Smiling Friends fans usually expect the unexpected. Season 3 wrapped with a lore-stuffed spotlight on Glep, which we didn't think would ever happen. And while the mystery has been (partially) unpacked, the creators have now given us a rough timeline for when the show might end, and we are quaking again!In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Zach Hadel said:“Even if we had a thousand ideas at the end of season five, we’re not going to go on long.” And just like that, fans were prepared for cartoon heartbreak.For now, nothing is set in stone, though, because there's no official final-season announcement. But both Hadel and Michael Cusack made one thing clear: Smiling Friends is not aiming to become a forever-running animated sitcom. Cusack said:“We pretty much can guarantee it’s not going to go on as much as these other shows.” He explains that they already joke about how everyone (including their agents) assumes they’ll hit Season 80. But that's not happening.ALSO READ: Fans are in awe of Mr. Frog's dad after his Season 3 appearanceEnding early-ish might actually be genius View this post on Instagram Instagram PostWhile fans may panic at even a whiff of an end date, creators have their reasons in good storytelling. Cusack compared their mindset to the Beatles and their “walk out on a peak and leave the audience wanting more” era. Ending on an artistic high, they feel, helps preserve an artwork's skeleton.And as we witnessed in Season 3, if any indication is needed, the team isn’t slowing down creatively. Everybody says, "Thank you, Adult Swim!" They’ve figured out the sweet spot of improv vs. lore. The series, as of now, is totally unpredictable and hasn't lost its soul. Hadel said the core of Smiling Friends is “the really improv-y stuff,” which is how Season 3 hit a stride.So turns out, if a series reaches that level of creative self-awareness, dragging it out becomes the enemy. Cusack said they want to preserve the fun of writing a show together without it becoming part of a content machine.More Smiling Friends seasons are comingBefore we start writing farewell notes to Glep and Pim, there’s good news: seasons 4 and 5 are confirmed! And scripts for season 4 are underway. So we’re nowhere near the support group portion of the fan journey. Yet. View this post on Instagram Instagram PostHadel’s comment is the closest thing to a roadmap that we have:“We’re not going to put a number up, but five is getting close to probably where we’ll want to wrap it up.” If seasons 4 and 5 continue the trajectory of Season 3, ending there would be a mic drop. And creators who leave on a high note are protecting legacy. Cusack even compared ending Smiling Friends and starting another show later to Paul McCartney forming Wings without losing rhythm.So we are only gaining the possibility of another universe, it seems!Smiling Friends is streaming on Adult Swim and Max.RELATED: Is Brian EO'Halloran in Smiling Friends? | Creators reveal how Season 3 explores stronger themes | Top 7 Smiling Friends characters