‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ Creator Says ‘Big Bang’ Character Was “Worst Choice” To Lead Spin-Off, “Which Made Him The Perfect Choice”

With the Big Bang Theory spin-off machine operating in full force after nearly 20 years, series co-creator Chuck Lorre explained the choice behind the franchise’s latest lead.

While discussing Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, premiering Thursday at 9pm ET on HBO Max, Lorre explained that the titular comic book store owner was “the absolute worst choice” for the offshoot as he was a minor character that nobody would expect to step up and save the world.

“He was the absolute worst choice to be the hero of this story, which made him the perfect choice,” Lorre told People. “And Kevin Sussman, as I’m sure you know, is just a brilliant comic actor, someone you can root for despite his inadequacies. You can look for him.”

Lorre noted that “it was always Kevin” he had in mind for the series, adding, “And right from the very beginning it was Kevin, and the comic book story was.”

Sussman previously admitted to Deadline that leading his own spin-off “was not on my bingo card” as a working actor. “I was not expecting this,” he said.

In Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Stuart Bloom (Sussman) must stop a “multiverse armageddon” after accidentally damaging a device created by Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter. The adventure leads Stuart and his friends to encounter alternate versions of themselves across other universes.

The spin-off, from co-creators Lorre, Zak Penn and Bill Prady, sees Stuart reunite with his pals Bert (Brian Posehn), Denise (Lauren Lapkus) and Kripke (John Ross Bowie).