^{Credit: Smiling Friends (Adult Swim)}

Last March, I wrote an article entitled Smiling Friends Ending Means One Last Shot at an Emmy. At the time, it seemed like a Hail Mary to score Zach Hadel and Michael Cusack's gone-too-soon series an Outstanding Animated Program nomination. The 78th Primetime Emmy nominees brought some pleasant surprises earlier this week, however. For me, the standout was Smiling Friends getting in for the episode, "Le Voyage Incroyable de Monsieur Grenouille." In the video below, I break down how Smiling Friends went from an early ending to an Emmy nomination: 

Congratulations to the Smiling Friends team, as well as this year's other Outstanding Animated Program Emmy nominees! 

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1, 2, and 3. Available Now!