Although The Big Bang Theory’s spinoff Stuart Fails To Save the Universe will focus on characters from the original show, creator Chuck Lorre’s comments make it clear that this will not be a straightforward sequel series. The Big Bang Theory’s series finale arrived too soon for some fans, who wanted to see more of the Pasadena gang as they raised their kids and navigated family life. The show’s first two spinoffs, Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, instead went back in time to explain the backstory of Sheldon and his family.
As such, the demand for The Big Bang Theory’s sequel series steadily grows, although debate rages online over whether it is still too soon for a reunion. The announcement of The Big Bang Theory’s spinoff Stuart Fails To Save the Universe seemed tailor-made to split this debate further, as the show will feature characters from the original show, but not the main gang. Instead, the comic book store owner Stuart, his love interest Denise, Sheldon’s old workplace nemesis Barry Kripke, and the geologist Bert Kibbler will be the show’s heroes.
Chuck Lorre Said Stuart Fails To Save the Universe Involves “A Lot of CGI”
The Upcoming Big Bang Theory Spinoff Will Incorporate Sci-fi/Fantasy Elements
While The Big Bang Theory’s focus shifted from Leonard and Penny to Sheldon over the years, the show was still always sure of its main heroes. Howard, Raj, Sheldon, and Leonard didn’t miss a single episode of the series, and Kaley Cuoco’s Penny was only absent for two due to a serious horse-riding injury. As such, if the original show’s approach is anything to go from, viewers can be certain that Stuart Fails To Save the Universe’s Stuart, Denise, Kripke, and Bert will be its main characters.
Since this means the show will have a lineup of four awkward, nerdy men and one female love interest, it is not hard for viewers to come to the conclusion that Stuart Fails To Save the Universe could simply feel like The Big Bang Theory without the original heroes. However, Variety reports that Lorre commented on the spinoff while speaking at the Banff World Media Festival, and his claims prove that this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Lorre told the conference that Stuart Fails To Save the Universe involves “A lot of CGI” as the show is “Trying to incorporate some of that world of science fiction/fantasy into a comedy.” Lorre co-wrote Stuart Fails To Save the Universe’s first ten episodes with screenwriter Zak Penn, perhaps best known for his contributions to Free Guy, Ready Player One, and his story credits for 2012’s The Avengers. Penn also contributed to X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand, as well as doing uncredited rewrites on 2008’s The Incredible Hulk.
Lorre’s Comment Suggests That Stuart’s Spinoff Will Be Different From The Big Bang Theory
Stuart Fails To Save the Universe Will Not Just Be A Big Bang Theory Sequel
While a reunion of The Big Bang Theory’s heroes sounds fun, it is exciting to hear that Stuart Fails To Save the Universe will feel profoundly different from The Big Bang Theory. A sci-fi-focused fantasy comedy with lots of CGI couldn’t sound less like the original show, which relies on a small handful of sets and practically revels in its traditional sitcom setup. Even the rare dream sequences seen in The Big Bang Theory, like Sheldon’s nightmares of Morlocks invading his apartment or Leonard and Penny building a sex dungeon, had a comically lo-fi quality to them.
Although Lorre’s comments fly in the face of The Big Bang Theory’s established style, they are also somewhat fitting. The Big Bang Theory proves a huge mainstream success despite its status as an atypically straightforward multi-camera sitcom in the era of network sitcoms like Community, 30 Rock, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, and even How I Met Your Mother constantly playing with the familiar format’s storytelling style. The Big Bang Theory keeps things very basic and traditional when other shows broke the fourth wall and twisted their timelines, and this strategy paid off.
From The Conners to Shifting Gears, network TV has plenty of sitcoms that look like The Big Bang Theory, so Stuart Fails To Save the Universe goes for a completely different, risky style makes the spinoff more interesting.
Ironically, the straightforward approach of The Big Bang Theory was so successful that its second spinoff Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage brought back the laugh track, and the traditional sitcom style is no longer a rarity in 2025. From The Conners to Shifting Gears, network TV has plenty of sitcoms that look like The Big Bang Theory, so Stuart Fails To Save the Universe goes for a completely different, risky style makes the spinoff more interesting.
How Stuart’s Spinoff Differentiating Itself From Its Predecessors Can Lead To Its Success
Stuart Fails To Save the Universe’s New Approach Is Great News For The Series
The franchise has already had some success with reinventing its style, as evidenced by The Big Bang Theory’s first spinoff. Young Sheldon benefited from a new approach when the show switched from The Big Bang Theory’s multi-camera setup to a single-camera format, dropped the laugh track, moved to a period setting, and added a narrator. All these changes meant that Young Sheldon resembled The Goldbergs more than the original show in terms of tone and visuals, despite sharing some of The Big Bang Theory’s characters. However, this paid off judging by the show’s ratings success.
From his early work on Roseanne to The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men, to later hits like Mom and Bob Hearts Abishola, Lorre has cracked a consistent formula that works.
That said, Stuart Fails To Save the Universe’s ambitious changes could prove extremely, expensively risky. Lorre’s most successful shows to date were all relatively grounded and, by his own admission, the sitcom legend has never done anything like this. From his early work on Roseanne to his big breakthrough hit Dharma and Greg, to his most famous shows, The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men, to later hits like Mom and Bob Hearts Abishola, Lorre has cracked a consistent formula that works. Now, he is leaving his comfort zone entirely.
This could make Stuart Fails To Save the Universe his best show yet, as Lorre may thrive under pressure. Certainly, The Big Bang Theory’s spinoff has the potential DQWDq to redeem underused characters from the original show, and its CGI-heavy style implies the series will bring a totally new style to the universe of the series. However, only time will tell whether Stuart Fails To Save the Universe will completely reinvent the world of The Big Bang Theory, or end up straying too far from the straightforward sitcom thrills that made the original show so successful in the first place.
