Although the characters of The Big Bang Theory are fans of all things sci-fi, particularly Star Trek, the franchise they live in remains mostly grounded. The original sitcom that started it all ran for 12 seasons, following the evolving relationships, scientific pursuits, and other antics of friends Sheldon (Jim Parsons), Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Raj (Kunal Nayyar), and Howard (Simon Helberg), ending with the four finding fulfillment in their lives and careers. Prequel spin-offs Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, meanwhile, have since fleshed out Sheldon’s past and the history of the Cooper family to massive success for CBS. Now, though, the nerdy series is one step closer to entering a realm its scientist friends could’ve only dreamed of.
Warner Bros. Discovery announced during its annual upfront presentation in New York that Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, the latest Big Bang Theory spin-off starring Kevin Sussman‘s kindly comic store owner Stuart Bloom, is set to premiere on HBO Max on July 23. Series co-creator Chuck Lorre previously described the series as “something the characters on The Big Bang Theory, would have loved, hated, and argued about,” placing Stuart in the middle of a multiversal disaster requiring a sci-fi adventure of epic proportions to prevent the end of all things. Unfortunately, he’s not very good at it. At least he has the help of his girlfriend Denise (Lauren Lapkus), geologist Bert (Brian Posehn), and pain-in-the-ass quantum physicist Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie) along the way.
Along with the release date, the first official teaser was revealed, showing just how woefully unprepared this quartet of “really incompetent Doctor Whos” is to become heroes. The trouble begins after Stuart breaks a device built by Sheldon and Leonard, inadvertently kickstarting the multiversal apocalypse and thus, his journey to save it. From there, the recognizable elements and characters of The Big Bang Theory are twisted to fit into a much more action-packed and special effects-heavy adventure across different worlds, unlike anything else from the franchise, or Lorre, for that matter. Naturally, they wind up in a fair bit of trouble along the way, threatening to end Stuart and co’s journey before it even gets interesting. A new, sci-fi backdrop hasn’t changed the sense of humor, though, combining the same brand of comedy with bigger-budget spectacle for something truly out of this world.
Collider Exclusive · Sci-Fi Survival Quiz Which Sci-Fi World Would You Survive? The Matrix · Mad Max · Blade Runner · Dune · Star Wars
Five universes. Five completely different ways the future went wrong — or sideways, or up in flames. Only one of them is the world your instincts were built for. Eight questions will figure out which dystopia, galaxy, or desert wasteland you’d actually make it out of alive.
💊The Matrix
🔥Mad Max
🌧️Blade Runner
🏜️Dune
🚀Star Wars
01
You sense something is deeply wrong with the world around you. What do you do? The first instinct is often the truest one.
02
In a world of scarcity, what resource do you guard most fiercely? What we protect reveals what we believe survival actually requires.
03
What kind of threat keeps you up at night? Fear is useful data — if you’re honest about what you’re actually afraid of.
04
How do you deal with authority you don’t trust? Every dystopia has a power structure. Your approach to it determines everything.
05
Which environment could you actually endure long-term? Survival isn’t just tactical — it’s physical, psychological, and very much about where you are.
06
Who do you want in your corner when things fall apart? The company you keep is the clearest signal of who you actually are.
07
Where do you draw the line — if you draw one at all? Every survivor eventually faces a moment that tests what they’re actually made of.
08
What would actually make survival worth it? Staying alive is one thing. Having a reason to is another.
Your Fate Has Been Calculated You’d Survive In…
Your answers point to the world your instincts were built for. This is the universe your temperament, your survival instincts, and your particular brand of stubbornness were made for.
The Resistance, Zion
The Matrix
You took the red pill a long time ago — probably before anyone offered it to you. You’re a systems thinker who can’t help but notice the seams in things.
You’re drawn to understanding how the system works before figuring out how to break it.
You’d find the Resistance, or it would find you — your instinct for spotting constructed realities is the machines’ worst nightmare.
You function best when you have access to information and the freedom to act on it.
The Matrix built an airtight prison. You’d be the one probing the walls for the door.
The Wasteland
Mad Max
The wasteland doesn’t reward the clever or the well-connected — it rewards those who are hard to kill and harder to break. That’s you.
You don’t need comfort, community, or a cause larger than the next horizon.
You need a vehicle, a clear threat, and enough fuel to outrun it — and you’re good at all three.
You are unsentimental enough to survive that world, and decent enough — just barely — to be something more than another raider.
In the wasteland, that distinction is everything.
Los Angeles, 2049
Blade Runner
You’d survive here because you know how to exist in moral grey areas without losing yourself completely.
You read people accurately, keep your circle small, and ask the questions others prefer not to answer.
In a city where humanity is a legal designation rather than a feeling, you hold onto something that keeps you functional.
You’re not a hero. But you’re not lost, either.
In Blade Runner’s world, that distinction is everything.
Arrakis
Dune
Arrakis is the most hostile environment in the known universe — and you are precisely the kind of person it rewards.
Patience, discipline, and political awareness are your core strengths — and on Arrakis, they’re survival tools.
You understand that the long game matters more than any single victory.
Others come to Dune and are consumed by it. You’d learn its logic and earn its respect.
In time, you wouldn’t just survive Arrakis — you’d begin to reshape it.
A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Star Wars
The galaxy far, far away is vast, loud, and in a constant state of violent political upheaval — and you wouldn’t have it any other way.
You find meaning in being part of something larger than yourself — a cause, a crew, a rebellion.
You’d gravitate toward the Rebellion, or the fringes, or whatever pocket of the galaxy still believes the Empire’s grip can be broken.
You fight — not because you have to, but because standing aside isn’t something you’re capable of.
In Star Wars, that willingness is what makes all the difference.
‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ Reunites ‘The Big Bang Theory’s Creative Minds
Making Stuart Fails to Save the Universe after co-creating the flagship sitcom and its two prior offshoots took Lorre out of his comfort zone, but, like Stuart, he didn’t have to do it alone. His Big Bang Theory partner, Bill Prady, reunites with him at the helm of the sci-fi show, alongside Zak Penn, who brought the blockbuster action experience, having previously written for The Avengers, X2, Ready Player One, and more. Danny Elfman also came aboard to compose a new theme. This will be a big step-up for Stuart and his pals after playing second fiddle to Pasadena’s four biggest nerds, but there’s a chance that the friends, or other characters like Kaley Cuoco‘s Penny, could appear in the alternate universes they visit. The possibilities are endless, given the sheer scope of this series under the Warner Bros. Television umbrella.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe kicks off its ten-episode run on HBO Max on July 23. New episodes will follow every Thursday. Check out the first official teaser in the player above.
