My wife introduced me to The Big Bang Theory about six years ago. Initially, I found the show annoying and frankly a little insulting toward nerd culture, but after spending roughly a year watching through the entire series, I did a complete 180 on that opinion. Since then, the franchise has spawned two spin-offs, Young Sheldon first, followed by Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, which technically spun off from Young Sheldon itself. Now we’ve got a third spin-off, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. When it was first announced, I assumed they’d stick to the traditional sitcom format like the original show, but instead, it ends up feeling nothing like The Big Bang Theory, Georgie & Mandy, or Young Sheldon.
Given that Stuart is a comic book nerd at heart, it actually makes sense that they went with a multiverse premise for his story. Right from the first episode, we’re introduced to a version of Pasadena, California, that looks nothing like the one from The Big Bang Theory: dystopian, brutal, and genuinely dangerous, the kind of place where survival feels like a 20-minute proposition at best.
Stuart discovers he’s apparently destined to save the universe, a revelation delivered to him by an alternate version of himself. He’s understandably skeptical, but he does gain access to a machine capable of jumping him between universes, though the rules governing which universe he lands in next are frustratingly vague. There’s no real control, no mission briefing, and no itinerary. He’s essentially improvising the whole journey alongside Bert the geologist.
They quickly learn that every universe comes with its own fatal flaw. Some are relatively decent, some are nightmarish, and some land somewhere in between, but all of them have something fundamentally broken. In one of the very first universes they visit, for instance, Barry Kripke, the notoriously obnoxious guy with the lisp, has somehow become a South American-like dictator. The threat of death looms fairly consistently throughout. But each time they jump universes, things essentially reset for everyone else they know, while the core group traveling together remains Stuart, Bert, Denise, and Kripke. We do get appearances from familiar Big Bang Theory faces like Amy and Bernadette along the way. No spoilers needed here, but for anyone wondering, Leonard and Sheldon are completely absent from the show.
I honestly wasn’t surprised Jim Parsons didn’t return, given his well-documented dislike of playing Sheldon, despite the role essentially setting him up financially for life. That said, he still narrated Young Sheldon and appeared briefly as an older Sheldon in its finale. I suspect we might see more familiar faces pop up down the line, even if Sheldon himself remains permanently retired from the role.
Overall, though, I was genuinely impressed by Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. I was a little surprised they didn’t launch it on CBS like the rest of the franchise, opting instead for an HBO Original release on HBO Max through Warner Bros. I wouldn’t be shocked if it eventually finds its way to another network down the road, though. The premise itself is admittedly ridiculous, but in that fun, smart-stupid way that really works. A lot of it doesn’t make much logical sense, and it often feels like a chaotic rollercoaster ride, but most episodes are genuinely entertaining. I will say the final two episodes fell a bit flat for me, especially the ending, which didn’t quite land the way I’d hoped. Still, it’s already been renewed for a second season on HBO Max, and I’m genuinely looking forward to it, hopefully sooner rather than two years down the line.