Chuck Lorre's 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe' launches on HBO Max
The 10-episode sci-fi comedy starring Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom premieres on HBO Max on July 23, after a rejected pitch and a shift from traditional sitcom format.
Chuck Lorre, the creator of "The Big Bang Theory," has brought a multiverse-spanning comedy starring Kevin Sussman to HBO Max. The series, titled "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe," debuts on July 23 with ten episodes that follow the comic-book store owner Stuart Bloom as he and his friends navigate bizarre alternate realities caused by a malfunctioning quantum device.
Lorre first proposed the concept as a portal-driven adventure for the minor character Stuart, but network executives initially rejected the idea in favor of more conventional spinoffs featuring the original main cast. Undeterred, Lorre revisited the pitch during the pandemic, enlisting co-creator Bill Prady and sci-fi writer Zak Penn to develop the script. "I want to do a spinoff that’s not like any other spinoff you’ve seen," Penn recalled Lorre saying, prompting his involvement.
The show features several "Big Bang Theory" alumni, including Lauren Lapkus, Brian Posehn and John Ross Bowie, along with cameo appearances by original series characters. Production emphasized practical effects, with scenes involving cable-suspended stunts and large fans to simulate void travel. "It’s so outside of the box, and it’s so not like the original show," Sussman said, noting the risk of diverging from the familiar multi-camera format.
Filming took place in Los Angeles, leveraging state tax credits to assemble a high-skill crew and keep costs below budget despite extensive visual-effects work. Penn highlighted the importance of production design and cinematography in achieving the effects-driven aesthetic. Lorre added that the series is filled with "Big Bang" Easter eggs, but he believes viewers need not be fans of the original sitcom to enjoy the new show.