|
Removing link(s) / list item(s) Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Studio Yotta closed as soft delete (XFDcloser)
|
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit
|
||
| (239 intermediate revisions by more than 100 users not shown) | |||
Line 4:
| caption = Title card
| genre = {{plainlist |
* [[Absurdist fiction|Absurdist]] [[surreal humour|surreal comedy]]
* [[Black comedy]]<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.theilluminerdi.com/2021/12/22/smiling-friends-review/|title = Smiling Friends: Adult Swim's Latest Adult Comedy is Childish|date = December 22, 2021|access-date = January 13, 2022|archive-date = January 13, 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220113002120/https://www.theilluminerdi.com/2021/12/22/smiling-friends-review/|url-status = live}}</ref>
}}
| creator = {{plainlist |
Line 27 ⟶ 26:
| theme_music_composer = [[Chris O'Neill (YouTuber)|Chris O'Neill]]
| open_theme =
| end_theme = "Brown Smile"
| composer = Brendan Caulfield
| country = {{plainlist |
Line 35 ⟶ 34:
| language = English
| num_seasons = 2
| num_episodes =
| list_episodes =
| executive_producer = {{plainlist |
* Mike Cowap
* Emma Fitzsimons
* [[Ollie Green]]
* Walter Newman
* Kelly Crews
* Cameron Tang
* Jake Ganz
}}
| producer = {{plainlist |
* Ollie Green
* Laura DiMaio
* Paul Moran
* Casey Rup
* Cody DeMatteis
}}
| editor = {{plainlist |
* Scott Henry
* Lukas Xuereb
* Aron Fromm
}}
| cinematography =
| runtime = 11 minutes
| company = {{plainlist |
* [[Princess Bento Studio]]
* Studio Yotta
*
* [[Williams Street]]
}}
Line 75 ⟶ 71:
| related =
}}
'''''Smiling Friends''''' is an Australian-American [[adult animation|adult]] [[animated television series]] created by [[Zach Hadel]] and [[Michael Cusack (animator)|Michael Cusack]] for [[Cartoon Network]]'s
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 (2020 TV series)|YOLO]]''. On May 19, 2021, Adult Swim ordered a full season that was initially set to premiere in late 2021.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tapp |first1=Tom |title=Adult Swim Orders Series Pick Ups For 'Royal Crackers' And 'Smiling Friends' |url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/adult-swim-series-royal-crackers-smiling-friends-1234759884/ |access-date=May 19, 2021 |publisher=Deadline |date=May 19, 2021 |archive-date=May 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519140129/https://deadline.com/2021/05/adult-swim-series-royal-crackers-smiling-friends-1234759884/ |url-status=live }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite news |date=October 12, 2021 |title=2021 Adult Swim Festival Coming to Screens Everywhere |url=https://www.awn.com/news/2021-adult-swim-festival-coming-screens-everywhere |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211012202737/https://www.awn.com/news/2021-adult-swim-festival-coming-screens-everywhere |archive-date=October 12, 2021 |access-date=October 15, 2021 |work=Animation World Network}}</ref> The first season contains nine episodes, including the pilot and an 11-minute special.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3SPnm43q3E |title=PsychicPebbles on Making Smiling Friends |date=July 22, 2021 |publisher=The Create Unknown |access-date=July 22, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722195920/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3SPnm43q3E |archive-date=July 22, 2021 |url-status=live |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/smiling_friends/s01 | title=Smiling Friends | website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] | access-date=July 26, 2022 | archive-date=July 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726024807/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/smiling_friends/s01 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Valdez |first=Nick |date=2022-05-18 |title=Smiling Friends to Release New Special Episode |url=https://comicbook.com/anime/amp/news/smiling-friends-season-2-special-episode-adult-swim/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726025301/https://comicbook.com/anime/amp/news/smiling-friends-season-2-special-episode-adult-swim/ |archive-date=July 26, 2022 |access-date=July 26, 2022 |website=[[ComicBook.com]]}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Valdez |first=Nick |date=2022-01-10 |title=Adult Swim Shocks Fans With Secret Smiling Friends Premiere Marathon |url=https://comicbook.com/anime/news/smiling-friends-premiere-marathon-adult-swim-surprise-fan-reactions/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111202611/https://comicbook.com/anime/news/smiling-friends-premiere-marathon-adult-swim-surprise-fan-reactions/ |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |access-date=January 25, 2022 |website=[[ComicBook.com]]}}</ref><ref name="Smiling Friends Air Date" />{{efn|name=Adult Swim|Adult Swim lists the series as premiering on January 9, 2022, at 12:00 a.m. (24:00) [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]/[[Pacific Time Zone|PST]], which is effectively January 10.}}
The series received critical acclaim, and was renewed for a second season on February 9, 2022;<ref name="Deadline Adult Swim">{{cite web|last=Del Rosario|first=Alexandra|title='Birdgirl' & 'Smiling Friends' Renewed For Season 2 By Adult Swim|url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/birdgirl-smiling-friends-renewed-season-2-adult-swim-1234929116/|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=February 9, 2022|access-date=August 11, 2022|archive-date=August 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809193335/https://deadline.com/2022/02/birdgirl-smiling-friends-renewed-season-2-adult-swim-1234929116/|url-status=live}}</ref> the season premiere aired on April 1, 2024,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Valdez |first1=Nick |title=Smiling Friends Season 2 Shares First Look at Premiere: Watch |url=https://comicbook.com/anime/news/smiling-friends-season-2-episode-1-watch-adult-swim/ |website=Comicbook.com |access-date=2 April 2024 |language=en |quote="after the special puppet episodes, Adult Swim sneakily premiered the first episode of the new season" |archive-date=2 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240402202332/https://comicbook.com/anime/news/smiling-friends-season-2-episode-1-watch-adult-swim/ |url-status=live }}</ref> with the rest of the season beginning to air on May 13.<ref name="Mini-Teaser">{{Cite web |last=Flook |first=Ray |date=2024-03-24 |title=Smiling Friends Returns Next Sunday; Season 2 Mini-Teaser Released |url=https://bleedingcool.com/tv/smiling-friends-returns-next-sunday-season-2-mini-teaser-released/ |access-date=2024-03-25 |website=[[Bleeding Cool]] |language=en |archive-date=2024-03-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240324231209/https://bleedingcool.com/tv/smiling-friends-returns-next-sunday-season-2-mini-teaser-released/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Special Broadcast">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSwfwTw79HQ |title=Adult Swim Special Broadcast 2024 |date=April 1, 2024 |publisher=[[Adult Swim]] |access-date=April 1, 2024 |via=[[YouTube]] |archive-date=March 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240331223641/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSwfwTw79HQ&rv=NSwfwTw79HQ |url-status=dead }}</ref> On June 13, 2024, Adult Swim renewed the series for a third season.<ref>{{
==Premise==
The series follows the
==Voice cast==
===Main===
* [[Michael Cusack (animator)|Michael Cusack]] as [[Pim Pimling]] / Allan Red
* [[Zach Hadel]] as [[Charlie Dompler]] / [[Glep]] /
* Marc M. as Mr. Boss / Airport Guy / Construction Goblin / [[Bill Nye]] / additional voices
===Supporting===
* [[Red Letter Media|Mike Stoklasa]] as Desmond / Himself (split second frame) / Purple Alien▼
* David Dore as Party Bro / Forest Demon / Armzo
* [[Erica Lindbeck]] as Assistant / Jennifer the Barista / Mustard / Princess of the Enchanted Forest / Brittney
* Hans van Harken as [[Jimmy Fallon]] / Priest / Hell Faces / Billy<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1712939315142283727 |user=hansvanharken |title=My #SmilingFriends voice body count so far |last=Van Harken |first=Hans |date=October 13, 2023 |access-date=October 15, 2023}}</ref> / additional voices▼
* Rodrigo Huerta as Guy In Line / Jacob the Goblin / Devils / Jombo / additional voices
▲* Hans van Harken as [[Jimmy Fallon]] / Priest / Hell Faces /
* Mick Lauer as Bug / Guy at the Gym / Crazy Cup / Elf / additional voices
▲* [[Erica Lindbeck]] as Assistant / Jennifer the Barista / Mustard / Princess of the Enchanted Forest / Brittney / Tara the Android
▲* [[Chris O'Neill (YouTuber)|Chris O'Neill]] as Smormu James Carter / Mr. Frog Auditionee
* Lyle Rath as Mr. Man / IGBG CEO ▼
* Joshua Tomar as Centaur / Grandpa Glep / Cop / Count Groxia / Troglor / Armless Boss / U.S. Air Force Jet Pilot / Bigfoot / additional voices▼
* Harry Partridge as Smormu Announcer / Grease / 3D Squelton / William Worm
* Monica Franco as
▲* Joshua Tomar as Centaur / Grandpa Glep / Cop / Count Groxia / Troglor /
===Guest===
====Introduced in Season 1====
* [[Tom Fulp]] as Alpha▼
▲* [[Red Letter Media|Mike Stoklasa]] as Desmond
* [[Finn Wolfhard]] as Squatter / various Bliblies
* Nick Wolfhard as Graham Nelly / various Bliblies
▲* [[Tom Fulp]] as Alpha
* [[Jane Badler]] as Celebrity Show Host
* Chills as Patron
▲* [[David Firth (animator)|David Firth]] as Shrimp / Fillmore
* [[Jason Paige]] as Dream Singer
* Clyde Boraine as Policeman▼
* [[Jim Knobeloch]] as Mystery Show Host
▲* Clyde Boraine as Policeman
* [[Perry Caravello]] as Simon S. Salty
* [[
* [[
====Introduced in Season 2====
* [[Mike Bocchetti]] as President Jimble
* [[Doug Walker (comedian)|Doug Walker]] as Daniel the Demon Slayer
* [[Joel Haver]] as Doug
* Marc Winslow as Pim's Spanish voice{{efn|name=Dubbing}}
* Edson Matus as Charlie's Spanish voice{{efn|name=Dubbing|Winslow and Matus also voice their respective roles in the Latin American Spanish dub of the show.}}
* [[Red Letter Media|Rich Evans]] as Brown Alien<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1789745777343963360 |user=redlettermedia |title=Hey everyone! Season 2 of Smiling Friends airs tonight on @adultswim! Congrats to @MichaelRCusack and @psychicpebble!!! Looking forward to finally seeing all the episodes. Rich and Mike play the villains in an episode. Not sure which one it is but it's one of them! Check it out! |author=Red Letter Media |date=May 12, 2024 |access-date=May 13, 2024}}</ref>
* [[Red Letter Media|Jay Bauman]] as Police Alien<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1799207337854701883 |user=redlettermedia |title=This Sunday! Finally! Mike, Jay and Rich Evans are in Episode 6 of @SmilingFriends! It's on @cartoonnetwork at Midnight. Or it's on HBO Max the following day. Here's a clip from that episode. |author=Red Letter Media |date=June 7, 2024 |access-date=June 8, 2024}}</ref>
* Abed Gheith as Tyler
* [[Microsoft text-to-speech voices|TruVoice Peter Adult Male #1]] as Oscar-Jester / various spamtopia citizens
* [[Dana Snyder]] as Rotten the Snowman
==Episodes==
Line 136 ⟶ 139:
| color2 = #F5B7FF
| link2 = #Season 2 (2024)
| episodes2 = 8
| start2 = {{Start date|2024|04|01}}
| end2 = {{End date|2024|06|24}}
}}</onlyinclude>
Line 174 ⟶ 177:
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2022|01|10}}
|Viewers= 0.30<ref name="1.01-1.03"/>
|ShortSummary= A preview asks the audience to vote on whether a new character, "Smormu," should be added to the show. Pim and Charlie are called to help [[Shrimp]], a reclusive and awkward [[gamer]] who was recently left by his girlfriend, Shrimpina. Charlie believes Shrimp should move on, while Pim aims to reunite the two and seeks her out to set her up on a blind date with Shrimp. Pim ends up developing feelings for Shrimpina instead and tries to steal the date, but changes his mind once he sees Charlie with a miserable Shrimp at the agreed upon meeting spot and reluctantly reintroduces the two. As it turns out, the woman Pim located was not Shrimpina at all, but a stranger named Jennifer. However, Jennifer finds herself attracted to Shrimp anyways, leaving a heartbroken Pim with Smormu - who had been voted in by the audience - attempting to cheer him up.
|LineColor= #F9C90F
}}
Line 185 ⟶ 188:
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2022|01|10}}
|Viewers= 0.25<ref name="1.01-1.03"/>
|ShortSummary= Before the episode, a [[Robert Stack]]-like host walking in an alleyway comments on the horrors of the unknown. Pim is tasked with retrieving firewood for the company's [[Halloween]] party, but gets lost and is attacked by a demonic forest creature. It chases him back to the office, where the partygoers mistake its skin tone for [[blackface]], burn it to death, and eat its remains, while Mr. Boss thanks Pim for "saving" Halloween. The live-action host concludes that the greatest horrors come from the mind, when a cop suddenly arrives telling him to
|LineColor= #F9C90F
}}
Line 192 ⟶ 195:
|EpisodeNumber2= 5
|Title= Who Violently Murdered Simon S. Salty?
|DirectedBy=
|Aux2=Mark Sheard
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2022|01|10}}
|Viewers= 0.23<ref name="1.01-1.03"/>
|ShortSummary= While getting dinner at the popular fast food restaurant Salty's, Pim and Charlie find founder Simon S. Salty dead in a back room. They call the police, who explain that the murder investigation division was moved to a separate company due to budget cuts; Mr. Boss then calls and informs them that the Smiling Friends are in fact the police's new division. They interrogate Salty's team of living mascots, all of whom display alarmingly unhinged behavior. They eventually recover security footage from
|LineColor= #F9C90F
}}
Line 207 ⟶ 210:
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2022|01|10}}
|Viewers= 0.21<ref name="1.01-1.03"/>
|ShortSummary= While on a mission to help the princess of the nearby [[Enchanted Forest]] smile for a portrait, Pim and Charlie get sidetracked by a [[hobbit]]-like forest dweller named Mip. Charlie undertakes several quests despite his earlier apathy towards doing so, causing Pim, who wanted to do the quests beforehand, to accidentally kill Mip in a jealous [[Gollum]]-esque struggle. Remorseful, he and Charlie give the princess the gift Mip had intended for her, but she reveals that Mip was her stalker; inside the box is a bomb, which she frantically discards in a panic before finally smiling upon learning of his demise, much to the duo’s confusion. In a post-credits scene, back at the office, Charlie has an allergic reaction to a "potion" Mip had urged him to drink on a quest, claiming it was a cure for headaches.
|LineColor= #F9C90F
}}
Line 214 ⟶ 217:
|EpisodeNumber2= 7
|Title= Frowning Friends
|DirectedBy=
|Aux2=Michael Harris
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2022|01|10}}
|Viewers= 0.21<ref name="1.01-1.03"/>
|ShortSummary= A rival company called the "Frowning Friends
|LineColor= #F9C90F
}}
Line 225 ⟶ 228:
|EpisodeNumber2= 8
|Title= Charlie Dies and Doesn't Come Back
|DirectedBy=
|Aux2=David Hootselle
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2022|01|10}}
|Viewers= 0.22<ref name="1.01-1.03"/>
|ShortSummary= While fetching a [[Christmas tree]] for the office on [[Christmas Eve]], Pim and Charlie argue about the latter's pessimistic attitude until a tree falls on Charlie and gruesomely kills him. He awakens in [[Hell]], which has [[When hell freezes over|frozen]] over as [[Satan]] is suffering from a bout of depression. Charlie travels to Satan's castle and offers to make him smile, on the condition that Satan must send him back to Earth if he succeeds. Satan finally smiles after harming Charlie and realizes that torturing people gives him pleasure, and tries to back out of their deal, only for [[God]] ([[Gilbert Gottfried]]) to reveal the whole thing was a test, and send Charlie back to Earth during his funeral. An elderly Glep, who has been narrating the episode the entire time, informs his grandson that the story is true and that Christian Hell is real before wishing the audience a Merry Christmas.
|LineColor= #F9C90F
}}
Line 236 ⟶ 239:
|EpisodeNumber2= 9
|Title= The Smiling Friends Go to Brazil!
|DirectedBy=
|Aux2= Michael Dockery, Michael Harris & Mark Sheard
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2022|08|06}}
|Viewers= 0.27<ref>{{cite web|url=https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-saturday-8-6-2022-top-150-cable-originals-network-finals.html|title=SHOWBUZZDAILY's Saturday 8.6.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals UPDATED|work=Showbuzz|first=Mitch|last=Metcalf|date=August 9, 2022|access-date=August 9, 2022|archive-date=August 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220821144022/https://showbuzzdaily.com/articles/showbuzzdailys-saturday-8-6-2022-top-150-cable-originals-network-finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
|ShortSummary= The Smiling Friends arrive in [[Brazil]], only to discover that Pim forgot to book the hotel as he assumed Allan was responsible for doing so. They try to book another hotel nearby, but learn everything is fully booked as [[Mardi Gras]] is currently occurring. The crew get seated at an airport restaurant and call Mr. Boss for advice, but he offers nothing. Ultimately, the gang accepts that their best option is to catch the next flight back home, unaware of a plane that's about to crash into a mountain in the background. This entire sequence of events is presented as a single shot.
|LineColor = #F9C90F
}}}}
===Season 2 (2024)===
{{Episode table|background=#F5B7FF|overall=|season=|title=|titleR
|EpisodeNumber= 10
|EpisodeNumber2= 1
|Title= Gwimbly: Definitive Remastered Enhanced Extended Edition with DX 4K (Anniversary Director's Cut)
|DirectedBy=Paul Ter Voorde
|Aux2=James Cunningham, [[Michael Cusack (animator)|Michael Cusack]], Michael Dockery & [[Zach Hadel]]
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|2024|4|1}}
|ShortSummary=Pim and Allan try to help washed-up video game mascot Gwimbly after he ends up on the company's doorstep by getting his parent company to make him a new game. When the CEO refuses, they decide to [[Crowdfunding in video games|crowdfund]] the game themselves, leaving him enraged that they are using his intellectual property without permission. As he hunts them with the company's new
|Viewers= 0.24<ref>{{cite web|url=https://ustvdb.com/networks/adult-swim/shows/april-fools/|title=April Fools|date=31 March 2023 |access-date=June 2, 2024|publisher=USTVDB|archive-date=June 2, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240602182825/https://ustvdb.com/networks/adult-swim/shows/april-fools/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|LineColor = #F5B7FF
}}
Line 263 ⟶ 266:
|Aux2=Michael Cusack, Michael Dockery & Zach Hadel
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2024|05|13}}
|ShortSummary= Pim and Charlie get a call from the concurrently running and very unpopular [[President of the United States]], the unhygienic and unintelligent Jimble ([[Mike Bocchetti]]), requesting help in winning the upcoming election. He is struggling to run against Mr. Frog, who is launching a [[smear campaign]] against him. Their attempts at earning him a higher approval rating fail as Jimble soils himself during a speech, inadvertently crashes the economy trying to make everyone rich, and establishes a [[foreign policy]] with an infamous [[dictator]] that has committed [[genocide]] against an [[Ethnic cleansing|entire race]] of people. While walking out in frustration, Charlie accidentally discovers a secret society of worms in the [[White House]] basement that are trying to sabotage the vote in favor of Mr. Frog, but accidentally persuades them into supporting Jimble instead upon revealing that frogs eat worms. A saddened Jimble admits his shortcomings at the [[United States presidential debates|Presidential Debate]], swinging public favor in his direction. However, a
|Viewers= 0.28<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bunch |first=Rebecca |date=May 17, 2024 |title=Sunday Cable Ratings 5/12/24: Interview with the Vampire Collapses in Return, The Chi Ties Series Low in Midseason Premiere, When Calls the Heart Ties Season High |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2024/05/sunday-cable-ratings-51224-interview.html?m=1 |access-date=May 20, 2024 |website=The TV Ratings Guide |archive-date=May 20, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240520114029/http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2024/05/sunday-cable-ratings-51224-interview.html?m=1 |url-status=live }}</ref>
|LineColor = #F5B7FF
}}
Line 274 ⟶ 277:
|Aux2=Michael Dockery, Jake Ganz, Paul Georghiou, Paul Ter Voorde & [[Sheldon Vella]]
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2024|05|20}}
|ShortSummary= Mr. Boss tasks Allan with buying more [[paperclips]] for the office. Allan obtains them from an electronics store, but is faced with various obstacles and misadventures before he can make it back to the office - namely a thief, a [[helicopter]] chase with the [[U.S. Air Force]], a [[Sasquatch]], a crew of [[undead]] pirates, and finally a massive [[leviathan]] that swallows Allan and ejects him from its [[Blowhole (anatomy)|blowhole]]. He washes ashore with the box of paperclips, but opens it to find it empty aside from a [[ransom note]] telling him to retrieve the paperclips from
|Viewers= 0.18<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bunch |first=Rebecca |date=May 24, 2024 |title=
|LineColor = #F5B7FF
}}
Line 285 ⟶ 288:
|Aux2=Michael Dockery, Paul Georghiou & David Hootselle
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2024|05|27}}
|ShortSummary= After Mr. Boss marries a malformed [[demon]] named Brittney, the company undergoes a complete rebrand under her influence. Suspecting Brittney of having sinister intentions, Pim, Charlie, and Allan do more research and learn that "Brittney" is actually Filia Diabulus, the daughter of
|Viewers= 0.28<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bunch |first=Rebecca |date=June 1, 2024 |title= Sunday Cable Ratings 5/26/24: When Calls the Heart Ticks Up, The Jinx Ends Steady, Interview with the Vampire Drops Again |url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2024/06/sunday-cable-ratings-52624-when-calls.html?m=1 |access-date=June 2, 2024 |website=The TV Ratings Guide}}</ref>▼
'''Note:''' [[Doug Walker (comedian)|Doug Walker]] makes a cameo appearance in this episode, portraying a parody of his [[Nostalgia Critic]] persona; a [[demonology]]-focused [[YouTuber]] whose videos Pim, Charlie, and Allan consult for information.
▲ |Viewers= 0.28<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bunch |first=Rebecca |date=June 1, 2024 |title=
|LineColor = #F5B7FF
}}
Line 293 ⟶ 298:
|EpisodeNumber2= 5
|Title= Brother's Egg
|DirectedBy=Anthony Price
|Aux2=Tijmen Raasveld & Jakub Zieba
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2024|06|03}}
|ShortSummary= Pim and Charlie are called to help aspiring [[mad scientist]] Daniel "Professor Psychotic" create life. As Daniel explains his plan, his older brother Doug ([[Joel Haver]]) enters to complain about his lack of volume control and inability to find a proper job, ultimately evicting him. Charlie has lunch with Daniel to console him and unsuccessfully find him a new purpose in life. Meanwhile, Pim visits Doug at his job at a construction site to convince him to give Daniel another chance, and is successful after they witness Doug's coworker mourn his estranged brother being crushed to death. Pim and Charlie mediate an intervention between the brothers, during which a physical altercation breaks out after Daniel accuses Doug of being addicted to [[painkillers]] and not being present for their mother's death. One of Daniel's eggs then hatches and implores the brothers to stop fighting. They resolve to set aside their differences and raise the [[homunculus]] together before sharing a tearful embrace. In a post-credits scene, Alan and Glep cry over a film that is also about estranged brothers reconciling, while Mr. Boss cries over his inability to revert his face back to normal, after changing it into a dog's face earlier.
|Viewers= 0.20<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2024/06/sunday-cable-ratings-6224-last-week.html?m=1|title=Sunday Cable Ratings 6/2/24: Last Week Tonight and When Calls the Heart Hit Season Highs, Interview with the Vampire Hits New Low|author=Rebecca Bunch|date=June 7, 2024|publisher=The TV Ratings Guide|access-date=June 8, 2024|archive-date=June 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240608213140/http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2024/06/sunday-cable-ratings-6224-last-week.html?m=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
|LineColor = #F5B7FF
}}
Line 304 ⟶ 309:
|EpisodeNumber2= 6
|Title= Charlie, Pim, and Bill vs. the Alien
|DirectedBy=David Hootselle
|Aux2=David Hootselle
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2024|06|10}}
|ShortSummary= Pim takes Charlie to his [[UFO]] sighting group - Bill, Duncan, and Fillmore ([[David Firth (animator)|David Firth]]). The meeting proves uneventful until a UFO arrives and [[Alien abduction|abducts]] Pim, Charlie, and Bill- the latter of whom is subsequently dissected and eaten. The [[grey alien|alien]]s that abducted the trio are then abducted by a different alien race, who are hosting a party that Pim and Charlie unwillingly participate in. The hosts ([[Red Letter Media|Mike Stoklasa and Rich Evans]]) implore Pim and Charlie to vaporize a populated planet as a "prank", promising to take them home if they do and threatening to place them in an eternal torture chamber if they refuse. They reluctantly comply, only for the aliens to reveal that the planet was devoid of life, the torture device was fake, and the ship can't fly backwards, rendering them unable to return home. During the ensuing argument between Charlie and the aliens, police arrive to arrest them for [[Property damage|destroying public property]] and [[disturbing the peace]]. As the partygoers flee, Pim and Charlie manage to hijack a [[flying saucer]] and fly back to Earth, which they discover is [[Modern flat Earth beliefs|flat]] and encased in a glass dome. A post-credits scene shows that Duncan and Fillmore have been falsely imprisoned for Bill's murder and Charlie and Pim's disappearances.
'''Note:''' The synopsis for the episode on [[Max (streaming service)|Max]] and [[Adult Swim]]'s website is intentionally false, describing Pim in the plot of ''[[Mars Needs Moms]]'' (2011).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Charlie, Pim, and Bill vs the Alien - S2 EP6 - Smiling Friends |url=https://www.adultswim.com/videos/smiling-friends/charlie-pim-and-bill-vs-the-alien |website=Adult Swim}}</ref>
|Viewers= 0.17<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2024/06/sunday-cable-ratings-6924-lazarus.html?m=1|title=Sunday Cable Ratings 6/9/24: The Lazarus Project Ties Low in Return, Interview with the Vampire Ticks Up, MLB Leads|author=Rebecca Bunch|date=June 14, 2024|publisher=The TV Ratings Guide|access-date=June 14, 2024|archive-date=June 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240614202610/http://www.thetvratingsguide.com/2024/06/sunday-cable-ratings-6924-lazarus.html?m=1|url-status=live}}</ref>
|LineColor = #F5B7FF
}}
Line 315 ⟶ 322:
|EpisodeNumber2= 7
|Title= The Magical Red Jewel AKA Tyler Gets Fired
|DirectedBy=Jeff Liu
|Aux2=Max Collins, Tijmen Raasveld, & James White
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2024|06|17}}
|ShortSummary= After firing an employee named Tyler, Mr. Boss informs the Friends that he must journey to the foreign country Spamtopia to purchase a magical red jewel. Pim accompanies him, as he speaks the local language, Spamish, having learned from his childhood [[pen pal]] Oscar. While obtaining the jewel from the elusive "Mr. Jester", Pim disobeys Spamtopia’s sole law by making eye contact with Mr. Jester, who, revealing himself to be the ruler of Spamtopia, sentences the two to death. However, he turns out to be Oscar and spares them after remembering Pim, ultimately eschewing the law entirely; Spamtopia thus descends into [[anarchy]]. Meanwhile, Mr. Boss has tasked Allan, Glep, and Charlie with babysitting his son Jason, but Jason inexplicably dies shortly after Mr. Boss and Pim leave. Mr. Boss is initially horrified, but uses the jewel to resurrect Jason, who sprouts [[butterfly]] wings. Charlie attempts to inquire about a [[manifesto]] he found hidden in Mr. Boss’ desk, but the glittery dust spread by Jason deafens and blinds everyone whilst triggering the building's alarms and sprinklers before Jason [[fourth wall|lunges at the audience]]. In a post-credits scene, Tyler, while at a bar with Charlie, resolves to focus on a music career instead of returning to Smiling Friends.
|Viewers=
|LineColor = #F5B7FF
Line 326 ⟶ 333:
|EpisodeNumber2= 8
|Title= Pim Finally Turns Green
|DirectedBy=Paul Georghiou
|Aux2=Paul Georghiou & Michael Cusack
|OriginalAirDate= {{Start date|2024|06|24}}
|ShortSummary= Charlie, Glep, and Allan build a [[snowman]] out of garbage, naming it Rotten ([[Dana Snyder]]). Rotten comes to life after Pim attaches a radioactive daffodil to its head, and Pim decides to teach him about the pleasures of life. Pim denies Rotten's request to visit the beach, claiming the sun will kill him; horrified at the concept of death, Rotten suffers an [[existential crisis]] and starts screaming non-stop. In an attempt to cheer him up, Charlie calls upon [[Bill Nye]], who begins singing a song about how death is natural and not something to fear, only to be electrocuted to death when his [[hot air balloon]] flies into power lines. Pim and Charlie leave Rotten on a snowy mountain so he can live forever, but he is returned to the office by a frustrated [[yeti]]. Glep suggests storing Rotten in the office freezer, which initally leaves him content, but as time passes, he becomes depressed. As the Friends leave for a trip to the beach, Pim realizes he can take Rotten by putting him inside a cooler, but he melts when another beachgoer accidentally knocks it over. Pim and Charlie begin mourning him, but Rotten suddenly reappears as an ocean wave, along with the ghost of Bill Nye. In a post-credits scene, the Friends question whether Rotten is just the wave or the whole ocean. Rotten consumes a boat and sends a [[tsunami]] towards the shoreline as horrified beachgoers evacuate.
'''Note:''' The synopsis and title for the episode on [[Max (streaming service)|Max]] and [[Adult Swim]]'s website is incorrect or intentionally false, instead stating: "After eating a mysterious artefact found at an ancient burial ground, Pim suddenly and mysteriously turns bright green to everyone's dismay."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Pim Finally Turns Green - S2 EP8 - Smiling Friends |url=https://www.adultswim.com/videos/smiling-friends/pim-finally-turns-green |website=Adult Swim}}</ref>
|Viewers=
|LineColor = #F5B7FF
Line 336 ⟶ 345:
==Production==
[[File:Michael Cusack & Zach Hadel by Gage Skidmore.jpg|thumb|right|Creators [[Michael Cusack (animator)|Michael Cusack]] (left) and [[Zach Hadel]] (right) at [[Wondercon]] 2024]]
''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]]
Hadel and Cusack pitched the series to [[Adult Swim]], which greenlit production on the pilot in 2018. Hadel had previously attempted to sell his and [[Chris O'Neill (YouTuber)|Chris O'Neill]]'s web series ''Hellbenders'' to the network, but the project was not picked up while an independently produced pilot was shelved during production; O'Neill would later compose the ''Smiling Friends'' theme song.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/937404 |title=Brown Smile - Smiling Friends Credit |date=2020-05-27 |last=O'Neill |first=Christopher |type=Music |publisher=Oney Music |access-date=May 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519205005/https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/937404 |archive-date=May 19, 2021 |url-status=live |website=[[Newgrounds]]}}</ref> Cusack created the ''Rick and Morty'' short ''Bushworld Adventures'', which premiered as an [[April Fool's Day]] stunt on the network in 2018, and also created the series ''[[YOLO: Crystal Fantasy]]'', which premiered in August 2020.
Line 342 ⟶ 351:
The ''Smiling Friends'' pilot, which the pair consider the first official episode, aired on Adult Swim on April 1, 2020, to positive reviews<ref name="Smiling Friends review"/> and became the most viewed episode of any show on the network's website.<ref name="Deadline Adult Swim"/> The network subsequently ordered seven additional episodes in May 2021. Serving as showrunners, Hadel and Cusack were hands on in all aspects of production, from writing, storyboards, character designs, final animation and sound design, which the duo considered unusual for an adult animated series. According to Hadel, the budget for the entire first season was equivalent to that of a single episode of ''[[Family Guy]]'' (an estimated US$2,000,000).<ref name="zach">{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9SS8hMOF4k |title=PsychicPebbles & Michael Cusack Talk Smiling Friends |publisher=The Create Unknown |access-date=July 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220812182242/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9SS8hMOF4k |archive-date=August 12, 2022 |url-status=live |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Dean|first=Josh|date=November 1, 2008|title=Seth MacFarlane's $2 Billion Family Guy Empire|url=https://www.fastcompany.com/1042476/seth-macfarlanes-2-billion-family-guy-empire|access-date=February 11, 2022|website=Fastcompany.com|language=en-US|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211204305/https://www.fastcompany.com/1042476/seth-macfarlanes-2-billion-family-guy-empire|url-status=live}}</ref>
The show is primarily animated by
Adult Swim renewed the series for a second season on February 9, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Del Rosario |first1=Alexandra |title='Birdgirl', 'Smiling Friends' Renewed For Season 2 By Adult Swim |url=https://deadline.com/2022/02/birdgirl-smiling-friends-renewed-season-2-adult-swim-1234929116/ |website=Deadline |access-date=February 9, 2022 |date=February 9, 2022 |archive-date=February 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209170348/https://deadline.com/2022/02/birdgirl-smiling-friends-renewed-season-2-adult-swim-1234929116/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On May 18, 2022, Hadel announced on Twitter that a special would be released sometime before the second season.<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1526959194963779584 |user=psychicpebble |title=this episode was originally planned to air on a certain fun little day of the year (between season 1 &2) but our very small, very talented team put together something we hope makes u and your friends smile :-))))) |first=Zack |last=Hadel |access-date=July 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721205159/https://twitter.com/psychicpebble/status/1526959194963779584 |archive-date=July 21, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> A listing for an episode titled "The Smiling Friends Go to Brazil!" appeared on [[Rotten Tomatoes]] on July 21, and was confirmed by Hadel and Cusack at Adult Swim's [[San Diego Comic Con]] panel the next day. It aired on August 6, 2022. Lead-in promotion to the episode purposely suggested a more conventional vacation episode than what was actually presented, with a poster of the Smiling Friends relaxing on a Brazilian beach,<ref>{{Cite tweet |number=1556364972992565248 |user=adultswim |title=Ready for an unforgettable trip to Brazil? #SmilingFriends Go to Brazil now on HBO Max |access-date=September 3, 2023}}</ref> and a summary suggesting that the episode would be about the gang relaxing in a beautiful Brazilian beach town.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/smiling_friends/s01/e09|title=Smiling Friends: Season 1, Episode 9 - Rotten Tomatoes|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|access-date=September 3, 2023|archive-date=September 23, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923071350/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/smiling_friends/s01/e09|url-status=live}}</ref>
During Adult Swim's panel at [[New York Comic Con]] in October 2023, it was confirmed that the second season would premiere in 2024, and would continue to explore a variety of animation styles, such as stylized 2D, 3D, stop motion, rotoscoping, and live-action content.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mer Eclarinal |first=Aeron |date=2023-10-13 |title=Smiling Friends Season 2 Gets Official Release Window |url=https://thedirect.com/article/smiling-friends-season-2-release-official |website=The Direct |access-date=2023-10-19 |archive-date=2023-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103000440/https://thedirect.com/article/smiling-friends-season-2-release-official |url-status=live }}</ref>
On June 13, 2024 at [[Annecy International Animation Film Festival]], it was announced the series was renewed for a third season.
== Broadcast ==
Line 357 ⟶ 368:
In Canada, the series premiered simultaneously on [[Adult Swim (Canadian TV channel)|Adult Swim]] with new episodes airing weekly. The series later premiered on [[E4 (TV channel)|E4]] in the United Kingdom on January 21, 2022, and [[Adult Swim (France)|Adult Swim]] in France on January 24, 2022.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsaayNl6Yyo |title=Smiling Friends {{!}} New Series {{!}} Adult Swim UK 🇬🇧 |date=2022-01-14 |language=en |access-date=February 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211011039/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsaayNl6Yyo |archive-date=February 11, 2022 |url-status=live |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFX7WFxtt1Q |title=Adult Swim - Smiling Friends 🇫🇷 {{!}} TRAILER OFFICIEL EN FRANCAIS |date=2022-01-13 |language=en |access-date=February 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211003222/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFX7WFxtt1Q |archive-date=February 11, 2022 |url-status=live |via=[[YouTube]]}}</ref>
The series was made available to stream on [[Max (streaming service)|HBO Max]] in the United States and [[StackTV]] in Canada on February 9, 2022.<ref>{{cite web|title=Watch Smiling Friends - Stream TV Shows|url=https://www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GYdXd4AKw_FOmOwEAAAAd|access-date=February 11, 2022|website=HBO Max|language=en-us|archive-date=February 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211003223/https://www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GYdXd4AKw_FOmOwEAAAAd|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release |title=STACKTV Now Available on Rogers Ignite TV and Ignite SmartStream |url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/stacktv-now-available-on-rogers-ignite-tv-and-ignite-smartstream-841013012.html |language=en |access-date=February 11, 2022 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220211003222/https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/stacktv-now-available-on-rogers-ignite-tv-and-ignite-smartstream-841013012.html |archive-date=February 11, 2022 |website=Newswire.ca |date=2022-02-09 |publisher=Corus Entertainment}}</ref>
The second season began with the season premiere airing on [[April Fools Day]] 2024 during the annual Adult Swim April Fools Day prank, with three episodes from season 1, remade with various types of [[puppetry]], shown prior. The remaining second season episodes were premiered beginning May 12.<ref name="Mini-Teaser" /><ref name="Special Broadcast" /><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGoLnyMHnD4 |title=April Fools 2024: Smiling Friends (Puppet Version) {{!}} adult swim |date=2024-03-31 |last=Adult Swim |access-date=2024-06-03 |via=YouTube |archive-date=2024-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240603213629/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGoLnyMHnD4 |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Home media==
[[Warner Bros. Home Entertainment]] released the first season on [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray]] on August 29, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |date=July 6, 2023 |title=Smiling Friends: The Complete First Season; Arrives on Blu-ray & DVD August 29, 2023 from Warner Bros |url=https://screen-connections.com/2023/07/06/smiling-friends-season-1-blu-ray-dvd-release-details/ |website=Screen Connections |access-date=July 6, 2023 |archive-date=September 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230924010846/https://screen-connections.com/2023/07/06/smiling-friends-season-1-blu-ray-dvd-release-details/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==Reception==
Lex Briscuso of ''[[New York Magazine]]'' praised the show's tone and animation style, particularly its use of "unnerving close-up cuts and creepy supporting character design".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briscuso |first1=Lex |title=Smiling Friends Is a Balm |url=https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/smiling-friends-adult-swim-hbo-max.html |website=Vulture |date=February 9, 2022 |publisher=New York Magazine |access-date=24 June 2023 |archive-date=21 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230521163622/https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/smiling-friends-adult-swim-hbo-max.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Margaret Lyons of ''[[The New York Times]]'' praised the show's humor and compared it favorably to ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lyons |first1=Margaret |date=February 10, 2022 |title=How Much Watching Time Do You Have This Weekend? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/10/arts/television/bel-air-whitney-houston-national-anthem.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare |access-date=24 June 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]] |archive-date=23 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923071350/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/10/arts/television/bel-air-whitney-houston-national-anthem.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare |url-status=live }}</ref> Noah Dominguez of ''[[Comic Book Resources]]'' also made this comparison, and additionally praised the show as "unique" and commended its "bizarre humor" and "surrealist tone."<ref name="Smiling Friends review">{{cite web|last=Dominguez|first=Noah|date=January 24, 2021|title=Why You Should Watch Smiling Friends|url=https://www.cbr.com/why-you-should-watch-smiling-friends/|access-date=January 28, 2021|website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]]|archive-date=January 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125190027/https://www.cbr.com/why-you-should-watch-smiling-friends/|url-status=live}}</ref>▼
▲Lex Briscuso of ''[[New York Magazine]]'' praised the show's tone and animation style, particularly its use of "unnerving close-up cuts and creepy supporting character design".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briscuso |first1=Lex |title=Smiling Friends Is a Balm |url=https://www.vulture.com/2022/02/smiling-friends-adult-swim-hbo-max.html |website=Vulture |date=February 9, 2022 |publisher=New York Magazine |access-date=24 June 2023}}</ref> Margaret Lyons of ''[[The New York Times]]'' praised the show's humor and compared it favorably to ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]]''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lyons |first1=Margaret |date=February 10, 2022 |title=How Much Watching Time Do You Have This Weekend? |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/10/arts/television/bel-air-whitney-houston-national-anthem.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare |access-date=24 June 2023 |work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref> Noah Dominguez of ''[[Comic Book Resources]]'' also made this comparison, and additionally praised the show as "unique" and commended its "bizarre humor" and "surrealist tone."<ref name="Smiling Friends review">{{cite web|last=Dominguez|first=Noah|date=January 24, 2021|title=Why You Should Watch Smiling Friends|url=https://www.cbr.com/why-you-should-watch-smiling-friends/|access-date=January 28, 2021|website=[[Comic Book Resources|CBR]]|archive-date=January 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220125190027/https://www.cbr.com/why-you-should-watch-smiling-friends/|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Notes==
Line 406 ⟶ 416:
[[Category:Television series by Williams Street]]
[[Category:Television series created by Michael Cusack]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Pennsylvania]]▼
[[Category:Television series set in the 2020s]]▼
[[Category:Television series set in 2021]]
[[Category:Television series set in 2022]]
▲[[Category:Television series set in the 2020s]]
▲[[Category:Television shows set in Pennsylvania]]
| |||