Skip to main content TechRadar the technology experts Search TechRadar View Profile België (Nederlands) Deutschland North America US (English) Australasia New Zealand Tech Radar Pro Tech Radar Gaming Amazon Prime Day Back to school Nintendo Switch 2 NYT Wordle today Best laptop Best web hosting Recommended reading Netflix wants to turn Saturday morning cartoons upside down with a new animated Stranger Things spin-off 5 of the biggest streaming announcements from Warner Bros. 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(Image credit: CBS) It’s finally official: The Big Bang Theory spinoff Stuart Fails to Save the Universe has been green lit by HBO Max, following earlier reports from 2023 that it had been in development. We don’t know when it will begin to film or air, but fans can start to get excited. Or can we? This isn’t the first spinoff we’ve seen for the franchise, with CBS and Paramount+ partnering up to bring us seven seasons of Young Sheldon and new kid on the block Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. Even though there was overlap between the hit comedy series and its initial prequel, The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) hasn’t been on our screens since 2019. But making a comeback with a spinoff like this has me worried, and not in a quirky Sheldon Cooper way. You may like Netflix wants to turn Saturday morning cartoons upside down with a new animated Stranger Things spin-off 5 of the biggest streaming announcements from Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2025, from HBO Max shows to the new Superman trailer HBO's Harry Potter TV show confirms the cast for Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid and more, but there are three surprises I wasn't expecting Stuart Fails to Save the Universe isn’t the part of The Big Bang Theory universe we want to see Stuart (Kevin Sussman), Raj (Kunal Nayyar) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) in The Big Bang Theory. (Image credit: CBS) If you could choose to follow-up with any element of The Big Bang Theory, it definitely wouldn’t be with comic book store owner Stuart (Kevin Sussman). When we last saw him, he’d finally moved in with the love of his life Denise (Lauren Lapkus), who he’d originally hired to help in the store after it became popular. Here’s what HBO Max tells us to expect from Stuart Fails to Save the Universe: “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, geologist friend Bert ( Brian Posehn), and quantum physicist/all-around pain in the ass Barry Kripke (John Ross 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.” It’s a clever get-out-of-jail-free card for HBO Max. As the synopsis suggests, fan favourites from TBBT might return, but it isn’t guaranteed. The most obvious follow-up to the main series would have been to catch up with Sheldon (Jim Parsons), Penny (Kayley Cuoco), Leonard (Johnny Galecki) or Howard (Simon Helberg). Choosing to follow a minor character fans might not remember or care about is the very definition of the meme “go girl, give us nothing”. Can we then assume that a left-field approach like Stuart Fails to Save the Universe could actually damage the legacy of TBBT? We talk a lot about existing IPs being left alone in favour of original storytelling, and this could be a great example. It’s currently unclear what value the new spinoff will add, other than choosing to appease fans with surprise cameos as and when it wants to. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. There's proof in the spinoff pudding, too. While Young Sheldon became a surprise smash hit that ruled the Nielsen ratings, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage has been much more mixed. Granted, it’s been renewed for a second season, but after the single-cam format of Young Sheldon, it returned to TBBT’s signature multi-cam approach. Combined with a laugh track, the audience reactions suggest the time for classic sitcom formats has been and gone. If Stuart Fails to Save the Universe can lean into what came before in TBBT without making it a superficial cameo soup with its sights set on high ratings, then there’s potential for a job well done. If not, well… Stuart might fail to save his own show. You might also like Peacemaker season 2: everything we know so far The Last of Us creators confirm exactly what I expected for season 3 of the hit HBO Max show Harry Potter TV show: everything we know so far about the upcoming HBO adaptation Today's best Max deals Max Monthly With Ads at Max - United States Max Monthly Ad-Free at Max - United States Max Monthly Ultimate Ad-Free at Max - United States Jasmine Valentine Social Links Navigation Streaming Staff Writer Jasmine is a Streaming Staff Writer for TechRadar, previously writing for outlets including Radio Times, Yahoo! and Stylist. She specialises in comfort TV shows and movies, ranging from Hallmark's latest tearjerker to Netflix's Virgin River. She's also the person who wrote an obituary for George Cooper Sr. during Young Sheldon Season 7 and still can't watch the funeral episode. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Netflix wants to turn Saturday morning cartoons upside down with a new animated Stranger Things spin-off 5 of the biggest streaming announcements from Warner Bros. 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