Smiling Friends is an adult animated television series created by Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack for Cartoon Network's night-time programming block Adult Swim, which revolves around a small company dedicated to spreading happiness.
The pilot episode aired April 1, 2020, unannounced as part of Adult Swim's annual April Fools' Day event alongside the premiere of Cusack's other series, YOLO. On May 19, 2021, Adult Swim ordered a full season that was initially set to premiere in late 2021. A panel dedicated to the series was held during the Adult Swim Festival on November 12, 2021, where co-creator Zach Hadel mentioned the show will premiere "within a few months", pushing the release schedule ahead to 2022. The first season contains 9 episodes, including the pilot and an 11-minute special. The first season eventually premiered on January 10, 2022, with Adult Swim airing all episodes of the season, except for the special, in one night despite initial plans for a weekly release.
Smiling Friends has become a critical and ratings success, receiving praise for its writing, visuals, tone and humor. The series was renewed for a second season on February 9, 2022, and is set to premiere in 2024.
Premise
The series follows the day-to-day lives and misadventures of a business dedicated to bringing happiness to its customers. A pair of employees, cynical Charlie and cheerful, optimistic Pim, try to help out the troubled people who call their company's hotline, though this task usually proves to be more challenging than anticipated due to the often deep-seated nature of their clients' problems.
Voice cast
Main
Michael Cusack as Pim Pimling / Allan / Mr. Pimling / Bliblie / Demon / Fairies / Grim / Ketchup / Mr. Frog / Pepper / Amy Pimling / Mrs. Pimling / Rex / Warren Buffett Zach Hadel as Charlie Dompler / Glep / Bliblie / Boss Baby / DJ Spit / Desmond's Mum / Gnarly / Mip / Mr. Frog Fan / Mr. Peanut / Ronald Reagan / Salt / The Century Egg / The Devil / Charlie’s Grandma / Glep's Grandchild Marc M. as Mr. Boss / Guy at Airport / additional voices
Recurring
David Dore as Party Bro / Forest Demon
Mick Lauer as Bug / Guy at the Gym / Crazy Cup / Elf / additional voices
Erica Lindbeck as Assistant / Jennifer the Barista / Mustard / The Princess
Chris O’Neill as Smormu / Mr. Frog Auditionee
Hans van Harken as Jimmy Fallon / Priest / Hell Faces / Billy additional voices
Rodrigo Huerta as Guy In Line / Jacob the Goblin / additional voices
Joshua Tomar as Centaur / Grandpa Glep / Cop / additional voices
Harry Partridge as Smormu Announcer / Grease / 3D Squelton
Guest
Mike Stoklasa as Desmond / himself
Finn Wolfhard as Man Living in Wall / various Bliblies
Nick Wolfhard as Graham Nelly / various Bliblies
Tom Fulp as Alpha
Jane Badler as Celebrity Show Host
David Firth as Shrimp
Dylan "Chills" as Patron
Jason Paige as Dream Singer
Perry Caravello as Simon S. Salty
Monica Franco as Charlie's girlfriend / Waitress
Jim Knobeloch as Mystery Show Host
Clyde Boraine as Policeman
Lyle Burruss as Mr. Man
Gilbert Gottfried as God
James Rolfe as himself
Episodes
Production
Smiling Friends was created by animators Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack, noted for their individual successes as content creators for Newgrounds and YouTube. Already well-acquainted with each other online, the pair conceived the idea for the show in 2017 whilst dining at Gus's Chicken in Burbank, California, where Cusack, who is based in Melbourne, Australia, was visiting at the time. Hadel stated in an interview that the pair's goal for the show was to base it around "a group of loveable characters, with a simple kind of concept, which we could take anywhere we wanted to." They settled upon the premise of a hotline for people who were unhappy, which became "the connective tissue that made it all click together." However, Hadel stated that although "the company is an important aspect of the show, it’s really the springboard. We have episodes where it’s not even about the job at all." The pair singled out South Park and Seinfeld as amongst the show's biggest influences. The duo developed the show's art style as a 50/50 blend of their own individual styles, though Cusack noted that his own drawings tend to go through a "final Zach gloss". Early in development, the series went under the working title Little Helpers, with an entirely different cast.