Stuart Fails to Save the Universe
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe
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Stuart Fails to Save the Universe

"Every universe needs a hero. We got Stuart."

8.8
Yr 2026
Rt 24m
Status Returning Series
Comedy Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Your Verdict
Unrated

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Series Brief

Overview

After accidentally creating a new multiverse, comic book store owner Stuart Bloom must locate a quantum-interference device to restore reality.

Status

Latest

  • Renewed for Season 2 by HBO Max — August 14, 2026 (deadline.com)
Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 58 /100

Critical reception for "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe" is sharply divided, with reviewers divided between praising its high-concept ambition and criticizing its execution. Many commentators applaud the series as the boldest reinvention yet for "The Big Bang Theory" franchise, celebrating its willingness to place secondary characters in a mind-bending sci-fi adventure.

Favorable reviews praise the show as a playful, creative romp that uses universe-hopping storytelling to deliver unexpected charm and fresh pop-culture references. Outlets including TVLine, Variety, and Collider lauded the spinoff for avoiding simple fan service and instead giving overlooked characters a fun, addictive stage to shine.

Conversely, negative reviews argue that the show takes a big swing but ultimately fails to connect. Critics from outlets like The Hollywood Reporter, Vulture, and The Telegraph found the series to be underwhelming and lacking consistent laughs, noting that its coarser humor and slapdash writing keep its inventive premise from coming together.

“the franchise's boldest reinvention to date, using the multiverse not as an excuse for empty fan service but as a vehicle for inventive storytelling”

“Given its wild plot, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is executed much more strongly than one would expect”

“an ambitious sitcom that gleefully dismantles convention, but it never quite delivers the laughs”

“Occasionally amusing but more slapdash than inventive, gamely performed but irredeemably sour”

Transmission Paths

Where to Watch

Crave
CA
Crave Amazon Channel
CA
HBO Max Amazon Channel
UK • US
Show 1 more
HBO Max
UK • US
Why fans love it

Kevin Sussman anchors this spin-off by leaning into the comedic potential of a central character completely out of his depth. The humor stems from the contrast between a mundane existence running a comic book shop and the high-stakes absurdity of navigating a fractured multiverse. It functions as a riff on sci-fi tropes where the most unprepared person in the room is suddenly responsible for the structural integrity of reality.

The series finds its rhythm in the dynamic of an improbable team thrown together by pure cosmic error. By grounding the chaotic movement between alternate dimensions in the low-pressure environment of geek culture, the show maintains a clear perspective. It treats the collapse of existence as yet another inconvenient hurdle for a group already accustomed to minor failures and bureaucratic headaches.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 66
Regulars 3
Longest run 7 eps
Kevin Sussman
Kevin Sussman
as Stuart Bloom / Alternate Stuart Bloom
Lauren Lapkus
Lauren Lapkus
as Denise / Alternate Denise
Brian Posehn
Brian Posehn
as Bert Kibbler
John Ross Bowie
John Ross Bowie
as Barry Kripke
Kunal Nayyar
Kunal Nayyar
as Rajesh Koothrappali
2 episodes
Penn Jillette
Penn Jillette
as Penn Jillette
1 episode
Teller
Teller
as Teller
1 episode
Ryan Cartwright
Ryan Cartwright
as Kyle
7 episodes
Show 58 more
Josh Brener as Trevor 6 episodes Rich Ting as Soldier #1 1 episode Atticus Batacan as Floss Vendor 1 episode Tommy Walker as Gary 7 episodes Kaley Cuoco as Penny 2 episodes Christine Baranski as Christine Baranski 1 episode Riki Lindhome as Ramona Nowitzki 3 episodes Brian Thomas Smith as Zack Johnson 1 episode Brandon Morales as Officer McCaffrey 1 episode Joe Williamson as Officer Steve Denison 1 episode Matty Cardarople as Keith 2 episodes Nicholas Wagner as Pasadena Resident 1 episode Doug Simpson as Abramowitz the Grey 2 episodes Melissa Rauch as Bernadette Rostenkowski 2 episodes Wil Wheaton as Self 1 episode Louis Mustillo as Alexa 1 episode Marieve Herington as Acolyte 1 episode Kassie Hight as Acolyte 1 episode David Salsa as Bartender 1 episode Peter Banifaz as Acolyte 1 episode Stacie Greenwell as Nurse Stephanie 2 episodes Samantha Neyland as Lisa 1 episode Kikey Castillo as Suzanne 1 episode Violette Linnz as Talia 1 episode Jascha Slesers as Xena 1 episode Zoe Cipres as Chana 2 episodes Anthony Alabi as Soldier #2 2 episodes Rachelle Goulding as Alta 1 episode Gastón Brouet as Lumpa 1 episode Mayim Bialik as Amy Farrah Fowler 2 episodes Jon Cryer as Sherpa 1 episode 'Weird Al' Yankovic as 'Weird Al' Yankovic 1 episode Charlie Barnett as Simpa 2 episodes Kolby Alderson as Jaden 1 episode Jeff Wolfe as Orderly #1 1 episode Sala Baker as Orderly #2 1 episode Tommy Martinez as Gavel 1 episode Brandon Sutton as Manu 1 episode Vinessa Vidotto as Droppings Reader 1 episode Lily Cardone as Lina 1 episode Jackie R. Jacobson as Karni 1 episode John Mariano as Giorgio 1 episode Alan Aymie as Carl 1 episode Neil deGrasse Tyson as Neil deGrasse Tyson 1 episode Brooklyn Rose as Rebecca 1 episode Harley Bronwyn as Cassandra 1 episode Brooklyn Jaramillo as Girl #1 1 episode Mila Jaymes as Girl #2 1 episode Sofia Grey as Girl #3 1 episode Omar Moustafa Ghonim as MP Smith 1 episode Joshua Malina as Captain Siebert 1 episode Jonathan Adams as General Adams 1 episode Eltony Williams as Keith 1 episode Dean Norris as Captain Richard Williams 1 episode Jaylen Eichler as PFC Collins 1 episode André Sogliuzzo as The Adversary 2 episodes Andy Ridings as Jay Garrick / The Flash 1 episode Eric Allan Kramer as Mr. Freeze 1 episode
Production Board

Crew

Costume Design
Valerie Klarich
Creator
Chuck Lorre Zak Penn Bill Prady
Executive Producer
Chuck Lorre Kyle Newacheck Zak Penn Bill Prady
Art Direction
Walter Eckert
First Assistant Director
Chip Signore
Key Grip
Sean Patrick Crowell
Editor
David Dean Lawrence A. Maddox
Assistant Production Coordinator
Kaiulani Offner Bush
Chief Lighting Technician
John Priebe
Director
Kyle Newacheck
Post Production Supervisor
Lauren Young
Stunt Coordinator
Marc Scizak
Second Assistant Director
Samantha Lavin Frances Stafford
Assistant Editor
Coleman Johnson
Hair Department Head
Kaylie Klone
Director of Photography
Anthony Hardwick Grant Smith
CG Supervisor
Dustin Colson
Unit Production Manager
Franklyn M. Gottbetter
Associate Producer
Niko Mason
Production Design
Val Wilt
Production Supervisor
Dan Tipton
Production Coordinator
Kelly Burns
Signal Match

Similarity

Where Stuart Fails to Save the Universe overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

comic book shop spin off alternate universe multiverse improbable team fail
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
July 23, 2026
Status
Returning Series
Episode Runtime
24 minutes
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
169