Adult Swim’s Smiling Friends is now streaming on HBO Max and the dark comedy should be on your radar.
The premise of the show is simple: the cute and cheerful Pim and the cynical Charlie work for the titular charity that aims to cheer up those in need of a smile. While there are some recurring characters, the focus of each episode changes depending on who they’re helping, be it a heartbroken shrimp or a suicidal man named Desmond. There are only eight 11-minute episodes to watch, so it’s easily binged in a single sitting.
The first episode deals with Desmond, an overweight, lonely old man that has lost his will to live after his wife and kids left him. Charlie believes he’s a lost cause immediately, but Pim pushes through and tries to cheer him up — although Desmond assures the duo that if they fail “I’m gonna f–king shoot myself and make you two watch.” This leads to some disastrous outings at a family gathering and a party that shows off the show’s great humor.
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It all builds to a theme park trip that does offer a momentary reprieve for Desmond as he has fun on the roller coaster but it quickly fades. “Are the best parts of life really just finding momentary distractions to keep yourself busy so you don’t think about the harsh realities of life for a second?” Desmond asks in a nihilist monologue. “I can ride roller coasters, make new friends, and spend time with my family all day long. It doesn’t change the fact that the sun is just going to explode, and all this was for nothing.” It seems like nothing is going to change Desmond’s negative attitude, but thankfully the episode does end on an unlikely happy note.
It’s that happy ending that really is at the core of Smiling Friends. Even though the misadventures of Pim and Charlie rarely go as planned, they always wind up leaving their clients with a smile. The show also isn’t afraid to experiment with different art styles and even some live-action moments, which makes an already surreal show even wackier. If you don’t mind black humor then this is one show definitely worth streaming on HBO Max.
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