The Next Big Bang Theory Spinoff Is Making a Huge Mistake—And It Might Ruin What Made the Other Shows So Great

The Big Bang Theory ended in 2019, but the show’s universe has continued through its prequel series. Dramedy Young Sheldon ran for 7 seasons, chronicling the story of Sheldon Cooper’s childhood in Texas, and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, a romantic comedy series following the young marriage of Sheldon’s older brother, has been renewed for a second season. Now we are finally getting the first spin-off to focus on supporting characters from The Big Bang Theory’s original run.

Kevin Sussman is coming back to play Stuart Bloom, the comic book shop owner in the as-yet untitled Big Bang Theory spin-off series. Lauren Lapkus will return as Denise, Stuart’s girlfriend and assistant manager, alongside John Ross Bowie’s theoretical physicist Barry Kripke and Brian Posehn’s geologist Bert Kibbler. However, unlike the previous Big Bang Theory spin-offs, this Stuart-centric series will stream on Max (formerly HBO Max) instead of airing on CBS. Not many details have been released, but I’m worried that the spin-off being on Max means the series will be fundamentally different from the rest of the franchise.

Why The Next Big Bang Theory Spinoff Is On Max Instead Of CBS

Warner Bros. Wants To Boost Max Subscription Numbers

In an interview with The Ankler’s Leslie Goldberg, CBS Entertainment President Amy Reisenbach emphasized that CBS was never approached about the Stuart-led spin-off. Instead, Warner Bros., one of the spin-off’s production companies, developed the project directly with Max. Because of The Big Bang Theory’s ongoing success, every distributor will want a piece of the expanding Big Bang Theory franchise universe. Since Max and Warner Bros. TV both operate under Warner Bros. Discovery umbrella, it makes sense that the spin-off landed there.

The Big Bang Theory remains hugely popular on streaming, and Young Sheldon racked up billions of minutes viewed when it was licensed to Netflix toward the end of its run. Considering Chuck Lorre’s long-standing relationship with CBS, it’s surprising that network executives were caught off guard by the spin-off’s development. However, this move is clearly designed to boost Max’s subscriptions and streaming numbers. Logically, viewers who streamed The Big Bang Theory would be the most likely audience for a continuation focused on its supporting characters.

Meanwhile, CBS will still have a presence in The Big Bang Theory universe—Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage has been renewed for season 2. While little is known about the tone or storytelling approach of the Stuart spin-off, it may be better suited for streaming than for network television. CBS could still benefit by airing episodes in syndication, creating a mutually beneficial arrangement for both Max and CBS/Paramount+.

The Next Big Bang Theory Spin-Off Will Almost Certainly Have Way Fewer Episodes

Max Tends To Have Seasons Of 10 Episodes Or Fewer

Streaming services typically produce fewer seasons with shorter episode counts than traditional network television, and it’s likely the upcoming Big Bang Theory spin-off on Max will follow this trend. Network sitcoms, like The Big Bang Theory and its first spin-off, Young Sheldon, often had 20 or more episodes per season. Streaming platforms prioritize higher-budget, shorter-run series to maintain quality and keep subscribers engaged. In contrast, network shows rely on ad revenue and syndication, making longer seasons financially viable.

Mindy Kaling’s series illustrate this shift: The Mindy Project, which aired on Fox before moving to Hulu, ran for 117 episodes across six seasons, with its network seasons averaging over 20 episodes each. Similarly, Young Sheldon on CBS will conclude with 141 episodes over seven seasons, averaging more than 20 episodes per season. Meanwhile, Kaling’s Max streaming series The Sex Lives of College Girls ended with only 30 episodes across three seasons.

Hacks is Max’s most successful comedy, winning multiple Emmys, and is set to premiere its fourth season, with each season running 8–10 episodes. Our Flag Means Death, a quirky pirate comedy, developed a devoted fanbase on Max but was canceled after two seasons totaling 18 episodes. Given that Max has greenlit seasons as short as six episodes, The Big Bang Theory spin-off will likely follow a much shorter season format than its network predecessors.

The Big Bang Theory’s Next Spinoff Will Lose Out With A Lower Episode Count

Comedy Thrives On Familiarity & Filler Content

A shorter episode count for the untitled Big Bang Theory spin-off on Max means the show will miss out on one of the key strengths of long-running network sitcoms: a sense of comforting familiarity. Traditional network sitcoms thrive on routine, airing for months at a time, creating an ongoing presence in viewers’ lives. This longevity allows characters to evolve naturally, storylines to unfold at a gradual pace, and writers to experiment with different dynamics, side plots, and even the occasional “filler” episode that still adds to the show’s charm.

Network sitcoms like New Girl, The Office, Friends, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine built dedicated audiences over time by leaning into this structure. Their long episode counts meant they had room for everything from major character arcs to lighthearted, lower-stakes episodes that became fan favorites in rewatches. Without 20+ episode season orders, the iconic Brooklyn Nine-Nine Halloween Heist episodes would never have happened. These sitcoms have found second lives on streaming, in part because their vast libraries make them easy to drop into at any point.

A Max-produced Big Bang Theory spin-off, likely with just 10 episodes per season, won’t have this same ongoing presence. While this show might be more plot-heavy, that risks feeling less immersive and rewatchable over time, missing out on the slow-burn charm that allowed characters like Howard Wolowitz and Penny to organically grow over The Big Bang Theory‘s many seasons.

The Big Bang Theory’s Spinoff Does Have One Advantage To Help Its Episode Count

Audiences Already Know & Like Stuart, Denise, And The Other Returning Character

Even though the untitled upcoming Big Bang Theory spin-off on Max will likely have a much lower episode count than its CBS predecessor, it has one major advantage: we already know and like the characters. Stuart and Denise’s relationship in The Big Bang Theory was a rare bright spot in his often unlucky life. Denise, a confident and geek-culture-savvy comic book store employee, was a perfect match for Stuart, bonding over their shared love of comics and pop culture. Denise brought out a more confident side of Stuart, encouraging him to embrace his interests without insecurity.

Stuart had more screen time than Bert, the lovable but socially awkward geologist, or Barry Kripke, the arrogant yet oddly endearing physicist and Sheldon’s long-time rival and workplace nuisance. Both Bert and Kripke were still working at Caltech at the end of The Big Bang Theory, but without a definite ending for these characters, a spin-off seems ripe to explore their stories. Having a built-in familiarity acts as a shortcut, making the shorter episode count less of a hurdle.

Knowing the characters means the spin-off can jump right into fresh storylines without excessive setup, maximizing its potentially limited screen time. Instead of spending episodes defining their quirks or relationships, the show can focus on delivering the humor and dynamics fans already love. Stuart’s awkward charm, Kripke’s speech-impeded arrogance, Bert’s lovable rock-enthusiast personality, and Denise’s geek-culture cool have already been established over multiple seasons of The Big Bang Theory, viewers don’t need to spend time getting to know them—we’re already invested.

Source: The Ankler

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