Critic Reviews

“Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” is the latest spinoff of the hit CBS comedy “The Big Bang Theory” — and the best one yet. .... May Stuart not get the job done for many seasons to come.

From playful opening credits to uncensored vanity cards at each episode’s end, you can’t take your eyes off of the latest spinoff of The Big Bang Theory, which thankfully and happily is unlike anything that’s come before.

"Stuart Fails to Save the Universe" is the franchise's boldest reinvention to date, using the multiverse not as an excuse for empty fan service but as a vehicle for inventive storytelling. It's funny, weird, ambitious — and exactly the kind of show Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, and Raj would watch.

It’s a brilliant and wild premise that takes some warming up to, particularly if you went in expecting the same tone and vibe of “The Big Bang Theory.” But with these relatable everyman heroes and creative new worlds, it is impossible not to warm up.

The constant change endemic to “Stuart Fails” means sacrificing some of the comforting sameness of a “Big Bang”-style hangout. But the comic chemistry among the main players provides just enough — and besides, the thrilling potential of a constantly wiped slate is worth the trade.

A genuine ensemble in a very creative, casually hilarious and certainly otherworldly comedy.

Stuart Fails To Save The Universe is a funny, and weird-in-a-good-way take on Big Bang characters that we only got to know via their interactions with the show’s Big 5 (or Big 7 if you count Amy and Bernadette). Plus, it’s a fast watch, with the episodes only taking 15-25 minutes.

The alternate universes are so wildly inventive and so completely wackadoo that I’ll leave you to discover their pleasures for yourself, but let’s just say that if you’ve ever craved a TV sitcom that features centaurs, lecherous telepaths, or characters who share the digestive process of ruminant animals, you might want to check this one out.

“SFTSTU” is probably funnier if you know the characters from “Big Bang” and the show’s sci-fi-ish high concept may limit its appeal, but fans of “Big Bang” who tune in will be rewarded with entertaining twists on familiar characters.

The creators of this series set themselves a challenge, to build fresh and meaningful comedy around some of the more simplistic characters from a sitcom with a reputation for crudeness. What they produced is not a resounding triumph. But it’s not bad. The Big Bang Theory shows never are.