Posted in: Adult Swim, TV | Tagged: smiling friends

Smiling Friends Returns Tonight! Our S03E01: "Silly Samuel" Preview

With Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel's Smiling Friends returning to Adult Swim tonight, here's our preview for Season 3 Ep. 1: "Silly Samuel."

Tonight brings the return of Michael Cusack and Zach Hadel's Smiling Friends to Adult Swim for a third season, which means the world just a wee bit better. To celebrate the occasion, we've updated our preview for tonight's episode, S03E01: "Silly Samuel" (11:30 pm ET/PT). Along with an official overview, we have a look back at the three previously released previews (including one that adds more context to the first preview), as well as the shorts that were released over the summer, the episode title teaser, and more – here's a look!

Smiling Friends Season 3 Episode 1 "Silly Samuel" Preview

Smiling Friends Season 3 Episode 1 "Silly Samuel" – Pam and Charlie are tasked with helping a stupid, ugly freak no one likes. Meanwhile, the Boss and Allan… read more.

Cusack and Hadel raised the bar with a Season 3 teaser that also offered a rundown of the episode titles and overviews, as well as some looks at the animatics from each. If you thought the trailer was great, just check out the details below…

Adult Swim's Smiling Friends Offers Up Some "Smiling Shorts"

In the first "Smiling Shorts" from earlier this summer, Charlie tries his best not to hurt Pim's feelings over Pim's irreversible surgery. Does it go well? No. No, it does not. In the second short, it's another job well done for Charlie and Pim, and Roy Dismey (Hmmm…) really appreciates them helping him get his smile back. But as you're about to see, there might be another reason why Roy's smiling.

Hadel and Cusack Want Series to Have "Always Sunny" Vibes

During Adult Swim's presentation at the 2024 Annecy International Animation Festival, Hadel and Cusack addressed whether viewers should expect the series to take on darker and/or more serious themes during future seasons – similar to what we've seen from other animated series that have those "special" episodes.

"A lot of comedy shows, like you say, tend to get serious," Hadel shared in response to a question from an attendee. "I don't think Charlie and Pim could cry, and anybody would care. It would just be annoying. So it would probably end before it gets to that point." Hadel continued, "This show is hopefully kind of an escape. We always think about when we worked minimum-wage jobs; we would get home and just want to watch YouTube cartoons and South Park and [It's] Always Sunny [in Philadelphia]. There's something nice about being a little comedy thing, and that's it."

And there it is! Are we surprised? No – but being a diehard fan of FXX's Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day, Glenn Howerton, Kaitlin Olson & Danny DeVito-starring It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, I know that we don't always tend to go public a lot with our love for the greatest sitcom to ever grace a television screen. So when one of us does, it's nice to see – and when it's two talented folks like Cusack and Hadel, even more so.

"Something like 'South Park,' when I saw that episode when Stan gets depressed, I loved that because Trey [Parker] and Matt [Stone] are so great at that when they get serious. I just think we like keeping a continuous tone with 'Smiling Friends,' where you can tune in in any season. You don't really know where you are," Cusack added. And for those of you wondering when the season-long serialized storylines are going to kick in, Hadel makes it clear that fans shouldn't be holding their collective breath for them anytime soon. "I don't think we'll ever do serialization. It's supposed to just be popcorn. It's McDonald's of TV,' Hadel explained.

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