Sheldon Cooper may return in new spinoff Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, but it might not be the triumphant comeback that a lot of fans would hope for or expect. Stuart’s The Big Bang Theory spinoff has already generated a lot of buzz, and it’s only natural that Sheldon’s possible return has been a pretty major part of that.
Once the spinoff was announced, speculation on appearances by The Big Bang Theory cast immediately began. The new spinoff already includes four major recurring characters from the original sitcom, but the other characters’ actions after The Big Bang Theory finale remain a mystery. Based on Chuck Lorre’s comments, this spinoff won’t attempt to solve that mystery in the near future.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Will Likely Feature Multiverse Versions Of Big Bang Theory Characters
It’s already been confirmed that Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will be a multiverse adventure featuring a different alternate universe in every episode, which in and of itself accommodates The Big Bang Theory cameos in Stuart’s spinoff. In fact, Lorre himself has hinted that the original cast will appear in alternate forms. It’s just a bit complicated.
When told by TVLine that they’d love to see the legacy cast all return as alternate characters, Lorre responded, “You’re going to love this show.” Although hardly a solid confirmation, this seems to imply that the bulk of legacy The Big Bang Theory actors will appear in one form or another, even if they aren’t technically playing their original characters.
The site confirmed that their designations for legacy cast members include Leonard, Sheldon, Penny, Howard, Raj, Amy, and Bernadette. Lorre said people would love the show about the possibility of these specific actors returning, suggesting that most (if not all) of them will indeed be appearing in the spinoff, likely with new personalities and possibly new names.
It’s not exactly the Stuart spinoff that many The Big Bang Theory fans were expecting when it was first announced, but the sci-fi angle is a curiously fitting way to approach a series about the sitcom’s secondary characters. That said, the concept of characters like Sheldon, Howard, and Penny returning in alternate forms is brimming with both pros and cons.
The Big Bang Theory Cast’s Alternate Forms Both Expand And Limit Their Appearances’ Potential
Many fans hoped a new spinoff starring notable Big Bang Theory actors would allow for a check-in with characters we haven’t seen in years, but Lorre’s comments suggest that only the spinoff’s main four stars will appear consistently in all universes. Aside from Stuart, Denise, Bert, and Kripke, it can be assumed that all other characters will be multiversal variants.
This could be rather exciting. In the original, many of the characters are sometimes used in one-note fashion, particularly early on when Raj can’t talk to women, Sheldon hasn’t learned kindness yet, and Howard’s more horned up than a rabbit on oysters. But Stuart Fails to Save the Universe allows all returning members to play fresh takes on familiar characters.
Depending on how differently their characters are written, this could become the show’s greatest hook. The possibilities are literally endless, from goth Howard to social butterfly Sheldon. Unfortunately, only showing alternate versions of the characters means never getting to see the original versions’ growth over the years. We’re only seeing who they could have been, not who they ultimately became.
It’s still exciting to see new versions of the main cast, and there’s room to add small Easter eggs such as Kaley Cuoco playing Penny closer to how she was originally written. However, fans wanting more character updates than we got from Young Sheldon’s narration could be out of luck, robbing the spinoff of a major potential reason for watching.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe’s Alternate Character Trope Opens The Spinoff To New Criticisms
Not only will the inclusion of multiversal variants limit the potential for meaningful character updates, but mishandling any character’s alternate forms could create unnecessary fan backlash. The Big Bang Theory’s fanbase has remained loyal for years. They’re quick to notice when a script calls for somebody like Sheldon or Penny to act even slightly out of character without good reason.
Even in an alternate universe, the fact that these variants would still look like Sheldon and Raj suggests they likely share at least some internal traits as well. This means even alternate universe versions could be open to criticism if they feel like too big a departure from the core character. Each variant must feel simultaneously both new and familiar.
That’s a tough line to walk, albeit not an impossible one. For instance, a more social version of Sheldon could exploit his heritage to make him an outspoken Southern gentleman, something akin to The Simpsons’ Rich Texan. This could even lead to the first onscreen appearance of Frank and Alicia, two of Sheldon’s secret friends in The Big Bang Theory.
In just this one idea, it’s clear Stuart Fails to Save the Universe can alter its characters while still paying homage to Big Bang. Nonetheless, Lorre’s unique spinoff approach requires the series to maintain that balance with every legacy actor cameo. Bringing back someone like Sheldon to make poor use of them could be worse than nobody returning at all.
