Raising Smiling Friends age rating: what parents of kids 4–7 should know
Smiling Friends age rating: Adult Swim rates the series TV-MA in the US, meaning mature audience only and possibly unsuitable for children under 17, though some episodes are TV-14. The UK's BBFC rates it 15, for violence, injury detail, sex references, and suicide references. Common Sense Media, an independent nonprofit, lists it for ages 15 and up. JustWatch Germany lists it as 16.
Smiling Friends at a glance
- ✓Official rating above age 7
Adult Swim: TV-MA; BBFC: 15 - ✓Violence in rating descriptors
BBFC: violence, injury detail - –Scary content in rating descriptors
BBFC: threat, horror in one episode each - ✓Bad language in rating descriptors
BBFC: language (most episodes) - ✓Sexual content, drugs, or alcohol in rating descriptors
BBFC: sex references; drug misuse (eps) - ✓Rated 12 or higher in the UK or Germany
BBFC: 15 for the series
Each flag is a yes-or-no fact from the sources on this page. The number is a count of flags, not a safety score. How we count. Rating reasons marked mild, very mild, or brief don't count.
| Type | Adult Swim cartoon (2020–2026) about a small charity that tries to make people smile source |
|---|---|
| US (TV rating) | TV-MA (mature audience only; may be unsuitable under 17) for the series, per Adult Swim; episodes TV-14 to TV-MA source |
| UK (BBFC) | 15 (no one under 15) — violence, injury detail, sex references, suicide references source |
| Germany | 16, per JustWatch Germany; we couldn't confirm an FSK certificate source |
| Common Sense Media | 15+ — graphic violence played for laughs, strong profanity, drinking and drugs |
Checked October 2026. Ratings and settings change; check the official source before you decide. What do these ratings mean?
Facts for parents, not medical or legal advice. If you're worried about your child, talk to your pediatrician.
What Smiling Friends is about
Smiling Friends is an adult animated sitcom created by Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack for Adult Swim. It follows a small charity whose employees, including cheerful Pim and gloomy Charlie, try to make people smile. It mixes drawn animation, computer animation, stop motion, and live action. The pilot aired April 1, 2020, and season 3 ran from October 2025 to April 12, 2026. In February 2026, the creators announced it would end after season 3, according to Wikipedia.
Smiling Friends age rating: what's in it
Short answer: TV-MA in the US, 15 in the UK.
- US (Adult Swim): TV-MA for the series; episodes range from TV-14 to TV-MA.
- UK (BBFC): 15 for every season.
- Germany: 16, per JustWatch; FSK not confirmed.
- Common Sense Media: 15+.
The BBFC's episode advice most often lists language, violence, and injury detail, and a couple of episodes add drug misuse. Common Sense Media says graphic violence, including shootings and stabbings, is central to the humor, and that the first episode shows a character thinking about suicide with a gun. It also notes frequent strong profanity and characters who smoke, drink, and use drugs.
Why young kids might stumble on Smiling Friends
We couldn't find a source on how young kids find the show. Wikipedia describes it as an adult animated sitcom about a small charity dedicated to spreading happiness, made with drawn animation, computer animation, stop motion, and live action.
The habit kids may copy: seeing the worst
Charlie is the cynical, pessimistic one of the pair, according to Wikipedia, while Pim is eager and cheerful.
Try tonight: the same rainy day
Look out the window or at a picture of rain. Take turns saying a grumpy thought and a cheerful thought about it, like "Rain ruins everything" and "Rain means puddles!" Ask which one feels better. In our program, this is the lesson "It's Not the Thing, It's the Thought": how we see things changes how they feel.
Why you can trust this page: the main facts link to their sources, a separate reviewer checks each page before it goes live, and the date shows when we last checked. How we review · Report an error
FAQ
What is Smiling Friends rated?
Adult Swim lists the series as TV-MA in the US. The BBFC rates it 15 in the UK.
Is Smiling Friends for kids?
It airs on Adult Swim's adult block and is rated 15 by the BBFC for violence, injury detail, sex references, and suicide references. Common Sense Media lists it for 15+.
What age is Smiling Friends for?
TV-MA means it may be unsuitable under 17, and the BBFC rates it 15. Common Sense Media lists it for 15+.
Is there a Smiling Friends season 4?
The creators announced in February 2026 that the show would end after season 3, according to Wikipedia, though they didn't fully rule out more.
More from “Is it good for kids?”
Rick and Morty
Adult Swim sci-fi cartoon (since 2013) about a scientist and his grandson
The Amazing Digital Circus
Animated web series by Gooseworx and Glitch Productions (Australia)
Hazbin Hotel
Adult animated musical comedy by Vivienne Medrano, streaming on Prime Video
How to Build Resilience in Children: What Actually Helps
How to build resilience in children ages 4–7: what it means at this age, why protecting kids from difficulty backfires, and small practices that build it.
Read next →Raising Stoics is a 12-week program for ages 5–6, built on Stoic philosophy and developmental psychology. One lesson is "It's Not the Thing, It's the Thought": how we see things changes how they feel.