Smiling Friends Creator Inks Netflix Deal for Next Big Animated Series

Smiling Friends might be done, but its co-creator is not going quiet. Michael Cusack is already onto his next thing: a new animated series at Netflix. And yes, it looks different from the Adult Swim hit that turned Pim, Charlie, Alan, and Mr. Boss into a legit Cartoon Network staple.

So, what is 'Dad's House'?

Cusack is showrunning a Netflix series called 'Dad's House' that centers on Sean, a 13-year-old kid who spends every other weekend with his divorced dad, Ian. The show follows the two of them trying to actually bond while Ian wrestles with his own big, probably unrealistic dreams. No trailer yet, no release date yet, but The Hollywood Reporter debuted a first-look image. Visually, it leans closer to Cusack's pre-Smiling Friends show 'YOLO' than it does to Smiling Friends itself. If you watched YOLO, that style will ring a bell immediately.

Quick catch-up on Smiling Friends ending

Earlier this year, Cusack and his co-creator Zach Hadel confirmed season 3 would be the end for Smiling Friends. The finale pulled a lot of threads from across the run in one big swing. The show was, at one point, announced for five seasons, but the creators tapped out sooner.

"To be perfectly honest, after we finished season three, Zach and I just both had the same feeling where we felt pretty burnt out after putting years and years into this, but also pretty accomplished. We just came to this feeling where we’re like, 'I think that could just be it after season three.' We both felt like it was right."

They have said they are not slamming the door shut forever. If the right idea shows up, they would consider a return. Given how disconnected a lot of episodes were by design, it is notable that season 3 still felt like a curtain call.

Where this leaves everyone

For now, Cusack is steering 'Dad's House' at Netflix. It is a family dynamic story with his brand of oddball energy, and from that first image, it is wearing a YOLO-adjacent coat of paint. Hadel has not announced a new series yet, but he is not exactly idle. He has put in time on SpongeBob SquarePants, Helluva Boss, and Big City Greens, so he is got range if and when he wants to jump back in.

• New show: 'Dad's House' (Netflix), run by Michael Cusack
• Premise: 13-year-old Sean spends alternating weekends with his divorced father, Ian; the two try to actually connect while Ian chases his own dreams
• Status: No trailer or release date yet; The Hollywood Reporter ran the first-look image
• Style: Closer to Cusack's Adult Swim series 'YOLO' than Smiling Friends
• Smiling Friends update: Ended with season 3; initially touted for five seasons but wrapped early; finale pulled together pieces from across the series
• Creators' stance: They ended it feeling burnt out yet satisfied, but would consider returning if the right story hits
• Zach Hadel: No new show announced; credits include SpongeBob SquarePants, Helluva Boss, and Big City Greens