10 TV Shows Like Smiling Friends You Need To Watch Next

"Smiling Friends" often manages to pack more jokes into a single 11-minute episode than some feature-length comedies. That's due to its delightfully offbeat sensibilities and unique blending of different animation styles, firmly establishing itself as one of the best Adult Swim shows ever. You never know who Pim (Michael Cusack) and Charlie (Zach Hadel) will meet next, and that includes some recognizable voices, as the show regularly gives independent animators like Joel Haver and David Firth, as well as YouTubers like Doug Walker, the chance to shine.

Few TV shows have understood the idea of internet humor so well, and that's because the two creators (the aforementioned Cusack and Hadel) came from YouTube themselves. It's not just "lulz so random" humor that other shows have tried and failed to achieve since YouTube rose to cultural prominence. And while there's a darkness to the show's humor, it's surprisingly uplifting, as each episode usually ends with Pim and Charlie succeeding in improving someone's life, whether they're an awkward shrimp or a discarded video game character.

With less than 10 episodes in each season, you may find yourself wishing there was more "Smiling Friends" around to keep you laughing and forgetting the horrors of the world. But never fear; there are other shows like "Smiling Friends," whether you're in the mood for absurdist jokes or shifting animation techniques that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Arguably, the closest you'll get to a spiritual sibling to "Smiling Friends" is "YOLO," which has a different subtitle each season but always follows the chronic misadventures of Rachel (Todor Manojlovic) and Sarah (Sarah Bishop). They do everything together one would expect out of 20-somethings stuck in arrested development, from going to house parties to attending music festivals. But no matter what they do, something always goes awry, typically due to Rachel pushing things too far or making the wrong person mad. 

The reason "YOLO" has much of the same comedic sensibility as "Smiling Friends" is due to it being created by Michael Cusack. It's loosely based on a brief web series he made for YouTube starting in 2012, but it would come to Adult Swim in 2020 (actually airing as part of the same April Fool's block as "Smiling Friends" that year). Adult Swim went all in on Cusack that night, but it's paid off with dividends. 

"YOLO" has similar jokes to "Smiling Friends," such as having surreal characters engage in entirely mundane conversations. This is laid against an almost psychedelic backdrop of Australian references, but you don't need to be an Aussie yourself to enjoy watching Rachel and Sarah screw up time and time again. Also like "Smiling Friends," "YOLO" is surprisingly sweet as it hones in on the central friendship between the two women learning what they want out of life. For Sarah, that might involve having a really great garden that blows up on social media, but for Rachel, it probably means more partying. 

The beauty of early YouTube is that it wasn't yet infested with influencers and content creators trying to push out slop to gain the monetization system. People were putting out videos without any guarantee of money simply for the love of the game, which resulted in a ton of great, surrealist works. This is where "Smiling Friends" creators Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack thrived, and it also laid the groundwork for one of the best web series ever, "Don't Hug Me I'm Scared." 

The show primarily deals with a central cast of "Sesame Street"-esque puppets (although live-action, stop motion, and claymation also factor into the mix). True to those Muppet influences, the characters often begin a story in a fairly innocuous place, like the first episode having them meet a sketchbook who encourages them to pursue their creativity. It starts seemingly fun, but then the main puppets begin becoming more depraved, like baking a cake filled with organs. In the following episode, the cast learn about time, which gradually speeds up until they all decompose.

Things go from fun to terrifying at a moment's notice. It's as if "Sesame Street" were made by David Lynch, who spent way too much time soaking up deadpan British humor. "Don't Hug Me I'm Scared" even leaped from web series to proper TV series, as it had a six-episode run on Channel 4 in 2022. "Don't Hug Me I'm Scared" embodies everything beautiful and disturbing about online humor. Even though it's over a decade old at this point, it still feels fresh and surprising. 

I definitely wouldn't want to steer anyone away from any of Pendleton Ward's projects. "The Midnight Gospel" offers a surrealist look at mortality, while "Adventure Time" has numerous amazing episodes that are both funny and poignant. Both would be great for fans of "Smiling Friends," but it seems like the web series "Bravest Warriors" could use some extra love. 

The show follows four teenage warriors filling in for their parents, who have gone missing, and use the power of their emotions to fight bad guys and help make the universe safer. It's not exactly adult animation, but there's humor at play that wouldn't necessarily fly on other channels. Characters flip the bird and engage in some mild language, but there's nothing that would prevent either a child or an adult from enjoying it. That greater freedom also allows the show to be more nonsensical with its storylines. For instance, the first episode sees multiple iterations of the bravest warriors due (through timey-wimey shenanigans) only for them to give up on the case to avoid dying again. 

Despite how much sci-fi tech comes into the equation, the show stays grounded thanks to the main characters being teenagers and going through all of the same things normal teens deal with. But if you prefer non-sequiturs over character development, Catbug (Sam Lavagnino) will soon become your favorite character, with every line out of his mouth a true comedic gem.

After the introduction of Uncle Grandpa (Peter Browngardt) on "Secret Mountain Fort Awesome," he got his very own Cartoon Network series starting in 2013. If you grew up watching "Uncle Grandpa" as a kid throughout the 2010s, there's a good chance your twisted sense of humor is specifically primed to enjoy "Smiling Friends." "Uncle Grandpa" utilizes much of the same humor (minus a lot of the darkness) as well as varying animation styles, playing with 3D and stop motion.

The show's completely nonsensical, as Uncle Grandpa can change his shape and that of others. There isn't much in the way of rules that the show abides by, and that leads to some pretty sophisticated jokes for a children's show. For instance, the episode "Cartoon Factory" sees Uncle Grandpa wanting to know where he came from, so he visits the Cartoon Factory (a stand-in for Cartoon Network), and the whole episode plays as one giant fourth-wall break, even concluding with the main character literally meeting his creator, Peter Browngardt.

Like Charlie and Pim on "Smiling Friends," Uncle Grandpa also goes around helping people in a chaotic world filled with the most random characters one can imagine. And in many cases, the solution to whatever problem is at hand comes entirely out of left field. "Uncle Grandpa" is an excellent introductory program on absurdity that may have annoyed some parents, but is pretty fun when you give it a chance. 

There's no doubt "Smiling Friends" is hilarious, but it also takes forays into horror. Season 1's "A Silly Halloween Special" has a pretty disturbing forest demon, and Season 2's "Erm, The Boss Finds Love?" introduces the daughter of Satan. That's not even getting into the horrors of existing in such a random world, and if there's one animated show you should watch for a healthy dose of horror, it's "Courage the Cowardly Dog." 

It's remarkable how many of the creatures and villains throughout "Courage" have continued to inspire fear years after the episodes came out. One of the best examples of this is Ramses (aka the "Return the slab" monstrosity) from the episode "King Ramses' Curse." His uncanny appearances likely inspired many nightmares, and that's not even getting into the bugle monster (aka the strange blue thing) that whispers, "You're not perfect." Something is haunting and surreal to these designs, where they feel like they'd be more at home within an R-rated movie than a children's cartoon.

Rewatching "Courage" as an adult, it's amazing how many classic horror movie references there are, including everything from "Jaws" to "The Exorcist." And since the show couldn't be as explicit as "Smiling Friends" with its gore, it had to be disturbing in other ways that made you, as the viewer, fill in the blanks to what happened. 

"Smiling Friends" could be viewed as a deconstruction of the typical adult-oriented animated series that typically dives too much into nihilism. Likewise, "The Eric Andre Show" is naturally a deconstruction of the talk show format, where Eric Andre hosts his own surreal series where celebrity guests come, not really knowing what to expect. He pushes the boundaries of what they're willing to go through, and while it often leads to them simply looking awkward for a few minutes, other guests embrace the chaos. No guest was better than the late, great Lance Reddick, who had an unforgettable encounter on the show. 

Andre's ability to make people uncomfortable wasn't just confined to a sound stage, either. He'd regularly employ "man on the street" bits where he would go up to random New Yorkers and stage elaborate pranks or simply say off-putting things to them. He'd employ his Ranch Guy persona by going up to random people, drinking copious amounts of ranch dressing, and convincing them of the majesty of ranch. 

There's an unpredictability to both "The Eric Andre Show" and "Smiling Friends." You never know where each one is going to go, as Andre will say anything and everything to his guests. Meanwhile, "Smiling Friends" will typically have the solution to a character's problem come out of nowhere at the very end to wrap everything in a neat bow. Both shows feel very "of the internet" and have an almost DIY-like feel to them, where it's clear both series have a lot of leeway to do what they want. 

It's a travesty that "Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun" only got one season on Netflix since it should've easily reached "I Think You Should Leave" levels of popularity. The Australian line-up consists of Mark Samuel Bonanno, Broden Kelly, and Zachary Ruane, who engage in ridiculous shenanigans throughout their house and neighborhood, whether it's dealing with a sentient dishwasher or looking for pirate treasure. But yes, these are Aussies, so if you enjoy all of the Australian sensibilities found throughout Michael Cusack's work, then this should be right up your alley. 

There's a loose narrative often tying sketches together, allowing the team to build on jokes to come before, even if they've moved on to the next gimmick. There's also a cavalcade of celebrity cameos from the likes of "Weird Al" Yankovic, Tawny Newsome, Jack Quaid, and Ed Helms. Through it all, the central three cast members maintain an almost kinetic energy, with bits devolving into them shouting at one another. That's something you'll find often on "Smiling Friends," as those characters also engage in screaming matches where they're yelling over one another while butterfly dust is getting in their eyes (or whatever the case may be). 

"Aunty Donna's Big Ol' House of Fun" feels very much in the vein of "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!" where you genuinely have no idea how a punchline is going to play out. Even with only six episodes, there are enough banger sketches that you'll want to go back and rewatch them right away.

Every show that's come out on Adult Swim over the last couple of decades owes a debt of gratitude to "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" for helping put it on the map. Those early days had a ton of great shows, including "Space Ghost Coast to Coast," but "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" stands out, if for no other reason than its enduring presence. Adult Swim bafflingly cancelled it in 2015 (much to the creators' dismay), but it came back for a reprisal in 2023, and several movies have materialized. There's just no easy way of getting rid of characters this hilarious. 

There's not much in the way of plot. Master Shake (Dana Snyder, who also voices Rotten the Snowman on "Smiling Friends"), Frylock (Carey Means), and Meatwad (Dave Willis) all live together and get into increasingly bizarre adventures together. It expertly combines the mundane activities of living with sometimes-annoying roommates and then the high-concept adventures involving aliens. 

"Aqua Teen Hunger Force" actually has a pretty similar dynamic to the central friendships in "Smiling Friends." Pim and Frylock tend to be more grounded, while Charlie and Master Shake usually make things go more awry. Then there's the wacky wild card characters of Glep (Zach Hadel) and Meatwad, who can provide a lot of laughs by barely doing anything. If "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" wasn't the massive hit it turned out to be, there's a chance we might not have gotten "Smiling Friends" years later. 

When most people think of Adult Swim shows, a few overarching characteristics come to mind: Crude animation, mature humor, gratuitous violence, and absurd plots. Sure, every so often you wind up with "My Adventures with Superman," but people should have a good idea of what Adult Swim is all about. It's the kind of programming block that gives way to experimental animation in a way other networks and streaming platforms simply don't, and few series embody that ethos as well as "Superjail!" 

The series definitely feels like it could've been a web series if Adult Swim didn't exist, with a visual style reminiscent of Flash animations from the early internet days. It's also very dark, as it follows the Warden (David Wain) of a maximum security prison, where he often sacrifices the lives of the inmates to fulfill whatever weird desire he has in each episode. 

It's an incredibly nihilistic show, and in that regard, it feels like the antithesis to "Smiling Friends" in a way. Watching those two shows side by side should present a fascinating observation in how Adult Swim has evolved over the years, yet also retained some of its signature qualities. 

I wrote a little earlier about another one of Michael Cusack's other ventures, and if you want to see more from Zach Hadel, then make sure to check out "Hellbenders" on YouTube. It's a web series he created with Chris O'Neill, the latter of which would go on to make the theme music for "Smiling Friends" and also voice characters like Smormu. 

"Hellbenders" is a much rougher endeavor, following two friends getting into absurd situations. The pair tried to expand it years ago, since, reportedly, Hadel and O'Neill pitched the concept to both Adult Swim and Comedy Central but got turned down. It's a shame because it would have been really fascinating to see what they could've pulled off with this concept with more resources, but we should probably be grateful that it got Hadel's foot in the door to make other things later on.

As it stands, you can watch the few "Hellbenders" episodes on YouTube to see just how far Hadel has come. It's a reminder of just how much talent there is on the internet that film and TV studios would be smart to pull from.