Stuart Fails to Save the Universe has developed into a decent sci fi comedy so far while also delivering a good spin on the Sliders alternate-universe premise, and it could turn into one of the best entries in the long-running Big Bang Theory franchise.
What Is It?
This series follows comic book shop owner Stuart, who, along with previous Big Bang Theory characters Denise Jeffries, Bert Kibbler, and Barry Kripke, travels from one alternate universe to the next after an experiment by Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, and Howard Wolowitz goes awry. They use a device created by those three to get from one world to the next, which has been damaged, but that could be the key to getting them home and setting things right.
Airing: HBO Max, New Episodes Air Thursday at 9 PM EST (Season Finale Streams September 24)
Starring: Kevin Sussman, Lauren Lapkus, Brian Posehn, John Ross Bowie
Created By: Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn, Bill Prady
Johnny Jay’s Thoughts:
Before starting on the review proper, I should note that I was never a huge fan of The Big Bang Theory. I watched the first three to four seasons of that one (mostly in its syndication run) and checked in on it from time to time after that, but it was never a show that really grabbed me. Chuck Lorre can do some funny sitcoms (I enjoyed Two and a Half Men), but as a lifelong geek, I thought the show did not do a very good job of portraying that type of person and culture, relying more on stereotypes and a vague understanding of geekdom. Not that the show ever offended me; it just did not connect with me, and I lost interest in the later seasons. Nor was I drawn to the spin-offs on CBS, which took the premise even further from anything that I found worth watching.
So when I heard that they were doing the Stuart Fails to Save the Universe series on HBO Max, my reaction was an enthusiastic meh. Stuart was always such a mopey, loser character on the original show and the butt of far too many jokes. It just seemed like they were scraping the bottom of the barrel to get a few more dollars out of the franchise, and they only did it because the actor was available for a spin-off series.
But then I saw the ads for the show and realized that, for the first time, they were going full sci fi with the franchise, and that was intriguing. Plus, the trailers actually made it look pretty funny. So I decided to sample a few episodes to see if they came up with a decent series this time around. And what do you know? They did!
And yet another delay before proceeding with my review, let’s talk about the 1994 series Sliders first (stick with me, there’s a point to all this). That was a show that had a very interesting premise, and I thought the first couple of seasons did a decent job with the concept, though the episodes could be very hit-and-miss. But then the network (Fox) began tinkering with the show, the main actors started to bow out, and it shifted over to the Sci Fi Channel, and it all pretty much derailed (you can read more about that one at Cult-Scifi.com). But I always thought it had potential, and to this day, I would be interested in seeing a reboot of the property.
So lo and behold, what do we have now? A spiritual successor that satisfies that reboot itch to a degree, and it’s actually pretty good. (See, I did bring it all together.) Stuart Fails to Save the Universe gives us a Sliders-like premise as its characters slip through parallel worlds created by an experiment that went awry (caused by three of The Big Bang Theory regulars who do not appear in the new series). The show starts off with Stuart living in a post-apocalyptic world, yet still running his comic book shop, and an alternate version of himself shows up to tell him what has happened and that it is up to him to set things right. Stuart and Bert Kibbler go to Caltech to get a device created by Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard, but it gets damaged, and he and several other former Big Bang Theory characters start sliding through alternate versions of reality. Sci fi hi-jinks—with plenty of geek callouts—ensue.
This is basically a comedic version of Sliders, which already had a sense of humor, and so far it is doing a pretty good job with that. Alternate-universe shows bring in a lot of the same conundrums you get from time travel, with logic quickly fading away and any rules that are established getting broken almost right away. That’s why these are best done in a comedy setting, because the series can do all that but still get away with it by laughing at itself. And Stuart Fails to Save the Universe definitely has plenty of fun with the premise while winking at the audience.
One of its drawbacks, though, is that it centers around secondary players from The Big Bang Theory who were really just one-joke characters to begin with, and some of whom are not particularly likable. I can accept Stuart and Bert as central to the series, and their characters—which never previously suggested spin-off potential—have received some good development so far. But I always cringed when Barry Kripke showed up in the original series, and he is a bit much to take as one of the leads (though I will say that I don’t hate him as much here as I previously did).
Denise is a good addition as the main female character, and she shines among the cast as they give her much more development than she ever had on The Big Bang Theory. And the running joke of her being with pretty-boy Kyle across the multiple realities has worked well so far. In addition, we have had several appearances by leads from the original series (not Sheldon, Leonard, or Howard yet), and you can tell the actors are having some fun with their alternate personas.
But one of the main reasons this show has worked for me so far is that it definitely has some geek cred. It works around the setting of the original series, but it brings in any number of interesting storylines and concepts borrowed liberally from sci fi movies, TV shows, books, etc. It’s a parody, but also an homage to the genre, and it certainly seems to have respect for its source material. For that, I credit Zak Penn (Alphas, The Avengers, Ready Player One), who has plenty of sci fi entries on his résumé, whereas Lorre and Bill Prady are more sitcom guys.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe does not quite count as a top-notch series through its first five episodes, delivering some misfires and slogging its way through at points (particularly the most recent installment). But the eps are on the short side (some only about 20 minutes with credits and “previously on” recaps), so you can get through them pretty quickly. Plus, you don’t have to have watched the original series or any of its spin-offs to keep up with what is going on (though a basic familiarity does help). And this one has plenty of potential if they keep a good handle on things and don’t go overboard on the silliness or the parody or play too fast and loose with the alternate universe concept. Ultimately, it’s possible that this may turn into a notable genre entry, and it could stand out as the best thing to come out of The Big Bang Theory franchise, at least for sci fi fans.
What’s Next?
The early viewing numbers have been good for the show, and it got a pretty quick second season renewal from HBO Max. Production on that has already begun, and I expect it to arrive around mid-2027. Every entry in The Big Bang Theory franchise has enjoyed a notable run so far (the original went twelve seasons, Young Sheldon had seven, and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage is heading into its third year), so perhaps Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will stick around for a while and eventually count as a decent genre comedy.
Where Can You Watch It?
The show is halfway through its first season at this point, with new episodes premiering on HBO Max at 9 PM EST on Thursdays. And my guess is that this one will end up getting an encore run on CBS at some point during one of the hiatus periods of the regular season (though expect a fair amount of commercials since some of the eps are pretty short).
Are you watching Stuart Fails to Save the Universe and do you believe it is delivering a decent sci fi comedy? Chime in with your thoughts in the comments below.
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