Summary
Smiling Friendsis the best adult animated comedy that’s currently being released, and one crucial part of it also makes it the most realistic.Smiling Friendsfollows the misadventures of Charlie, Pim, Allan, Glep, and Mr. Boss, the people who run a charity dedicated to helping people smile. It’s a wholesome presence, but it also allows for some truly absurd situations that rival eventhe best adult animated shows.Smiling Friendsis so good that I think it’s not only one of the best animated comedies, it may be one ofthe best TV shows on Max, and it’s largely because it’s so unique.
Smiling Friendsis similar toRick and Mortyand several other adult animated shows, but it also sets itself apart in a few key ways. One of its most unique aspects is its variety of animation styles. Most ofSmiling Friendsuses standard 2D animation, but certain characters and moments will use anything from CGI to rotoscope animation.Smiling Friendsalso has a unique brand of humor that has heavily been influenced by the internet, and it relies on that internet humor more than any other show is willing to. What really setsSmiling Friendsapart, though, is also what makes it so realistic.
10 Animated Shows Perfect For Fans Of Adult Swim’s Smiling Friends
Adult Swim’s Smiling Friends is a breath of fresh air in the world of adult animation, but that doesn’t mean it is without contemporaries.
Smiling Friends’ Best Trait Is That Its Dialogue Sounds So Realistic
Smiling Friends, as a whole, is anything but realistic. Many of Charlie and Pim’s adventures are completely absurd and downright strange, whether that be getting abducted by party animal aliens or literally dying and going to hell.The best part aboutSmiling Friends, however, is how realistic its dialogue is. Even as Charlie, Pim, Glep, Allan and all the other characters are faced with the most intense and far-fetched situations, they still talk like normal people. Many dark comedies put their characters in ridiculous situations, but that realistic dialogue is what setsSmiling Friendsapart from other adult animated shows.
Smiling Friendsseasons 1 & 2 are available to stream on Max.
A great example ofSmiling Friends' uniquely realistic dialogue comes from the episode “Brother’s Egg.” Charlie and Pim were tasked with helping an evil scientist smile, and after succeeding, his experimental homunculus hatched.It was an extremely odd situation, but instead of doubling down and trying to make it even more absurd, like many other dark comedies would, Charlie simply begins to complain about all the weird things he and Pim experience. They even began to talk over each other and stutter, and it felt more like a genuine conversation than scripted dialogue.
Smiling Friends’ Dialogue Makes Sense Given The Show’s Creators
Smiling Friendswas created by Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack, and some of their earlier work helps explain why their show has such realistic dialogue.Both Hadel and Cusack began as YouTubers: Hadel is a member of the channel OneyPlays, where he and his friends play video games and provide commentary, and Cusack posted animated shorts to his channel. Cusack’s animation style is very evident inSmiling Friends, but it seems Hadel heavily influenced the show’s dialogue. The realistic dialogue between Charlie, Pim, and all the otherSmiling Friendscharacters seems very similar to the sense of humor Hadel had on OneyPlays.
Both Hadel and Cusack provide their own voices for a variety ofSmiling Friendscharacters. Hadel voices Charlie and Glep, while Cusack voices Pim and Allan, and they both voice a variety of side characters as well.
Most OneyPlays videos follow the Let’s Play format: Chris O’Neil, the channel’s creator, plays a game while talking to his friends, and their conversation provides most of the entertainment value. That casual format lets many of the channel’s jokes come up naturally in the flow of conversation, and it results in some very realistic dialogue. OneyPlays videos feel like listening in on a conversation between friends - because that’s exactly what it is.In essence,Smiling Friends' dialogue is just a more structured version of OneyPlays' humor.Smiling Friendsuses the same type of casual, realistic conversations that made OneyPlays popular, it’s just scripted out beforehand.
The dialogue setsSmiling Friendsapart from other shows, but it also makes it better than its competition.The casual nature ofSmiling Friends' dialogue captures exactly the allure of Let’s Play YouTube channels: it’s exceptionally easy to watch. I love it so much because, like any YouTube video, I can jump into any episode ofSmiling Friends, not needing to know any backstory. Also,Smiling Friendsexcels at making the audience feel like the people they’re watching are their friends, rather than entertainers.Smiling Friendsessentially captured the entire idea of parasocial relationships that the internet thrives on and put it on television.
Why Smiling Friends Season 3 Is So Exciting
Through its unique dialogue,Smiling Friendshas quickly become my favorite animated comedy. That’s why I’m so excited thatSmiling Friendsseason 3 has already been confirmed by Adult Swim (viaThe Hollywood Reporter).Luckily, during the announcement, Hadel and Cusack confirmed a very promising part ofSmiling Friendsseason 3. They said that the show would never get more dramatic or serious, and that it would always just be a show about normal friends in strange circumstances that change from week to week. Hadel and Cusack’s comments indicate that they know what makesSmiling Friendsunique, and they’re going to continue to prioritize it.
Another reason I’m excited forSmiling Friendsseason 3 is because Hadel and Cusack have already proven they’re improving.Smiling Friendsseason 1 was an excellent debut, but season 2 proved that they could get even more absurd while having even more realistic moments of dialogue. The show has only been on an upward trend since it started, and with another season of experience under their belt and support from Adult Swim, I’m supremely confident that Hadel and Cusack can makeSmiling Friendsseason 3 its best installment yet.
Smiling Friends
Cast
In a colorful yet bizarre world, two employees at a small firm dedicated to its making its customers smile discover that their jobs are rarely as simple as they seem.
