As Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage continues to keep the Cooper family grounded at CBS, Big Bang Theory co-creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady (along with screenwriter Zak Penn) are taking the franchise into uncharted territory for the in-development spinoff titled Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. It’s a step in a new direction for Lorre, who revealed the streaming series is going heavy on…wait for it…CGI effects, so that it can lean more into its sci-fi comedy inspirations.
Considering the bulk of the CGI used in The Big Bang Theory was utilized in the opening titles and transitions, as opposed to within the lives and narratives of the characters, Lorre and Prady have been busy trying to educate themselves in the process while churning out scripts for the Stuart-centered offshoot, which reunited Kevin Sussman and co-stars for a photo shoot earlier in the year. Speaking to Variety at this year’s Banff World Media Festival, Lorre said:
There’s a lot of CGI. There’s a lot of special technical stuff that — you know, for me in my career, a big production number was two people sitting on a couch, drinking coffee! This is different. This is trying to incorporate some of that world of science fiction/fantasy into a comedy. And I’m completely out of my element, which is what I wanted. Which is what I was hoping to do, something that I had no experience with. And maybe I can learn as we go.
My imagination is already piqued for what fans might see once Stuart Fails to Save the Universe kicks off, and how it'll separate itself from the brightly lit sitcom aesthetic of Big Bang, the muted tones of Young Sheldon's dramedy, and the warmer hues of Georgie and Mandy. Plus, how will the CGI be utilized in the new show?
Will it be a case where Kevin Sussman's Stuart is given a Bugs Bunny-esque treatment where he's able to pull carrots and giant mallets out of his impossibly deep back pocket? Or will he get into laser blaster battles with John Ross Bowie's Barry, with lots of explosions and destroyed furniture? Or will the digital effects be utilized more for background effects?
For someone who has held strongly to the idea that traditional sitcoms will never die, Chuck Lorre doesn't seem like the kind of TV creator who would be enthused about trying something completely out of his wheelhouse. But it probably helps that Zak Penn is part of the writing team, as he's experienced with scripting effects-heavy fare such as Free Guy, Ready Player One and X2, among others. How amazing would it be to get a legitimate superhero sequence? Especially one set inside the comic book store.
To be sure, HBO Max has yet to officially order the new project, which is still technically just in the development stages,a s opposed to being an imminent part of the 2025 TV schedule. It sprouted up a potential project back in 2023 when G&M's First Marriage was still coming together, and Lorre kept quiet about the details until all the pieces were in place, and it was revealed that Sussman would be teaming back up with Bowie, Lauren Lapkus as Denise, and Brian Posehn as Bert.
So for now, fans should remain hopeful that HBO Max's execs hurry up with the approval process so that Stuart Fails to Save the Universe can get ordered up and put into production post-haste. And if the show wanted to also bring Sara Gilbert back in, now that The Conners is over, that'd be great as well.
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