Television series

Smiling Friends

Name: Smiling Friends
Genre: Comedy
Released: 2020
Cast: Zach Hadel, Michael Cusack, Marc M., Joshua Tomar, Erica Lindbeck

Absurdist comedy
Strange

Smiling Friends is a deceptively gentle Adult Swim comedy about two guys running a small company that gets paid to make people happy. It's absurdist without being mean, sincere without being sappy, and genuinely funny in ways that sneak up on you. Perfect for anyone who likes character-driven humor with real heart underneath the weirdness.

TVMaze rating

3.8

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you relish strange, surreal cartoons where the humour lives in bizarre side characters and a cheerful, oddly earnest tone, the kind that rewards close attention to small background details.

Skip it if you want a story with momentum or a clear plot, since this is a loose, episodic run of gags that prizes weirdness over narrative drive and can feel scattershot.

What it asks of you: Short episodes of around fifteen minutes, but it rewards full attention, since jokes stack quickly and rarely pause to let you catch up.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

BoJack Horseman2014

A comedy that starts silly and gradually reveals itself as profound. Like Smiling Friends, it balances absurdist humor with genuine emotional investment in its characters' wellbeing and growth.

But Gets significantly darker and heavier as it progresses. If you want Smiling Friends' consistent warmth, the later seasons shift toward melancholy.

Undone2019

Rotoscoped animation with a similar emphasis on character relationships and quiet moments of connection. Both shows trust their audience to care about people without constant punchlines.

But Undone is more introspective and mysterious, less joke-focused. Its pacing is slower and its tone more uncertain than Smiling Friends' clearer direction.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia2005

Long-running ensemble comedy with absurd situations and genuine affection between characters. Both shows love their ensemble and find humor in how people navigate weird circumstances together.

But It's Always Sunny is crueler and more cynical. The characters are considerably less likable, and the humor often punches down rather than around.

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Smiling Friends

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

What We Do in the Shadows2019

Both are comedies built on ensemble affection rather than cruelty. They find their humor in how people relate to each other, not in making them the butt of the joke.

A mockumentary series about vampires trying (and failing) to function as roommates. It shares Smiling Friends' belief that comedy comes from characters genuinely caring about each other despite absurd circumstances.

But More cynical humor and a higher body count. The characters are fundamentally selfish in ways Smiling Friends' protagonists aren't, which changes the emotional temperature.

Craig of the Creek2018

An animated series that finds genuine adventure and heart in small moments and friendships. Like Smiling Friends, it celebrates kindness and community without ever feeling forced or preachy.

But Aimed at a younger audience, so the humor is gentler and less layered. Adult viewers looking for sharper comedy might find it too wholesome.

The Midnight Gospel2020

A strange, beautiful Adult Swim series that pairs absurd visuals with unexpectedly profound conversations. Both shows prove animation can be simultaneously goofy and deeply human.

But Midnight Gospel gets philosophical and heavy, especially toward its end. It's less of a comedy than Smiling Friends, more of a meditation with funny moments.

Fleabag2016

Character-driven comedy that balances humor with real vulnerability. Like Smiling Friends, it's genuinely interested in how people relate to each other beneath the jokes.

But British sensibility and a more cynical worldview. Also shorter seasons mean you'll burn through it quickly and want more.

Community2009

An ensemble comedy about misfits finding community and meaning together. Both shows have meta-humor and absurdity but never lose sight of caring about their characters.

But Quality dips in later seasons. Some episodes prioritize concept over character, diluting what made the show special early on.

Scott Pilgrim Takes Off2023

An animated series with imaginative visual storytelling and genuine heart hiding underneath genre playfulness. Both surprise you with how much they care about their characters.

But Assumes knowledge of Scott Pilgrim and plays deliberately against expectations in ways that might frustrate fans of the original property.

Harley Quinn2019

An adult animated comedy with colorful visuals, absurdist humor, and a core relationship you actually invest in. Both shows are weird without losing their emotional anchor.

But The humor is broader and more aggressively comedic than Smiling Friends' subtlety. Some jokes land via shock value rather than cleverness.

Infinity Train2019

Both are animated series that use their medium for visual storytelling beyond what live action could do, and both believe their characters deserve emotional depth rather than just punchlines.

A darker animated anthology series with gorgeous stop-motion and rotoscope sequences. Like Smiling Friends, each episode prioritizes character connection over rapid-fire jokes, but it explores what happens when connection fails.

But Considerably stranger and more unsettling. Some episodes are genuinely disturbing, and there's no overall plot resolution, which frustrates viewers seeking narrative closure.

Severance2022

Both center on small groups of people trying to maintain humanity and connection in bizarre systems. Where Smiling Friends finds that through kindness, Severance finds it through resistance.

A sci-fi workplace thriller that's fascinated by how people form bonds and meaning through work. Like Smiling Friends, it takes the workplace as its setting and asks what we owe each other as colleagues and humans.

But Tonally serious and genuinely unsettling. There's no humor here—it's a mystery-thriller that demands puzzle-solving and leaves you with more questions than answers.