- “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” is a spinoff sitcom that follows comic book shop owner Stuart Bloom as he navigates different realities to prevent a multiversal apocalypse.
- Fans of “The Big Bang Theory” may enjoy watching “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” as it offers a more ambitious and grand concept compared to its predecessor.
- For viewers seeking similar shows combining humor and high-concept science fiction, “Future Man,” “Rick and Morty,” “The Orville,” and “Sliders” are recommended options.
“The Big Bang Theory” was a pretty grounded sitcom. Its premise essentially boiled down to “What if a bunch of nerds hung out with a hot chick?” The first spinoff, “Young Sheldon,” kept things firmly grounded on Earth, but the franchise is branching out in a big way with “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.”
We were cautiously optimistic in our review of “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” especially with how ambitious it is compared to other sitcoms. Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) was just the comic book shop owner on “The Big Bang Theory;” but in the spinoff, he winds up messing with a device invented by Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Sheldon (Jim Parsons), and Howard (Simon Helberg) that gives them access to other universes. Stuart, along with some other secondary characters, now must traverse different realities in order to stop a multiversal apocalypse.
It’s a far grander concept than what “The Big Bang Theory” offered. This isn’t just your average sitcom where we’d recommend watching the likes of “Friends” and “New Girl” beside it. But if you’re looking for other shows like “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” here are five that also manage to combine both humor and high-concept science fiction.
The Big Bang Theory
If you’re watching “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” there’s already a good chance you were a fan of “The Big Bang Theory” back in the day. If you haven’t already seen it, it’s time to get familiar with one of the most popular sitcoms of the 21st century.
“The Big Bang Theory” had plenty of sci-fi; it’s just that it was mostly kept within the bounds of “Star Trek” and superhero discussions. The series follows four friends who are extremely intelligent but socially awkward. That becomes a problem when Penny (Kaley Cuoco) moves across the hall, and Leonard tries to woo her. Of course, things develop and grow throughout the show’s 12 seasons. That means if you need a binge-watch that’ll last you for at least a few weeks, “Big Bang Theory” has plenty to keep you occupied.
You don’t need to watch “Big Bang Theory” to understand what’s going on in “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” since it’s so radically different. However, there are plenty of cameos from “Big Bang Theory” cast members that are far more fun if you know them within their original context.
Future Man
As far as shows more tonally similar to “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” “Future Man” pretty much laid out the template. Much like the “Big Bang Theory” spinoff, “Future Man” is about a janitor, Josh Futturman (Josh Hutcherson), who is completely out of his depth when he gets recruited into a time-traveling escapade. He discovers that the video game he has dedicated his life to, “Biotic Wars,” is actually designed to recruit humanity’s savior (read: him). Two characters from the game emerge to save humanity and alter the future.
Much of the comedy derives from the classic fish-out-of-water aesthetic of having Josh hang out with a couple of cool warriors, but the humor doesn’t end there. The real standout of the series is Wolf (Derek Wilson), who is built up to be this hyper-masculine action hero who does his best to interpret Josh’s more mundane world. Wolf basically grew up in a “Mad Max”-esque society, so his astonishment at something as simple as a pickle is pretty hilarious.
“Future Man” gets increasingly more bizarre as it goes on, and it never settles for doing the same thing twice, as Seasons 2 and 3 move beyond simple time travel shenanigans. It’s one of the best sci-fi series few people have watched, making it an underrated gem worth your time.
Rick and Morty
“Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” is definitely edgier than “The Big Bang Theory.” There’s far more gore, with blood splattering on our heroes at one point, along with harsher language. But if you’re really itching for a sci-fi sitcom that plays things even looser, you need to watch “Rick and Morty.”
“Rick and Morty” also heavily utilizes the multiverse, but plays around with other sci-fi concepts as well. The titular duo will travel to other planets, deal with all sorts of aliens, and meditate on the state of their own existence. That’s where “Rick and Morty” really shines. No matter how silly and profane things get, the show is at its best when all of that culminates into a profound revelation.
For example, in “Rixty Minutes” (one of the most rewatchable “Rick and Morty” episodes), most of the episode is just Rick (Justin Roiland, later Ian Cardoni) and Morty (Roiland, later Harry Belden) watching weird TV shows. Summer (Spencer Grammer) learns she was an unwanted pregnancy, so Morty comforts her, revealing that he’s actually from a different universe than her. The vast majority of the episode is a bunch of silly nonsense, but the most memorable aspect is Morty’s revelation to his sister. Things may get out of control, but “Rick and Morty” is often grounded enough to where you can appreciate both the comedy and the pathos.
The Orville
Characters on “The Big Bang Theory” would debate at length about “Star Trek,” so it only seems appropriate to include a “Trek”-like comedy on this list of shows similar to “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.” “The Orville” hails from the mind of “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane, who also stars as Ed Mercer, a captain leading a ragtag crew (along with his ex-wife) through the galaxy on various misadventures.
Early episodes of “The Orville” really resemble “Stuart.” Each episode pretty much involves a new world and a new task at hand before moving onto the next one, much like how “Stuart” involves the characters hopping from one reality to another, never knowing quite what they’re getting into until they’re there. But “The Orville” evolved in a really fascinating way, particularly with Season 3 when it leaped from Fox to Hulu.
At that point, episodes grew in length beyond the standard 43-minute runtime. This allowed for greater depth in its far-out premises. And while the show initially leaned heavily into comedy, future episodes became more mature. There’s still humor, but it’s now more interested in exploring darker themes. Many fans hated this “Orville” change at first, but over time, it seemed to have grown on viewers. Perhaps with time, “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” could undergo a similar transformation, moving beyond its sitcom leanings into something new and exciting.
Sliders
Today, sci-fi TV shows are prevalent. Advances in CGI technology helped make that possible, but there’s something charming about going back and watching some 1990s TV shows with bizarre premises, like “Sliders.”
Much like “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,” “Sliders” involves a group of people, led by Quinn Mallory (Jerry O’Connell), who travel from one universe to the next. However, there’s an instance where they prematurely “slide” and wind up in a different world than they were intending. Their technology loses track of their coordinates, so they have to move one reality at a time until they can hopefully return home.
Like “Stuart,” a big part of the appeal of “Sliders” is seeing what new reality they wind up in. Sometimes, the changes are small, and in other instances, they wind up in a world filled with dinosaurs. Given the technological limitations at the time, it’s kind of amazing what they managed to pull off. And “Sliders” brings in some comedy, too, by having Quinn travel with a group who constantly bicker and get on each others’ nerves. “Sliders” is a fun throwback that shows just how far we’ve come when dealing with the multiverse in media.
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Read the original article on Looper.
