Stuart Fails to Save the Universe
American TV series
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe (stylized in all caps) is an American science fiction comedy television series created and written by Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn, and Bill Prady, and directed by Kyle Newacheck and Jonathan Frakes. The series is the second direct spin-off of the sitcom The Big Bang Theory, and the overall fourth television series in the franchise. It premiered on HBO Max on July 23, 2026. In August 2026, the series was renewed for a second season.
- Chuck Lorre
- Zak Penn
- Bill Prady
| Stuart Fails to Save the Universe | |
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| Created by | |
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| Written by |
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| Directed by | |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Danny Elfman |
| Composer | Joseph LoDuca |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 9 |
| Production | |
| Executive producers |
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| Producer | Paddy Cullen |
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| Running time | 16–26 minutes |
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| Original release | |
| Network | HBO Max |
| Release | July 23, 2026 – present |
| Related | |
Premise
After accidentally damaging a device that Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter and Howard Wolowitz created, Stuart Bloom is tasked with averting a resulting "multiverse Armageddon" whilst encountering versions of himself and his friends in different universes.[1][2] Accompanying him on his journeys are Denise, Bert Kibbler, and Barry Kripke.
Cast and characters
Main
- Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom / alternate Stuart Bloom[3]
- Lauren Lapkus as Denise / alternate Denise
- Brian Posehn as Bert Kibbler / alternate Bert Kibbler
- John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke / alternate Barry Kripke
Supporting
- Ryan Cartwright as Kyle / alternate Kyle[4]
- Josh Brener as Trevor / alternate Trevor[4]
- Tommy Walker as Gary Jeffries / alternate Gary Jeffries
- Riki Lindhome as alternate Ramona Nowitzki[5]
- Brian Thomas Smith as alternate Zack Johnson
- Matty Cardarople as Keith
- Louis Mustillo as Alexa
- Charlie Barnett as Simpa
- Zoe Cipres as Chana
- Joshua Malina as alternate Siebert[6]
- Dean Norris as alternate Colonel Richard Williams
- Jonathan Adams as General Adams
- André Sogliuzzo as the voice of the Adversary
- Eric Allan Kramer as Mr. Freeze
- Andy Ridings as Jay Garrick/The Flash
Special guest stars
- Kunal Nayyar as alternate Raj Koothrappali[7]
- Penn and Teller as themselves[7]
- Kaley Cuoco as alternate Penny[7]
- Christine Baranski as herself[5][note 1]
- Melissa Rauch as alternate Bernadette Rostenkowski[8]
- Wil Wheaton as alternate "Wil Wheaton"[9][10]
- Mayim Bialik as alternate Amy Farrah Fowler
- Jon Cryer as Sherpa
- "Weird Al" Yankovic as himself
- Neil deGrasse Tyson as himself
Episodes
| No. | Title [11] | Directed by | Written by [12] | Original release date [11] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Spoiler: Gary Dies" | Kyle Newacheck | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn & Bill Prady | July 23, 2026 | |
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In an alternative apocalyptic universe, Stuart Bloom is visited by his original self, who entrusts him with retrieving a device from Caltech created by Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, and Howard Wolowitz that can avert the catastrophe. Stuart is joined by Bert Kibbler, his ex-girlfriend Denise, and her new boyfriend Gary Jeffries, who is killed when they try to enter the university, now a warlord's fortress. They discover that Raj Koothrappali has been held captive for years and that the warlord is Barry Kripke, who wants to keep the universe this way to maintain his power. They manage to reach the device, but Kripke kills Raj before he can repair it, and Stuart damages it while attempting to repair it himself. Denise is left behind while Stuart, Bert, and Kripke are transported to a new, seemingly normal universe. | |||||
| 2 | "Spoiler: Zack's in This One" | Kyle Newacheck | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn & Bill Prady | July 30, 2026 | |
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The universe where Stuart, Bert and Kripke have arrived is in reality ruled by an AI that forces everyone to be calm and peaceful, or else a neural chip will give them electric shocks. Stuart finds the Denise from that universe and tells her about the quantum device, while Bert and Kripke try to track down Leonard and Sheldon at Caltech. But their constant activation of the chip causes the three of them to be arrested and subjected to a 30-month "re-education." Once released, they are captured by the resistance, led by alternate versions of Zack Johnson and Penny. Denise had alerted the resistance cell that they have a quantum device and also recovered the device after their arrest. AI drones find the resistance cell and begin attacking. Kripke activates the device to escape: Kripke, Stuart, Bert, and Denise are transported to a new universe where magic is real, and science is a crime, for which Bert is condemned to be burned at the stake. | |||||
| 3 | "Spoiler: Bert Is Magic" | Kyle Newacheck | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn & Bill Prady | August 6, 2026 | |
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Bert discovers that in this universe, he is a powerful magician and becomes the idol of the same crowd that intended to burn him. Denise flees after Stuart tells her the whole story and asks her to get back together. Kripke returns to the shop to use the device to escape, leaving the others behind, but he and Stuart discover that it requires magic to work. They turn to an alternate Bernadette Rostenkowski, who is a witch on commission, to help. She agrees if they provide the ingredients to restore her powers. Stuart, Kripke, Bert and Denise meet back at the shop, where they are attacked by alternate Wil Wheaton, who claims Bernadette is a demon. Bert defeats Wheaton, and Denise agrees to give Stuart a try, but Wheaton was telling the truth: Bernadette, in her demonic true form, is destroying the city and wants the device to conquer other worlds. Bert uses his powers to activate it, and all four escape. In the new universe, Stuart is hospitalized in a mental institution. | |||||
| 4 | "Spoiler: Stuart Makes a Wallet" | Kyle Newacheck | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn & Bill Prady | August 13, 2026 | |
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Stuart's psychiatrist is Amy Farrah Fowler, who doesn't believe his story about the multiverse. Learning that he and Denise are married with two children, Stuart slowly "recovers" and is released. Once he leaves the hospital, he learns also that he is a noted artist whose patron is Bert, and that Kripke and Gary are his married neighbors, none of whom remember their past lives. He finds a comic book titled Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, which explains that his original self caused the device to fail, that he must avoid an imminent multiversal collapse, and that this reality is false. He also finds an advertisement for the device, which he purchases and activates, thereby discovering, with the others, that they had been within a Matrix-style simulation. The next jump takes them to a forest where they encounter indigenous tribal inhabitants. | |||||
| 5 | "Spoiler: Bert Gets Married" | Jonathan Frakes | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn & Bill Prady | August 20, 2026 | |
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Civilization in the new universe is tribal rather than urban, based on values of radical sharing. The group is welcomed into the village by the natives, but on their first evening the device breaks. Bert falls in love with Chana and teaches her the concepts of monogamy, jealousy, and marriage, while Kripke teaches the tribe about private property and economics. Stuart finds a message explaining that the device requires red quartz to repair, but the person who has the only piece refuses to give it up because it is "his". During Bert and Chana's wedding, her former partner attempts to "redeem" the tribe and starts a brawl. In the chaos, Stuart recovers the red quartz and repairs the device. The group arrives in a new universe where humans are ruminants. | |||||
| 6 | "Spoiler: Corn Is Delicious" | Jonathan Frakes | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn & Bill Prady | August 27, 2026 | |
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In the new universe, humanity descends from cows, eating grass and chewing their cud as ruminants. Stuart and Denise decide to stay there and give the device to Bert and Kripke, so the group splits up. Stuart and Denise meet the Raj of their new world, who explains how the universe is collapsing and no one believes him or can do anything. The original Stuart appears, telling this Stuart that only he can save the universe and tells them that they can just order a new device. Denise convinces Stuart to accept his destiny. The two jump, following the trail of the original device, but find themselves falling into the void between the universes, where they find Bert and Kripke: without Stuart the two scientists' jump had failed, blocking them there. Stuart reactivates the device and they arrive in a world where humanity is telepathic. | |||||
| 7 | "Spoiler: Dexys Midnight Runners Get a Royalty Payment" | Kyle Newacheck | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn & Bill Prady | September 3, 2026 | |
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In the previous universe, Stuart also ordered the instructions for the device and discovers that the device is missing a piece that would allow them to travel not only between universes but also through time, thus preventing the apocalypse. They try to contact Howard Wolowitz for his help, but he doesn't exist in this universe, so they sneak into the engineering lab to steal the piece, only to find alternate, scientist versions of themselves, with their own machine which they had completed. A chase ensues through all the universes they had already visited, until the original group stops the alternate versions in the ruminant universe. The two Stuarts conclude that the original Stuart has independently assigned multiple alternate Stuarts to the same mission to increase their chances of success. They are joined by another group of alternate selves, consisting of military personnel, who steal the device from the scientist versions. The original group follows them to a universe where Pasadena is a war zone. To save themselves, they jump another time and arrive in a universe where the inhabitants are centaurs. | |||||
| 8 | "Spoiler: We're as Confused as You Are" | Kyle Newacheck | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn & Bill Prady | September 10, 2026 | |
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The group returns to the military universe to recover the complete device, but since it's too dangerous, they decide to instead attempt to jump back to the ruminant universe and be the first to steal it from their alternate selves. However, they are caught, imprisoned, court martialed for treason, and sentenced to death by firing squad. However, their accuser, Penny, offers them a deal: believing them to be enemy spies and the device a means of communication, she offers them their lives if they use it to transmit false information. Stuart agrees and takes the opportunity to jump, but mistakenly takes Penny with them, abandoning her in the centaur universe, while they return to the ruminant universe, revealing the paradox: the soldiers from the previous episode were their future selves, not alternate universe variants. However, the jump with the new device traps them in a comic book, and an evil entity called the Adversary instructs Trevor and Kyle, frequent visitors of the Comic Center, to never let them out again. | |||||
| 9 | "Spoiler: We Couldn't Get Green Lantern" | Robert Duncan McNeill | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn & Bill Prady | September 17, 2026 | |
| 10 | TBA | TBA | Chuck Lorre & Zak Penn & Bill Prady | September 24, 2026 | |
Production
Development
On April 12, 2023, it was announced that an untitled The Big Bang Theory spin-off was in early development at Max, created by The Big Bang Theory co-creator and executive producer, Chuck Lorre.[13][14] The spin-off series was formally announced at the 2023 Warner Bros. Discovery upfront presentation by HBO and Max CEO and chairman, Casey Bloys.[15][14] Bloys did not mention any plot details or who the series would focus on from The Big Bang Theory series, but it was reported that the series would have a new cast, with former The Big Bang Theory cast members to appear in guest roles.[14] Actor and director Jonathan Frakes is involved in the show.[16] Robert Duncan McNeill directs episodes.[17]
In October 2024, it was reported that the spin-off would focus on Stuart Bloom, the owner of the comic book store, Comic Center, who appeared as a recurring supporting character in The Big Bang Theory.[18] In March 2025, it was announced that the spin-off would be titled Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.[19] In July 2025, HBO Max officially gave Stuart Fails to Save the Universe a series order.[20]
In February 2026, Lorre described the series as a "science fiction action-adventure comedy", and said of its creation, "I just wanted to do something that challenged me, that I was uncomfortable and in unfamiliar territory and the special effects stuff, the computer graphics, all those things. [...] Most of my career has been two people sit on a couch and talk."[21]
In August 2026, the series was renewed for a second season.[22]
Casting
In October 2024, it was reported that Kevin Sussman, Brian Posehn, and Lauren Lapkus, who played Stuart Bloom, Bert Kibbler, and Denise, respectively, on The Big Bang Theory would be reprising their roles from the series, and had also signed talent holding deals with Warner Bros. Television for the spin-off.[18] In February 2025, it was announced that John Ross Bowie would be reprising his role as Barry Kripke, with Bowie also signing a talent holding deal with Warner Bros. Television.[23] In August 2025, Ryan Cartwright, Josh Brener, and Tommy Walker joined the cast as recurring guest stars.[24]
Filming
The series began filming in September 2025,[25] and concluded in February 2026.[26][21]
Release
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds an approval rating of 77%, based on 43 reviews, with an average of rated reviews of 6.8/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe manages to brighten up its franchise through a genre-bending all-things-go sitcom that has the comedic chops to satisfy."[27] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 62 out of 100 based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[28]
Title sequence
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe received attention for its title sequence, which begins by breaking the fourth wall and asking the viewer to not use the "Skip Titles" function. The visuals of the title sequence change with each episode, and each episode features a new arrangement of the theme song by composer Danny Elfman.[29][30] Series creator Chuck Lorre stated that the title sequence was created this way to encourage viewers to watch it before every episode, due to his distaste for modern streaming services allowing viewers to skip intro sequences.[31]
Writing for Kotaku, Kenneth Shepard notes that the title sequence's visuals appeared to be possibly AI-generated.[32] The show's creators have not said whether the title sequence is AI or not.[33]
