Season 1 – Stuart Fails to Save the Universe

Play trailer

1:39

Next Ep Aug 6

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

74%

Tomatometer

39 Reviews

81%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

Comic book store owner Stuart Bloom is tasked with restoring reality after he breaks a device built by Sheldon and Leonard, accidentally bringing about a multiverse Armageddon. Stuart is aided in this quest by his girlfriend Denise, geologist friend Bert, and quantum physicist/all-around pain in the ass Barry Kripke. Along the way, they meet alternate-universe versions of characters we’ve come to know and love from “The Big Bang Theory.” As the title implies, things don’t go well.

Watch on HBO Max

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe manages to brighten up its franchise through a genre-bending all-things-go sitcom that has the comedic chops to satisfy.

Read Critics Reviews

J. Kelly Nestruck

Globe and Mail

18h

It’s hard to get invested in infinite and therefore consequence-free worlds -- and, in terms of the comedy, I only really chuckled at Posehn’s deadpan reactions to each strange new one.

Go to Full Review

Ben Dowell

The Times (UK)

3/5

Nerds trying to be funny can be wearisome and mildly tragic but there is something engaging in seeing them immerse themselves in the kind of weirdo adventures they enjoy obsessing about.

Go to Full Review

June Thomas

Slate

Stuart Fails to Save the Universe couldn’t be more different from its forebear, in the best and most surprising way possible.

Go to Full Review

Dustin Rowles

Pajiba

It feels less like a Big Bang Theory-style laugh-track sitcom and more like a … stoner comedy. Not a great one, mind you. But a watchable one.

Go to Full Review

Abhishek Srivastava

The Times of India

3.5/5

The makers clearly want this show to stand on its own rather than live in the shadow of its parent series. The outcome is a fun start that feels familiar in places while still trying to deliver something new and fresh.

Go to Full Review

Diego Batlle

Otroscines.com

3.5/5

The series is always light and ever-changing, playful and provocative, inevitably chaotic and uneven, but highly enjoyable if you embrace and immerse yourself in the nods and references (there's a lot of comic book world). [Full review in Spanish]

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Liz W

@RT90845555 22m

I loved it! It is quirky and fun. They are doing a parody of end of the world movies, science fiction and action. But it all happens in the Universe of Big Bang Theory where we already know all the characters. At the beginning, I thought strange using Stuart as the hero. But I get it now. He is definitely not the hero. And tge best part is that there is no hero. It just a comedy of consequences. But really funny.

John R

@RT67922382 8h

It’s a spin off of the Big Bang Theory but they are stuck in an alternate universe. Apparently , someone made a time machine and not sure how to get back to the present day and Stuart, Burt, Denise, Barry keep jumping back and forth between years. So far, Raj, Penny, and even Zack have made guest appearances and I wouldn’t be surprised if the other main cast members make surprise appearances as the show goes on. I think they are only 22 minutes episodes, but Stuart’s socially awkward behavior is making me want to watch more and more weekly episodes!

R T

@RT16350461 1d

Couldn't get past the first episode. Lacked all the cleverness of its predecessor that made being dorky humor fun --this is just dorky humor

Craig B

@CraigB7708 2d

Really didn't think I would like this and just watched it because i was bored. But it was a better than average comedy after 1 episode. Brian Posehn really makes the show (burt) he just has a way of delivering lines I find amusing. Sure it's not the greatest in the world but it has room to grow into a very good comedy. And tv comedy's are so desperately needed glad they gave it a shot.

Joe W

@JoeWasik 2d

This is just a bit too silly. The premise is excellent, but not the implementation. Acting is wooden and amateurish.

p .

@tryasecas 3d

as a big sci-fi and comedy fan this is the best thing that has ever happened

Read all reviews

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Kevin Sussman

Stuart Bloom

Brian Posehn

Bert Kibbler

Lauren Lapkus

Denise

John Ross Bowie

Barry Kripke

Chuck Lorre

Writer

Zak Penn

Writer

Episode 1

Aired Jul 23, 2026

Spoiler: Gary Dies

After breaking a quantum-interference device, comic book store owner Stuart Bloom must save the universe from imminent destruction.

Details

Episode 2

Aired Jul 30, 2026

Spoiler: Bert is Magic