Let no one ever say the public doesn’t love a loser. Figuratively, of course. Because, while the titular goober of HBO Max’s The Big Bang Theory spinoff, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, is, to some, the definition of a loser, today he won big. The show has proven popular enough for the Warner Bros.-owned streaming service to warrant ordering a second season. Does this mean he’ll eventually save the universe for real? I guess we’ll find out.
The first season of the series, from creators Chuck Lorre, Zak Penn, and Bill Prady, is HBO Max’s second-biggest comedy ever globally. Amy Gravitt, EVP, HBO Programming, and head of HBO and HBO Max Comedy says the following:
“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. Along with everyone else, we can’t wait to see the worlds they conjure for these beloved characters next season.”
The series stars Kevin Sussman as Stuart David Bloom, the proprietor of a comic book shop, who finds himself on a multiversal adventure along with his girlfriend Denise (Lauren Lapkus) and his friend and employee Bert (Brian Posehn). All-purpose villain Kripke (John Ross Bowie) also partakes. Season one saw pastiches of Mad Max and The Matrix as the characters trip the cosmic nethersphere.
During San Diego Comic-Con 2026 a few weeks ago, we learned that several DC Comics characters also appear in season one, including Mister Freeze. Jim Lee, DC’s president, publisher, and chief creative officer said of the cameos, “Some of the DC characters they have in it, I think, are some of the best versions I’ve seen of those characters.”
Season one of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe premiered on July 23 and will have its finale September 24.