TV fans baffled after one of the 'biggest sitcoms ever' confirms sci-fi spin-off
The original sitcom ended in 2019 after 12 years on our screens, but sparked two separate prequel shows – Young Sheldon and George & Mandy's First Marriage.
In 2023, bosses announced that another program based on Kevin Sussman's Stuart Bloom was on the way from co-creators Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn, and Bill Prady, and it has now been greenlit at HBO Max.
A string of familiar faces will be getting in on the action, including Denise actress Lauren Lapkus, Brian Posehn as Bert, and Barry Kripke star John Ross Bowie – while co-creators Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn, and Bill Prady.
However, Stuart Fails To Save The Universe will be a huge departure from the usual TBBT that viewers know as it will see the comic book owner travelling through a multiverse and trying to 'restore reality'.
The logline, via Variety, reads: 'Comic book store owner Stuart Bloom (Sussman) 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 (Lapkus), geologist friend Bert (Posehn), and quantum physicist/all-around pain in the ass Barry Kripke (Bowie).
'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.'
While it is not clear when Stuart Fails To Save The Universe will premiere, it's fair to say that many were blindsided by the direction of the show, and flocked to social media to unpack the plot.
Reddit user MarketingOwn3547 posted: 'I legit can't tell if serious…'
'What? That is so ridiculously divorced from the setting of the original show that I kind of love it. I can only hope that they fully embrace the genre shift and go as weird as they can,' BerksEngineer commented.
Alarming-Wish2607 agreed: 'That's absolutely insane. They have earned my attention for at least one or two episodes. If it's bad I owe them nothing.'
'I actually watched all of BBT and mostly enjoyed it. Stuart was fun in very small doses. I can't imagine the character leading a series. This sounds so bad, Lenifilm replied.
As Goldman250 added: 'I'm sorry, what the f**k is that plot? I think they might actually be making a show that I'll enjoy.'
The Big Bang Theory was hugely popular during the original run, and has gone down as one of the biggest sitcoms in TV history.
The upcoming series marks the fourth program in the universe with Chuck sharing in a statement: 'I wanted to do something radical that would take me out of my comfort zone.
'Something the characters on The Big Bang Theory, would have loved, hated, and argued about.'
Teasing what to expect while at the Banff World Media Festival last month, he added: 'There's a lot of CGI. More Trending
'There's a lot of special technical stuff. For me in my career, a big production number was two people sitting on a couch, drinking coffee! This is different.
'This is trying to incorporate some of that world of science fiction/fantasy into a comedy. And I'm completely out of my element, which is what I wanted, which is what I was hoping to do.
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'Something that I had no experience with. And maybe I can learn as we go.'
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