Dad’s House: Netflix Orders New Animated Series From Smiling Friends Creator

Netflix has ordered a new adult animated comedy series titled Dad’s House, according to reports from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. The project is led by showrunners and executive producers Michael Cusack, Dario Russo, and David Ashby.

The series represents a collaboration between some of Australia’s most prominent comedic creators. Michael Cusack is the creator of the Australian series YOLO and the co-creator of the Adult Swim hit Smiling Friends. Dario Russo and David Ashby are known for their work on Danger 5 and Italian Spiderman, with Russo also having worked on The Fox.

Plot and Setting

Set in small-town suburban Australia, Dad’s House focuses on the relationship between a 13-year-old child of divorce named Sean and his father, Ian. The narrative centers on the challenges of maintaining a parental bond within a limited timeframe.

According to the official logline provided by Netflix, Sean spends every second weekend with Ian, who is described as laidback, but well meaning. The series explores the friction that arises from Ian’s remarkable gift for making it so much harder than it needs to be to cram quality father-son time into a single weekend.

Cast and Production

The showrunners will be heavily involved in the production both behind and in front of the microphone. Michael Cusack, Dario Russo, and David Ashby are all part of the series’ voice cast.

They are joined in the cast by Felicity Ward, an actress known for her roles in the Australian version of The Office, as well as Wakefield and The Inbetweeners 2.

Production for the series is being handled by Princess Pictures and Bento Box Entertainment. Bento Box Entertainment has a significant portfolio in adult animation, having produced Bob’s Burgers and Grimsburg, alongside Netflix originals such as Paradise PD and Farzar.

Industry Context and Creative Background

The announcement of Dad’s House comes at a transitional point in Michael Cusack’s career. In February 2026, Cusack and co-creator Zach Hadel announced via a social media video that they had decided to end their absurdist animated series Smiling Friends following its third season.

This decision to conclude the series followed a report from The Hollywood Reporter in 2025, which had previously indicated that the project had been picked up for fourth and fifth seasons. Both Smiling Friends and YOLO aired on Adult Swim in the United States; YOLO ran for three seasons, while Smiling Friends consisted of three seasons and three short films.

Netflix is integrating Dad’s House into an expanding roster of adult animated comedies. The platform continues to maintain established titles such as Big Mouth and BoJack Horseman, while preparing for the release of upcoming projects including Mating Season, Dang!, and Alley Cats.

Netflix has confirmed that two other adult animated series, Haunted Hotel and Long Story Short, will return for second seasons.