As iconic and successful as it's been, The Big Bang Theory had its share of critics during its run on television. Now, as we reach the point in the 2026 TV schedule where its latest spinoff, Stuart Fails To Save The Universe, comes out, creator Chuck Lorre is firing back. While some may say the original series poked fun or made jokes at nerdy peoples' expense, Lorre has strong feelings pushing against that.
I spoke to Lorre and the other co-creators of Stuart Fails To Save The Universe about the original show's reputation, and how the upcoming series available with an HBO Max subscription feels more "geek-coded" in comparison.
Well, first of all, I was never a fan of ‘geek’ and ‘nerd,’ regarding the Big Bang characters. They were brilliant. These were great minds... Other than Sheldon, they wanted to participate and didn't know how, and I think that carries over to Stuart Saves the Universe. It's not about losers or nerds or outcasts. He's a comic book store owner and a failed artist. Kripke is a well-renowned physicist, Bert's an award-winning geologist. There's nothing inherently geeky about that.
Lorre didn't see his characters as nerdy, nor does he feel the same way as Stuart Fails To Save The Universe and its cast. Kevin Sussman's character still owns a comic shop in the series, ironic because Sussman worked in one as he started out in acting. I wouldn't call Sussman an inherently geeky person, so maybe Chuck Lorre made a good point.
Co-creator Bill Prady, who also helped make The Big Bang Theory, also chimed in. He brought up that, at times, he felt fan complaints characterized him and the writers as punching down on the geeks and nerds. In reality, Prady was pitching and writing moments from his own life:
I remember reading online criticism that a particular episode was making fun of the guy's nerdiness, and the episode was based on a miserable story from my own dating life. The story from The Big Bang Theory where Penny has had too much to drink, and he won't sleep with her. I remember reading that people were saying, ‘They're mocking the nerdish people,’ stuff like that. I lived that! When people say you're coming from outside a particular culture and you know you're not, it's, it's a weird thing.
Prady's point being, even if the show was making fun of "nerds," it wasn't from a place of them being above those experiences or awkward encounters. I don't think it should come as a surprise to any reader that the creators and writers of The Big Bang Theory could also be nerdy, seeing as they invited guest stars like Star Trek's Wil Wheaton regularly.
Now, they've created Stuart Fails To Save The Universe, a series that turns the world of The Big Bang Theory on its head and puts Stuart and friends in wild situations across the multiverse. The trailer for this sci-fi series shows this is a series that feels more like something Leonard and the guys would watch in his apartment, rather than anything that may feel like mockery to its prospective audience.
It's the third spinoff from The Big Bang Theory, and I'm sure HBO is hoping it'll succeed as the next major hit for the growing franchise. Things are a bit different this time around, with the show relying on violence and edgy material rather than wholesome family comedy made for a CBS audience. I'm eager to see how the world responds, and if Chuck Lorre and company can make television magic yet again.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Thursday, July 23rd. Be prepared for the world of The Big Bang Theory in a way it's never been seen before, and prepare to see some familiar faces in a brand new way.
