Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is rewriting the rules of The Big Bang Theory, and despite the risk, this makes it more exciting. Nearly seven years since The Big Bang Theory ended in 2019, its legacy lives on in various forms. The success of Young Sheldon paved the way for Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, which is currently network TV’s number 1 comedy. Meanwhile, the flagship not only continues to dominate syndication, but it also remains popular on streaming platforms as well. No wonder the franchise is expanding yet again with another offshoot via Stuart Fails to Save the Universe on HBO Max.
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When The Big Bang Theory ended, it was still popular on CBS. The network had to pull the plug on the show after learning about Jim Parsons’ decision to leave the series after season 12. Because of its sustained relevance even after almost a decade, clamor for some kind of a revival has always floated around, although most of the ideas involve bringing back at least one member of the Pasadena gang. Unfortunately, none of Sheldon and his friend group would be series regulars in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, as the show will be a full departure from everything we know from the show and the bigger franchise it exists in.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Is A Full-Blown Sci-Fi Show
As Stuart Fails to Save the Universe nears its release on HBO Max, more details about the show have been revealed, including the first-look images that align perfectly with the confirmed premise of the project. Per the official brief, the events of the series kick off after Kevin Sussman’s titular character accidentally breaks a device that Sheldon and Leonard created, which threatens the splintering of reality. He is forced to fix the paraphernalia, sending him on a multiversal journey that he is frankly unqualified for. He does get support from Lauren Lapkus’ Denise, John Ross Bowie’s Barry Kripke, and Brian Posehn’s Bert.
Between the premise and the publicity images, it’s clear that Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is a sci-fi show that happens to exist in the same reality as The Big Bang Theory. While the flagship tackled countless scientific ideas, including studying the concept of the multiverse, it was still mostly a grounded show about a group of friends who happen to be in STEM and were interested in nerdy things. Young Sheldon moved away from geek and scientific concepts as it went on, eventually becoming more like a family comedy-drama, which paved the way for Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage to be the completed form of that transformation.
Chuck Lorre, alongside co-creators Bill Prady and Zak Penn are fully embracing science fiction elements in The Big Bang Theory spinoff. This time, not just as a plot embellishment but the actual core of its storytelling, as Stuart and his team travel through various realities in the hopes of fixing Sheldon and Leonard’s device and preventing the destruction of reality.
Why Stuart Fails To Save The Universe’s TBBT Change Is Better For Its Success
Admittedly, Lorre and his team are taking a massive risk by going down this path. Considering the successes of The Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and even George & Mandy’s First Marriage, they could have played it safe and simply reused the franchise’s winning formula. If they still wanted to separate Stuart Fails to Save the Universe from the flagship, it could have been a more straightforward alternate reality arc, which would explain why none of the Pasadena gang members are around. Considering the brand recognition of The Big Bang Theory franchise, it would still likely draw a decent number of viewers.
Instead of playing it safe, the creative team is swinging for the fences, and at a time when revivals and reboots are so popular, coming up with something original is impressive. Granted that it’s still part of an established brand, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is unlike anything we’ve seen in the franchise before, and that makes it so much more exciting. Lorre has created so many hit sitcoms in the past, but this is the first time that he’s dipping his toes in the sci-fi world, although he has repeatedly said that he’s a big fan of the genre.
Aside from the change in genre, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe also has a true underdog protagonist in Stuart. While Sheldon, Leonard, Howard, and Raj were presented as such upon their introduction, it soon became clear that they didn’t have friends, not because they were cast aside, but because they liked to keep their circle as it was. Stuart, having no business going through this multiversal adventure, sets up a much more satisfying payoff when or if he succeeds in his endeavor.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will stream on HBO Max this July.
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