Adult Swim’s hit cartoon Smiling Friends will return for season 2 in less than two weeks. Smiling Friends tells the story of idealist Pim and cynic Charlie as they work for the titular organization. The Smiling Friends is a charity group that goes around cheering people up. Despite the lighthearted setup, the show has no shortage of dark humor. Today, Smiling Friends has become one of the most beloved shows on Adult Swim. Despite its popularity, there are those wondering why the show took off. Here are the biggest reasons the internet fell in love with the show.
It’s Authentic Internet Humor
First and foremost, Smiling Friends is the product of veteran independent animator Zach Hadel. Hadel is a veteran independent animator who worked for indie animation juggernaut Newgrounds and ran the popular channel psychic pebbles. Because of this, his massive following allowed him to earn the respect of major entertainment companies like Adult Swim.
Generally, Hadel invokes nostalgia for a bygone era of bizarre YouTube cartoons. Even the show’s art style fits in perfectly well with 2010’s YouTube shorts. Instead of appearing cheap, it comes across as authentic to its creator’s past work. Furthermore, many other internet celebrities such as Mike Stoklasa and Dave Firth make cameos on the show.
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Surrealism and Memes
The next major success of the show is its mastery of “memetic” humor. With the rise of meme culture, the landscape of comedy has shifted dramatically. Fortunately, Smiling Friends is a product of that same humor that dominates the web. It makes up for its short length by adding dozens of meme-worthy moments. The snarky Charlie and erratic Pim make a great comedic duo as well. Special mention goes to the characters of Mr. Frog and Gwimbly, who both took over social media overnight.
One of the best tools the show uses is its variety of art styles. While most characters are drawn in the simple, cartoonish style of the main duo, others are not. The show features stop-motion puppets, PS1-era game characters, live-action actors, and many others populating its world. Because of this, the show creates a uniquely wacky world.
Smiling Friends‘ Surprising Idealism
Finally, what separates Smiling Friends from other cartoons is its surprising idealism. For most adult animated series, cynicism and nihilism are the norm, as they often rely on dark humor. The best examples are the sci-fi comedy Rick and Morty and the tragicomedy Bojack Horseman. While these shows are great, they sadly inspired many copycats and cheap imitations. For many viewers, this darkness can come across as repetitive.
This show, while no stranger to dark humor, is shockingly upbeat. For as dark as the show can get, episodes will usually end on a surprisingly positive note, either through the duo’s efforts or some stroke of luck. This makes the show into a surprising antidote to modern adult animation’s constant cynicism. One of the best examples would be the main duo’s rivalry with the “Frowning Friends,” where the latter eventually end up being exposed for the error of their ways.
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