Since The Big Bang Theory’s upcoming spinoff, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, will air on Max instead of CBS, this reignites a longstanding battle between the two formats that has played out on screens over the last ten years. The Big Bang Theory’s finale was one of the most-watched TV events of the last decade.
This was a testament to the sitcom franchise’s popularity, but the last episode of The Big Bang Theory also aired over six years ago. The Big Bang Theory’s upcoming spinoff, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, now hopes to reintroduce viewers to the world of the original show, but its lengthy production makes me worry about the series.
Young Sheldon’s seven seasons focused on Sheldon’s childhood in small-town Texas, while its spinoff, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, shifted its focus to his older brother’s failing marriage. These two shows were both family sitcoms with period settings, so they didn’t have a lot in common with The Big Bang Theory.
The Big Bang Theory’s Spinoff Is Unlikely To Be Released Weekly
Most Streaming Service Shows Are Released In One Or Two Full/ Half-Season Drops
In contrast, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is the sort of straightforward follow-up to The Big Bang Theory that viewers might have been expecting years earlier. The show’s official synopsis states that it will follow Kevin Sussman’s Stuart, the comic book store owner who was friends with the Pasadena gang in the original series.
Stuart will be joined by his returning love interest, Denise, as well as supporting characters from The Big Bang Theory like Bert and Kripke. However, the series won’t be a low-stakes hangout show like the original. Instead, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe has a high-concept sci-fi premise.
When Stuart accidentally destroys the universe of The Big Bang Theory while handling a device created by Sheldon and Leonard, he must travel through the multiverse to right this wrong. Along the way, he encounters different versions of the characters who viewers came to know and love throughout The Big Bang Theory’s twelve seasons.
While The Big Bang Theory spinoff’s premise means Leonard can return, alongside the rest of the show’s original heroes, this conceit isn’t without its faults. For one thing, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will be released on Max, not CBS, so it is unlikely to be released weekly.
Most streaming service shows are released in one or two full or half-season drops, rather than following the traditional weekly episode release format of network TV. Since some of Max’s rare weekly comedy shows were major flops, like Velma, it seems all the more likely that the service will stick with this model.
The Big Bang Theory’s Original Success Relied On Traditional Network TV Scheduling
The Sitcom Built Up Its Audience Gradually
The only issue with this approach is that it doesn’t fit the mold that made The Big Bang Theory itself so successful in the first place. While The Big Bang Theory’s Leonard and Penny love story was a big part of its success, the show’s traditional release schedule was what made it a perennial favorite of network TV viewers.
In terms of ratings, the show’s popularity peaked in season 9, so it certainly wasn’t an overnight hit. Clearly, consistent, long-term weekly releases benefited the brand, as the show built up an audience over the years rather than immediately enjoying a lot of hype. This isn’t unusual, with shows like How I Met Your Mother and Friends also growing their audiences after season 1.
However, it is striking in the case of The Big Bang Theory. It is rare for any sitcom’s popularity to peak in its ninth outing, and Penny and Leonard’s love story had effectively already reached its happy-ever-after ending at this point. Even The Big Bang Theory’s regrettable cheating plot didn’t hurt its ratings too much.
This means that Stuart Fails to Save the Universe could be shooting itself in the proverbial foot by releasing all of its episodes on streaming at once. This does give viewers a chance to binge the entire first season, but this may not be the viewing experience that the audience wants from a cozy sitcom set in the world of The Big Bang Theory.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’s Storyline Could Make Streaming Drops A Better Fit
The Big Bang Theory’s Spinoff Does Have A High-Concept Plot
One of the biggest differences between That ‘70s Show and its Netflix spinoff, That ‘90s Show, was that the latter was released in half-season drops, whereas the former was released weekly. That ’70s Show lasted eight seasons, while That ‘90s Show only made it through two seasons.
That said, Stuart is unlikely to end up traversing the multiverse forever, Quantum Leap-style. As such, it might be for the best if all of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe season 1 is released at once, as the show may have a pretty self-contained storyline.
Only time will tell how much the high-concept plot of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe changes its pacing, and whether this means that the show is better off with half-season streaming drops rather than weekly new episode releases. Regardless, The Big Bang Theory spinoff’s arrival will certainly see Stuart Fails to Save the Universe reignite the streaming vs. network debate.
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- Release Date
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2007 – 2019-00-00
- Showrunner
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Mark Cendrowski
- Directors
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Mark Cendrowski
- Writers
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Chuck Lorre, Bill Prady
