Why Did the Creators Scrap It?

Cartoon fans are in mourning today, after the adult animated sitcom Smiling Friendsannounced the current, third season would be its last.

“This is not a bit,” Zach Hadel, co-creator of the series, explained in Adult Swim’s social media post announcing its ending. “This is not a joke. Michael [Cusack, fellow co-creator] and I are here to announce that Smiling Friends will be ending after season three is done.”

The announcement is shocking for two main reasons — firstly, the Adult Swim show has been a smash hit for viewers, with a cult following and increasingly high social media engagement as the series progresses. Secondly, the show was previously renewed for another two seasons by the network, so why stop when the series has gone from strength to strength?

For these two reasons to keep the show going, there were two answers about why it shouldn't, according to the creators: burnout and accomplishment.

“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," the statement continued. "We just came to this feeling where we’re like, ‘I think that could just be it after season three.’ We both felt like it was right.”

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporterin October last year, Cusack and Hadel talked about writing two episodes for season four — two episodes that will, seemingly, never see the light of day now.

"We’ve written two scripts," Cusack said in October. "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."

However, even last year, the pair hinted that the show wouldn't go on for as long as the Adult Swim network would like. Why? Well, The Beatles were, oddly enough, a model example for them.

“Even our agents think we’re going to go to season 80,” Cusack said at the time. “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.”