Although The Big Bang Theory’s upcoming spinoff, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, is taking a major risk with its high-concept premise, the original show once proved that a similar conceit could work in a standout episode from 2013. The Big Bang Theory’s finale was highly popular among audiences, as the episode highlighted how much the show had changed.
When the series began, it was a hangout show about a group of geeky guys and their shared struggle to find love. However, as Howard became a family man and Leonard married Penny, the show’s focus shifted to Sheldon and the series became a character study of this unique protagonist.
One reason The Big Bang Theory’s success can’t be replicated is that geek culture went mainstream during the show’s original run, making its heroes less unique in the process. It was no longer a novelty to see characters discussing Lord of the Rings lore or who could wield Thor’s hammer in the Marvel Comics, since these were now commonplace conversation topics.
As such, it is no surprise that The Big Bang Theory’s first spinoff, Young Sheldon, took viewers back to a time when Sheldon’s nerdy interests were much less broadly appreciated. Similarly, The Big Bang Theory’s next spinoff, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, is set to upend the franchise’s sitcom universe entirely to keep things fresh.
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According to its synopsis, released by HBOMax (via Variety), Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will see Kevin Sussman’s luckless eponymous comic book store owner accidentally break a scientific device Sheldon and Leonard invented. In doing so, Stuart brings about a “multiverse Armageddon,” leading him and returning characters Denise, Bert, and Kripke to hopefully save the day.
The synopsis goes on to note that the main characters will “meet alternate-universe versions of characters we’ve come to know and love from The Big Bang Theory” during their multiverse adventures, and this isn’t a major surprise given the show’s title. Of course, it is a major risk for a franchise that was relatively grounded until this point.
The Big Bang Theory isn’t a sci-fi series, nor are its first two spinoffs, Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. On the contrary, all three shows are relatively grounded character comedies that focus on the professional, personal, and romantic lives of their heroes.
Even though the heroes are scientists, the issues faced by the heroes of The Big Bang Theory are more mundane than existential. Penny’s The Big Bang Theory pregnancy is one of the original finale’s biggest twists, which makes for a striking contrast with Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’s premise is extremely ambitious and could clash badly with the more reserved storylines of the original show.
After all, the new show begins with the revelation of an entire multiverse, and Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’s story centers on exploring its naby alternate realities. It’s all extremely ambitious and could clash badly with the more reserved storylines of the original show. Fortunately, one existing episode of the series proves this could work.
In season 7, episode 11, “The Cooper Extraction,” Sheldon heads home to Texas for the holidays so he can assist in the birth of his sister’s child. While Missy’s sad Big Bang Theory story is a disappointment for another article, the important takeaway from this outing is its premise. Without Sheldon around, the group imagines their lives without him.
This results in a pretty fun episode as everyone’s idea of what the group would be like without their presence grows increasingly absurd and cartoonish. Bernadette’s vision of life without Howard and Amy’s vision of life without Sheldon are both standouts, although there are highlights throughout “The Cooper Extraction.”
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Like Friends season 6, episodes 15 and 16, “The One That Could Have Been Part 1 and 2,” “The Cooper Extraction” works because the episode toys with the familiar expectations that viewers have for the series. By season 7 of the series, the dynamics between Bernadette, Penny, Sheldon, Howard, Raj, Amy, and Leonard were fairly familiar.
As such, it was fun to see how these same characters might have differed if they had never met each other. While Howard’s Big Bang Theory character arc might have been the show’s most dramatic transformation, all the show’s protagonists changed substantially between season 1 and the show’s finale.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe promises to expand on the potential of “The Cooper Extraction,” devoting an entire TV show to the question of what The Big Bang Theory’s universe would look like if things were a little different. The upcoming show can devote more substantial screen time to alternative versions of these beloved characters, exploring their fates more deeply.
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The only problem with this plan is that it requires the presence of the original show’s heroes. It is not yet clear whether the Pasadena gang will return in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, but it is a little difficult to see how the show could succeed without them.
Some of the best episodes of The Big Bang Theory featured Stuart, Bert, Denise, and Kripke, but they were never the lead characters of the series. Exploring various versions of The Big Bang Theory’s reality will only be fun if the Pasadena gang are present, as they are the well-defined, familiar characters whose personalities viewers want more from.
After all, even the only episode in the original series that ostensibly didn’t include Sheldon still needed Jim Parsons to appear as the character for its premise to work. Theoretically, “The Cooper Extraction” was built on the idea of imagining the gang without Sheldon.
However, in practice, Parsons still played a role since this allowed the show to flesh out its alternative reality. Thus, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will need to bring back all The Big Bang Theory’s original stars to get viewers invested in its alternate realities.
