HBO Max has handed ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe‘ a Season 2 renewal, just four episodes into the wonderfully weird ‘The Big Bang Theory’ spin-off’s first run.
And, frankly, I’m delighted. When this project was first announced, the premise sounded completely bonkers. Taking Stuart, Denise, Bert and Kripke, throwing them into a multiverse-ending sci-fi adventure and somehow making that a continuation of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ was not the most obvious direction for the franchise.
But that is also exactly why it works. Rather than playing things safe with another relatively conventional sitcom in the mould of ‘Young Sheldon’ or ‘Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’, the creative team actually took a swing at something completely outside the box. Four episodes in, ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ has been consistently funny, knowingly ridiculous and far more ambitious than I expected when the concept was first revealed.
It seems audiences have responded too. According to HBO Max, the first season is the streamer’s second-biggest comedy launch ever globally, which has been enough for the service to order another trip through the multiverse while Season 1 is still airing weekly.
“We’re delighted with how this hilarious, genre-bending show from Chuck, Zak, and Bill has connected with the audience, both devotees of The Big Bang Theory and new fans alike,” said Amy Gravitt, EVP, HBO Programming, Head of HBO & HBO Max Comedy Series. “Along with everyone else, we can’t wait to see the worlds they conjure for these beloved characters next season.”
Created by Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn and Bill Prady, the single-camera sci-fi comedy follows comic book store owner Stuart Bloom after he breaks a device created by Sheldon and Leonard and accidentally triggers a multiverse Armageddon. Fixing reality falls to Stuart and a particularly unlikely team of heroes, including girlfriend Denise, geologist Bert and quantum physicist Barry Kripke.
The series stars Kevin Sussman (The Big Bang Theory) as Stuart Bloom, Lauren Lapkus (Orange Is the New Black) as Denise, Brian Posehn (The Sarah Silverman Program) as Bert, and John Ross Bowie (Speechless) as Barry Kripke.
Along the way, the group encounters alternate-universe versions of familiar characters from ‘The Big Bang Theory’, giving the show plenty of room to play with the original sitcom without simply trying to recreate it. That willingness to push the franchise somewhere genuinely strange has been one of the best things about ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ so far.
Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn and Bill Prady write and executive produce the series, with Kyle Newacheck executive producing and directing multiple episodes. The show comes from Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
Season 1 of ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe‘ continues to release new episodes weekly on HBO Max. Season 2 does not yet have a premiere date.
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