Summary of "Important announcement from Michael and Zach | Smiling Friends | adult swim"

Quick recap

Michael and Zach appear on camera to deliver a serious announcement: Smiling Friends will end after season 3.

The decision
- Both creators feel burned out after years of grinding on the show and want to stop while they still feel proud of the work. They’d rather leave the series “on top” than continue making half‑hearted episodes.
- The choice was mutual and creative — not a network cancellation.
Control and tone
- The series is very personal and tightly controlled by the two of them, so handing it off to other creators didn’t feel right.
Adult Swim’s response
- The network is supportive and told them to take a break. If they get inspired later they could return for specials or more episodes, but there’s no promise.
Release details (season 3)
- Two completed episodes (part of season 3) will air April 12 at 11:00 p.m. on Adult Swim.
- Season 3 will total 10 episodes (the eight already released plus these two). The two episodes are described as stray, non‑finale episodes.
Honesty and delivery
- They emphasized honesty: they wanted to deliver the news themselves (not via a text image) and acknowledged how hard and disappointing the announcement is for everyone. They repeatedly said they don’t want to give the audience “slop” and prefer to stop when they can still do their best.

They open by making clear:

“This is not a bit. This is not a joke.”
Michael’s offbeat phrasing:

“We squirted the whole thing out of our systems. It’s all shot out everywhere.” (laughter/banter)
Fan appreciation
- They were visibly moved by the fandom — fan art, cosplay, memes, and funny on-the-street reactions. Michael joked about “every drunk guy at a bar” getting up in his face to say they love the show.
Self-aware closer

As Zach quips like a cartoon sign-off: “As the little cartoon guy said, that’s all, folks.”

Sad but purposeful: This was a thoughtful, mutual creative decision rather than a forced cancellation.
Door left open: They’re open to returning for specials or future episodes if inspired, but there are no guarantees.
Gratitude and pride: They thanked the crew and fans repeatedly, encouraged hiring their team, and expressed pride in the run.