The Big Bang Theory franchise is officially moving forward with Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, which suggests that a tragedy may have hit the Pasadena gang. Seven years after the CBS comedy wrapped up its 12-year run, Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady are re-teaming for its very first spinoff sequel starring Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom. He is joined by Lauren Lapkus’ Denise, Brian Posehn’s Bert Kibbler, and John Ross Bowie’s Barry Kripke. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is nothing like anything that we have seen in The Big Bang Theory franchise, as the series goes on full sci-fi.
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Per the official logline for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, the new series will see Stuart travelling the multiverse in the hopes of saving it from collapse after he accidentally broke a device that Sheldon and Leonard created. Not nearly qualified for the task, he recruits Denise, Bert, and Barry to the cause. The story itself already sounded so trippy and crazy, but it’s apparently more ridiculous, as seen in the first Stuart Fails to Save the Universe‘s trailer.
The official clip also shares new details about Stuart’s upcoming endeavor, including an important update about the Pasadena gang. At the same time, the Stuart Fails to Save the Universe promo also floats the idea of a tragedy in the Pasadena gang involving Raj.
Raj Is Not Involved In Stuart Fails To Save The Universe’s Central Device’s Creation
The exact timeline for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe remains uncertain, but it’s confirmed to take place after The Big Bang Theory finale, which was bookended with Sheldon and Amy winning the Nobel Prize in Physics. Instead of an end of an era-type of wrap up, Lorre and Prady decided to keep things as they were for the Pasadena gang, leaving viewers with the idea that even after the show ended, the friend group would simply go on with their lives. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe confirms this with the revelation that Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard all collaborated on the Vari-state Quantum Entanglement Device.
As previously mentioned, the original logline for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe only mentioned Sheldon and Leonard creating the paraphernalia, which would have made sense. Now that Howard is also involved, it begs the question where Raj is and why he isn’t involved in this project. It’s difficult to imagine Kunal Nayyar’s character not being part of this endeavor, considering how much they usually spend together. Even if they don’t get to hang out as frequently, if the friend group remained intact after The Big Bang Theory, there’s no way that Raj would not be involved one way or another.
It’s worth noting that while Young Sheldon was a prequel spinoff, Jim Parsons’ narration as old Sheldon offered viewers some updates about the status of the Pasadena gang. While Leonard and Bernadette were never directly mentioned during his seven-season voice-overs, their respective spouses were both name-dropped. Raj is the only main cast member of The Big Bang Theory who hasn’t had any kind of update since the series ended.
What May Have Happened To Raj After The Big Bang Theory
Despite an uneven last season that was dominated by Sheldon’s pursuit of the Nobel Prize in Physics, The Big Bang Theory finale was actually one of the rare times that a long-running sitcom delivered a largely satisfying send-off. Unfortunately, while everyone from the Pasadena gang had their own version of a happy ending, Raj was left with no real arc culmination. His relationship with Anu didn’t go anywhere and he was sort of flailing in his career. In the hopes of finding a better future, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he may have ultimately left Pasadena.
This was actually a plot point in The Big Bang Theory, although obviously, the show didn’t push through with it. However, considering how all the lives of his friends have evolved one way or another while his remained stagnant, it would be difficult to blame him if he opted to build a life elsewhere — not because he resented them, but because he couldn’t seem to find something similar for him in California. There’s also the possibility of him deciding to go back home to India to be closer to his family.
As saddening as this possibility is, it also offers a solid explanation for why Raj isn’t involved in the Vari-state Quantum Entanglement Device’s creation. If anything, it’s a less heartbreaking reason than the idea that he was excluded from such a massive project by his own friends.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will release all 10 episodes on July 23, 2026, on HBO Max
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