Topline
A new spin-off of “The Big Bang Theory” focused on one of the original series’ recurring characters has been ordered to series by HBO Max, the latest example of a continued push by studios to expand popular franchises and repackage familiar content in hopes of reaching streaming success.
Denise (Lauren Lapkus) and Stuart (Kevin Sussman) in "The Big Bang Theory."
The new show, called “Stuart Fails To Save The Universe,” will focus on the character of Stuart Bloom, the bumbling owner of the comic book store frequented by the main characters in the original series.
“Stuart Fails To Save The Universe” will be the fourth show in the “Big Bang” universe after two other sitcoms were spawned from the original series to varying levels of success.
“Young Sheldon,” set in the 1970s and following the childhood of the “Big Bang” main character, was immensely popular over its seven-season run and was regularly the most-watched show across streaming and television thanks, in part, to its wide availability—”Young Sheldon” aired on CBS and was also available to stream on Netflix, Max, Paramount+ and other services.
The series stars Kevin Sussman as Bloom and actors Lauren Lapkus, Brian Posehn and John Ross Bowie, all of whom were recurring minor characters in “The Big Bang Theory,” and original series creator Chuck Lorre will executive produce alongside Zak Penn and Bill Prady.
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“The Big Bang Theory” isn’t the only show whose characters have been rehashed to capture viewers familiar with their themes and characters as an extension of the ”comfort shows” that have proven to be viewership gold for streaming services. Perhaps the most pervasive examples are the seemingly endless reboots and spinoffs are the “Star Trek” and “Star Wars” franchises—Disney has created more than 15 shows in the “Star Wars” universe in the last 11 years and seven new “Star Trek” shows have aired or been announced since 2018. "Fuller House," which brought back most characters from the 1990s sitcom "Full House," ran for five seasons and drew strong viewership numbers to Netflix, and "Girl Meets World" from Disney ran for three seasons and starred many of the same actors from the original "Boy Meets World" show. Currently running are “Frasier” on Paramount+, a reboot of the show of the same name that ran from 1993 to 2004; a live-action reboot of “'Avatar: The Last Airbender;” “Queer Eye,” a re-do of an early 2000s reality show called "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy.”Critically acclaimed series "Cobra Kai," a spin-off of "The Karate Kid" films, ended its six-season run earlier this year and "Roseanne" was brought back for a fan-favorite season in 2018 before racist tweets from its star cancelled its run.
Despite a slate of original series, comfort shows like "Gilmore Girls" and "Suits" claimed all 10 spots in Nielsen's most-watched shows for 2023 and 2024. “The Big Bang Theory” was named 2024’s “most-binged title” in streaming, according to Nielsen.
The plot of “Stuart Fails To Save The Universe” will focus on Bloom and his friends' attempts to restore reality after bringing about a multiverse Armageddon by breaking a device built by original series main characters Sheldon and Leonard. While the original cast members aren’t signed on, the show's log line promises appearances of "alternate-universe versions of characters we’ve come to know and love from 'The Big Bang Theory.'"
“I wanted to do something radical that would take me out of my comfort zone," Chuck Lorre said in a statement. "Something the characters on ‘The Big Bang Theory’ would have loved, hated, and argued about.”
When the new show will air. HBO did not announce a premiere date.
“The Big Bang Theory” ran for 12 seasons, starting in 2007, and holds a Guinness World Record as the longest-running multi-camera sitcom, surpassing “Cheers.” The show won 10 Emmy Awards, including four Outstanding Lead Actor prizes for Jim Parsons as Sheldon. In March, Max and Warner Bros. Unscripted Television launched "The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast" with author Jessica Radloff, who wrote a book about the series. “The Big Bang Theory” also spawned seven seasons of the massive hit “Young Sheldon” on CBS. Almost 12 million people tuned into the "Young Sheldon" finale live on CBS last June and 6 billion people watched the show across platforms that month, beating out new episodes of "Bridgerton" to become the most popular on television for the month. A spin-off of "Young Sheldon, "Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage," aired its first season last year and a second is slated to premiere during the 2025-2026 TV season.
‘The Official Big Bang Theory Podcast’ Launches On Max (Forbes)
‘Bridgerton’ Dominates Streaming Ratings In May—But ‘Young Sheldon’ Captures More Viewers Overall (Forbes)
The World's Highest-Paid TV Actors: Jim Parsons Leads With $27.5 Million (Forbes)