Honestly, trying to pin down a release date for Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis Season 4 is like trying to get a straight answer out of Zach himself while he's insulting a C-list indie actor. It’s chaotic. It's frustrating. It might not even exist in the way you think it does.
Funny Or Die’s crown jewel hasn't followed a traditional "season" structure in over a decade. If you go back to the beginning in 2008, the episodes just... appeared. One day you’re watching Michael Cera look incredibly uncomfortable, and the next, there’s a six-month gap. Then suddenly, Barack Obama is sitting between those wilted potted plants. By the time we got to the "Between Two Ferns: The Movie" in 2019, the lines between a seasonal show and a series of viral events totally blurred.
So, where is Season 4?
The Weird Evolution of Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis Season 4
Most people don't realize that Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis Season 4 actually happened, sort of. If you look at the official Funny Or Die archives and the way the show was licensed to streaming platforms, the "fourth season" often refers to a specific batch of episodes released between 2014 and 2018. This included the heavy hitters. We’re talking about the Brad Pitt interview where Zach gave him a "Gumpty" (a gift that was just a pipe) and the infamous Hillary Clinton episode where he asked if she’d be "pregnant" during her presidency.
It wasn't a season in the sense of Stranger Things or The Bear. There was no Friday night premiere.
The show has always been a guerilla operation. Scott Aukerman, the co-creator and director, has mentioned in various interviews—most notably on his podcast Comedy Bang! Bang!—that they only make these when Zach feels like it or when an opportunity arises that is too stupid to pass up. The "Season 4" label is basically a digital filing cabinet for the episodes that dropped after the show had already become a global phenomenon.
📖 Related: Howie Mandel Cupcake Picture: What Really Happened With That Viral Post
Why the "Season" Model Failed Zach Galifianakis
Traditional TV schedules are the enemy of this kind of comedy. If Zach Galifianakis had to deliver ten episodes of Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis Season 4 on a strict production timeline, the magic would die. Fast.
The humor relies on the genuine, palpable awkwardness of the guests. When the show first started, people like Jimmy Kimmel or Jon Hamm actually seemed a bit confused. By the time a potential Season 4 or 5 rolls around, everyone knows the bit. Every guest wants to be insulted. That’s the "Saturday Night Live" effect—once something is an institution, it loses its edge. Zach knows this. He’s famously picky about his projects and has moved more toward prestige dramedy like Baskets or voice work.
The movie was meant to be the "grand finale," or at least a massive meta-commentary on the whole concept. In it, Zach plays a version of himself who is desperate to be a "real" talk show host. It served as a bridge. It gathered all the leftovers and turned them into a narrative.
The Logistics of Making More Episodes
If we’re being real, the cost of producing Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis Season 4 is basically zero compared to any other show on the planet. You need:
- Two chairs.
- Two ferns (often dying).
- A black backdrop.
- A guest who doesn't mind being told they look like a "fat librarian."
The real cost is Zach's time and the guest's ego. In the early days, they filmed in a garage or a small studio space at Funny Or Die. Now, it’s a massive logistical hurdle because the guests are too famous. When you have Jerry Seinfeld or Cardi B on the show, you aren't just booking a guest; you’re managing a small army of publicists who are all terrified Zach is going to say something that actually ruins a career.
👉 See also: Austin & Ally Maddie Ziegler Episode: What Really Happened in Homework & Hidden Talents
Surprisingly, the show has survived because the publicists eventually realized that being roasted by Zach is a badge of honor. It proves a celebrity has a sense of humor. That’s the irony—the show that mocks celebrity culture became the ultimate destination for celebrities to prove they aren't "too" celebrity.
Will There Ever Be a Conventional Season 5?
Probably not.
The industry has shifted. Funny Or Die went through several corporate restructurings, eventually being acquired by Henry R. Muñoz III in 2021. The focus shifted toward long-form content and social activism. While Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis Season 4 was a massive traffic driver, the "Season 5" rumors usually end up being one-off specials.
We saw a brief "reboot" of the energy during the 2024 election cycle and various promotional tours, but the days of a structured season are likely over. Zach has matured as an actor. He’s less interested in the "clown" persona that made the ferns famous. However, the YouTube algorithm keeps the show alive. Millions of people still discover the episode where he asks Justin Bieber about his "relevance" every single month.
What to Watch If You’re Desperate for More Ferns
If you’ve scrubbed through every "Best of" compilation and you’re still craving that specific brand of cringe, you have to look at the people who made the show what it is.
✨ Don't miss: Kiss My Eyes and Lay Me to Sleep: The Dark Folklore of a Viral Lullaby
Scott Aukerman is the secret weapon. His work on Comedy Bang! Bang! (both the podcast and the IFC TV show) carries the exact same DNA as Between Two Ferns. It’s surreal, it’s hostile toward the medium of the "talk show," and it features many of the same guests.
Then there’s The Eric Andre Show. While Zach is about quiet, simmering awkwardness, Eric Andre is about chaotic, violent absurdity. They are two sides of the same coin. If Between Two Ferns is a bad dream, The Eric Andre Show is a full-blown night terror. Both represent the peak of anti-comedy that defined the 2010s.
The Legacy of the Ferns
We have to acknowledge how much this show changed the internet. Before Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis Season 4 and its predecessors, "web series" were mostly low-budget sketches with no reach. Zach proved that you could get the sitting President of the United States to appear on a show that looks like it was filmed in a basement.
It broke the "late night" monopoly. Why would an actor go on The Tonight Show to tell a pre-approved anecdote when they could go on Between Two Ferns and get 50 million views for being called a "stuck-up jerk"? It changed the power dynamic of celebrity PR.
Next Steps for Fans of the Series
To stay updated on any surprise drops that might technically be classified as Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis Season 4 or beyond, stop looking for "Season 5" announcements in trade magazines like Variety. Instead, follow the Funny Or Die social media channels directly. They tend to drop these episodes with zero warning—usually at 9:00 AM on a Tuesday—to maximize the "viral" shock factor.
You should also check out Zach’s older, more obscure work like The Comedians of Comedy or his stand-up special Live at the Purple Onion. These contain the "proto-Zach" character that eventually became the host we know and love. If you're looking for the specific episodes often mislabeled as Season 4, they are currently scattered across YouTube and various streaming platforms like Netflix (which houses the movie and a "best of" collection). Dig into the 2014-2018 archives; that's where the "lost" season 4 content actually lives.