The Big Bang Theory will soon be adding another show to the growing franchise. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is set to premiere on the 2026 TV schedule on July 23 with an HBO Max subscription. The new series will include some Big Bang Easter Eggs, even though it will mostly take place in an alternate universe. Kevin Sussman, however, revealed how Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will pick up where the original show ended.
Stuart will pick up after the events of TBBT, which ended in 2019. The series will see Stuart (Sussman) accidentally causing a multiversal apocalypse, leading him to team up with Denise (Lauren Lapkus), Bert Kibler (Brian Posehn) and Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie) to fix reality. It’s going to be a treat to see these characters all together, especially Stuart and Denise, who went from comic book store owner and employee to a blossoming romantic relationship. Sussman told TVLine that the end of Big Bang gave fans a hint as to where they were going, until we had to say goodbye to them:
At the very, very end of the run, he meets Denise, and things just started to get going. His life was just getting good again — and then, of course, the show stopped.
Even though some people may not like that this new Big Bang Theory spinoff doesn’t include any of the main cast, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is a pretty great alternative. You have some fan-favorite recurring characters that you are now able to learn more about and expand more. In Stuart and Denise’s case, we’ll finally see more of their relationship. And honestly, I couldn’t be more curious about what’s in store for them. Sussman is excited for the opportunity to touch more on these characters, in more ways than one. As he put it:
They only touched on the romantic aspect of Stuart and Denise in the original show, and now it's much more multi-dimensional, so there's a lot of good, fun stuff there. We knew they were lovers — what a weird thing to say — in The Big Bang Theory, but here they really explore [the full range of] their dynamic.
It’s likely that about seven years have passed between the events of The Big Bang Theory’s finale and the beginning of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, much like in real life. Obviously a lot can change in that time, but it sounds like Stuart and Denise are still very much together, or at least still working together. Considering the other two Big Bang Theory spinoffs are prequels, it’s hard to tell how Stuart will go. Not only is this the first spinoff that directly follows the events of The Big Bang Theory after the finale, but it’s also a multiverse show, so it could go in so many directions.
Meanwhile, it seems like the series is already having an impact, as Sussman had a full-circle moment ahead of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’s premiere. He shared a picture on Instagram from his old stomping grounds: a comic book store he used to work at, where his old boss put up a poster for his new show. And you really can’t get any more meta than that.
I am excited to see what Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is all about. The show has already been getting hyped by fellow Big Bang stars, so knowing that it’s gotten the stamp of approval from other actors makes it even better. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe premieres on Thursday, July 23 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max.
