Image via HBO Max
Key Insights
- HBO Max offers high-quality shows, with recent hits like The Pitt and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
- The second season of House of the Dragon is set to conclude in 2028, marking a swift end compared to the original series.
- Stuart Fails to Save the Universe has gained popularity, holding strong ratings on HBO Max.
- The show features a mix of familiar and new characters from the beloved series The Big Bang Theory.
HBO Max may not churn out as much content as some of its competitors like Netflix and Prime Video, but HBO-produced shows also have a much higher chance of turning into must-watch TV. HBO began the year in 2026 with two massive hits in January, the second season of The Pitt and the debut season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. HBO found continued success with the second Game of Thrones spin-off, House of the Dragon, which is set to return in 2028 with its final season — the show is ending in half the time as the original Game of Thrones show. HBO also has two sci-fi shows battling it out at the top of streaming charts right now, and while Lanterns is currently sitting in the #1 spot, it has an uphill battle ahead to maintain its position at the top of the pole.
While there was plenty of skepticism leading up to the premiere of the show, it’s no longer up to debate if HBO was justified in releasing Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, the sci-fi spin-off of The Big Bang Theory. The show premiered on HBO Max back in June, and there are now only a few weeks remaining in the first season, but it’s not giving up any ground on streaming watchlists. It’s quickly approaching 50 full days in one of the top two or three spots on HBO Max streaming charts. The reviews of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe have been somewhat divisive so far, especially among long-time fans of The Big Bang Theory, but the show is currently holding strong with solid scores of 77% from critics and 84% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes — higher than most fans were expecting when the idea for the show first surfaced online.
What Is ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ About?
The official synopsis for Stuart Fails to Save the Universe reads as follows: “Comic book store owner Stuart Bloom is tasked with restoring reality after he breaks a device built by Sheldon and Leonard, accidentally bringing about a multiverse Armageddon. Stuart is aided in this quest by his girlfriend Denise, geologist friend Bert, and quantum physicist/all-around pain in the ass Barry Kripke. Along the way, they meet alternate-universe versions of characters we’ve come to know and love from The Big Bang Theory. As the title implies, things don’t go well.” The show stars Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom, Lauren Lupkus as Denise, Brian Posehn as Bert, and John Ross Bowie as Barry.
Check out new episodes of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe every week on HBO Max and stay tuned to Collider for more updates and coverage of the future of the show.
