Frowning Friends

"Frowning Friends" is the seventh episode of the first season of Smiling Friends.

Synopsis
A rival business moves across the street, much to the Boss's dismay. Nuff said.

Plot
The episode starts with the men lounging around work, having not received a single call throughout the entire day. Charlie reads out that the Renaissance Men are going to visit the town soon, but doesn't have any further context. Hearing a noise, Pim and Charlie head outside to see that a new business called Frowning Friends has opened up across the street, run by Grim and Gnarly; two outwardly evil versions of Pim and Charlie, who proceed to make fun of them. Dismayed, Pim interrupts The Boss' DDR session and tells him about the new business, causing visible distress on his face. The Boss then reassures the two that this is fine, and merely just friendly competition. Now invigorated to make people smile due to the competition, Pim rushes out and Charlie soon follows.

The first person they encounter is an ambiguously hispanic Soundcloud rapper and gangster called DJ Spit, who is upset that nobody wants to listen to his music. When Pim tries to encourage him to persist in making his music so he can improve, DJ Spit says he recognises the both of them and thinks they just told him earlier to give up on his dreams. Charlie tries to clarify that those were the Frowning Friends and not those two, but DJ Spit accuses the two of trying to gaslight him, before pulling a gun on the both of them. Charlie tries to disarm him but is unsuccessful. The two then visit Mr. Man, who is upset about how the way he was drawn causes him constant mental anguish. Pim tries to tell him that his head looks good, but Mr. Man also mistakes Pim and Charlie as Grim and Gnarly, who told him to feel bad about his dented head, before also accusing the two of gaslighting him. His head morphs into that of DJ Spit's and he pulls a gun on the two, with Charlie failing to disarm him yet again. Charlie and Pim take a break, with the former ranting about how he just thinks the Frowning Friends are doing this for no good reason, whilst Pim suggests they try to help one final person; 3D Squelton, who is upset about the world's injustices. Charlie asks if he enjoys doing anything, to which Squelton says he likes balloons, with both of the friends suggesting he could become a balloon salesman. Just as he's convinced however, Grim and Gnarly leave from a helicopter and tell Squelton that combined with the effort of getting a license, the world is soon running out of helium so there isn't a point in selling balloons. Grim reveals that their strategy is to be as harmful as possible whilst also only telling the truth, before leaving. Pim starts to think that the Frowning Friends' goal is personal, whilst Charlie fact checks the helium fact.

The Boss is then shown in a meeting with his three advisors, revealing that the Frowning Friends caused their stocks to drop $2,400,000,000. The first advisor - who owns Wrigley's Gum - suggests simply buying more stocks, whilst the second advisor recalled how he managed to distract the public from filling his peanuts with toxins by going onto The Dick Cavett Show and performing the peanut jig, suggesting the boss does something similar. The third advisor suggests winning back the marketplace with a more competitive business model, but The Boss calls all of their ideas stupid, which confuses the third advisor as to why they would be invited up in the first place. Alan enters the room to check up on The Boss, but he dismisses Alan and leaves to his "thinking room" - a decrepit bathroom in the building's eye. He talks to his evil reflection, who suggests quite literally killing the competition, switching between personalities whilst doing so.

Pim and Charlie head back to Smiling Friends Inc. headquarters, only to discover a crowd listening to Grim's propaganda. When Pim calls him out, Grim accuses Pim of bullying a mentally ill person causing the two to be arrested by Alan and Glep, who joined solely due to the better 401(k). Grim then shows the crowd the "brutal cruelties of reality," showing off footage of war and homeless people, which Charlie remarks that he's seen way worse stuff on the internet. The Boss breaks into the Frowning Friends headquarters, whilst Grim is revealing his and Gnarly's master plan: eradicate smiling before committing genocide on all the Puerto Ricans. Just as he finishes speaking, The Boss reaches Grim and points his rifle at him, causing him to beg profusely for his life and to piss his pants. DJ Spit points out how Grim spouted nothing but nihilism but was afraid to be killed, to which the crowd angrily disperses, with Mr. Man stating he was looking forward to the genocide. As Alan is confused about whether or not he still has to detain Pim and Charlie, The Boss tries cheering Grim up by letting him know the only reason why he almost killed him was because he was jealous of Grim's idea, causing him to smile. Grim and Gnarly start to feel happy and begin to change their ways, before a bunch of medieval cavalrymen appear and shoot arrows into Grim and Gnarly, killing them instantly before leaving. Charlie states that the Renaissance Men finally appeared, to which Pim expresses confusion, as they didn't even look like they were from The Renaissance.

Cast

 * Zach Hadel as Charlie, Glep, Gnarly, DJ Spit, Mr. Peanut, Ronald Reagan
 * Michael Cusack as Pim, Alan, Grim, Warren Buffett
 * Marc M. as The Boss

Additional Voices

 * Harry Partridge as 3D Squelton
 * Lyle Rath as Mr. Man

Trivia

 * The title of this episode is an obvious joke on the title of the series.
 * The episode serves as a parody of many cartoons that feature an "evil doppelganger" episode, and how it would be dumb to be fooled by said doppelgangers.
 * Mr. Boss's advisors appear to be caricatures of...
 * Warren Buffet, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway
 * Mr. Peanut, mascot of Planters Nut & Chocolate Company
 * Ronald Reagan, 40th president of the United States