Not going to beat around the bush with this one… today, Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel are ending Smiling Friends — and nobody canceled anything.

The creators announced the decision themselves in a video posted to Adult Swim’s YouTube channel today, with Hadel opening on the only disclaimer a Smiling Friends announcement could ever need:

“This is not a bit. This is not a joke.”

The short version: season three is the end, by choice. Both creators described reaching the point of burnout while still proud of the work, and framed the exit as protecting the show rather than abandoning it — leave at the peak, never let it get worse. Anyone who’s watched a beloved series limp past its expiration date knows exactly what they’re guarding against.

Notably, Adult Swim didn’t fight it. Per Cusack, the network’s response amounted to:

“If you’re not feeling making a cartoon, we’re not going to stop you.”

— with the door left open for future specials if inspiration ever returns. That’s about as amicable as an ending gets in this business.

There’s still a little more show left: eight of season three’s episodes have aired, and the final two premiere April 12 at 11 p.m. on Adult Swim, streaming on HBO Max the next day — bringing the season to ten and the series to a close.

Pretty much a shock, considering not only the fact that the show hit Rick and Morty levels of popularity in 3 short seasons… they were greenlit for at least 2 more. Suffice to say, years of reporting AS news… I’m frankly a little sus. I guess we’ll see what happens in the coming months. Stay tuned for more.