The long-gestating third spinoff of The Big Bang Theory is inching closer to becoming a reality, but the journey from concept to greenlight seems to be unfolding at a positively glacial pace. Titled Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, the potential series would center on the quirky comic book store owner Stuart Bloom, played by Kevin Sussman, and a handful of other colorful recurring characters from the original CBS sitcom. Despite promising updates from Warner Bros. Television CEO Channing Dungey, including rave reviews of the script’s humor and creativity, the question remains: What’s the holdup? As fans eagerly await word on whether they’ll get to revisit the world of Pasadena’s most lovable nerds, the slow-motion development process is leaving many scratching their heads.
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In a wide-ranging interview with Deadline, Dungey shed some light on the spinoff’s status, sharing that series co-creators Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn, and Bill Prady “are hard at work writing stuff.” “We’ve seen some material at the studio, and we’ve had some creative conversations with Max, so we are hopeful for good news soon,” she said.
Dungey’s optimism is bolstered by the quality of the scripts she’s read so far, which she describes as “creative,” “imaginative,” and “most importantly, very, very funny.” The cast even assembled for an informal table read of the first couple of episodes last month, as revealed in an Instagram post from John Ross Bowie, who plays Sheldon’s nemesis Barry Kripke.
Yet, for all the positive signs, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe still hasn’t received an official series order from Max. It’s a bit puzzling, given the built-in audience and proven track record of the Big Bang Theory universe, which has already spawned two successful spinoffs in Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage.
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Part of the delay may stem from the challenge of crafting a compelling premise around supporting players. While Sussman’s Stuart emerged as a fan favorite over the course of the original series, he and the other spinoff leads – Kripke, Stuart’s girlfriend Denise (Lauren Lapkus), and oddball geologist Bert (Brian Posehn) – were never the central focus.
Finding the right angle to build a new show around these characters could be tricky, particularly without the involvement of The Big Bang Theory‘s core ensemble.
Dungey keeps the door open for possible cameos, saying, “I would never say never,” but emphasizes that the spinoff is “very excited and focused on our series regulars who have great stuff to do.”
There’s also the matter of timing. Max may be strategically holding off on pulling the trigger until they have a clearer sense of how the spinoff fits into their larger programming strategy and release schedule. With several other high-profile projects in the pipeline, like the buzzed-about Harry Potter series, the streamer could be carefully plotting when to deploy another Big Bang property.
Still, with each tantalizing update, anticipation builds for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. The creative pedigree is certainly there, and the chance to dive deeper into the lives of some of Big Bang‘s most intriguing side characters is undeniably appealing. As Dungey and the Warner Bros. team continue to fine-tune the concept and await word from Max, fans of the franchise are left to theorize about what hijinks await in Stuart’s world – and how much longer they’ll have to wait to find out.
