With the upcoming spinoff of The Big Bang Theory, titled Stuart Fails to Save The Universe, set to premiere on Max rather than CBS, the age-old rivalry between these two formats is reignited, a conflict that has unfolded on our screens for the past decade. The finale of The Big Bang Theory stands as one of the most-viewed television events in the last ten years.
This serves as proof of the sitcom franchise’s immense popularity; however, it’s been over six years since the final episode of The Big Bang Theory aired. The anticipated spinoff, Stuart Fails To Save The Universe, aims to bring audiences back into the universe of the original series, yet the prolonged production timeline raises concerns about the show’s future.
The seven seasons of Young Sheldon explored Sheldon’s early years in a quaint Texas town, whereas it’s spinoff, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, turned it’s attention to the struggles of his older brother’s troubled marriage. Although both series are family sitcoms set in different time periods, they share little in common with The Big Bang Theory.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Is Probably Not Going To Be Released On A Weekly Basis
In contrast, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe serves as a direct continuation of The Big Bang Theory that audiences may have anticipated long ago. According to the official synopsis, the show will center around Kevin Sussman’s character, Stuart, the comic book store owner who had friendships with the Pasadena group in the original series.
Stuart will reunite with his former love, Denise, alongside familiar faces from The Big Bang Theory, including Bert and Kripke. Yet, this series will not follow the laid-back format of its predecessor. Rather, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe presents an ambitious sci-fi concept.
When Stuart inadvertently obliterates the universe of The Big Bang Theory while using a gadget made by Sheldon and Leonard, he is compelled to journey through the multiverse to correct this mistake. During his travels, he meets various iterations of the characters that fans have cherished over the twelve seasons of The Big Bang Theory.
Although the premise of The Big Bang Theory spinoff allows for Leonard to make a comeback, along with the other beloved characters from the original series, this idea does have it’s drawbacks. For starters, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is set to premiere on Max rather than CBS, making it improbable that it will follow a weekly release schedule.
Unlike traditional network TV, which typically releases episodes weekly, most streaming services opt for one or two full or half-season drops. Given that some of Max’s infrequent weekly comedy shows, such as Velma, have been significant failures, it appears increasingly probable that the service will continue with this approach.
The Initial Success of The Big Bang Theory Was Dependent On The Conventional Scheduling of Network Television
The primary concern with this method is that it deviates from the very formula that contributed to the success of The Big Bang Theory. Although the romance between Leonard and Penny played a significant role in the show’s popularity, it was the conventional release schedule that solidified it’s status as a lasting favorite among network television audiences.
Regarding ratings, the show’s popularity reached it’s highest point in Season 9, indicating that it was not an instant success. It is evident that regular, sustained weekly releases played a significant role in enhancing the brand, allowing the show to cultivate it’s audience gradually over the years instead of experiencing a sudden surge of excitement.
This trend is not uncommon, as seen with series like How I Met Your Mother and Friends, which also expanded their viewership after the first season. Nonetheless, The Big Bang Theory stands out in this regard.
It’s uncommon for a sitcom to achieve its highest popularity during it’s ninth season, and by this time, Penny and Leonard’s romance had essentially arrived at it’s happily-ever-after conclusion. Surprisingly, even the show’s unfortunate cheating storyline didn’t significantly impact it’s viewership.
This suggests that Stuart Fails to Save the Universe might be undermining it’s own success by dropping all episodes on streaming simultaneously. While this allows viewers to binge-watch the entire first season, it may not provide the kind of viewing experience that fans expect from a warm and inviting sitcom like The Big Bang Theory.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Narrative Could Enhance Streaming Declines As A More Suitable Option
One of the most significant distinctions between That ‘70s Show and it’s Netflix spinoff, That ‘90s Show, is that the latter was launched in half-season batches, while the former was aired weekly. That ‘70s Show ran for eight seasons, whereas That ‘90s Show only completed two seasons.
With that in mind, it seems improbable that Stuart will be journeying through the multiverse indefinitely, much like in Quantum Leap. Therefore, it could be advantageous for all of Season 1 of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe to be released simultaneously, given that the series likely features a fairly self-contained narrative.
Only time will reveal the extent to which the high-concept storyline of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe alters its pacing, and whether this indicates that the series benefits more from half-season streaming releases instead of weekly episode drops.
Nevertheless, the debut of The Big Bang Theory spinoff will undoubtedly reignite the discussion surrounding streaming versus network television regarding Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.