The first season of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe has now started to air, with the new series centring on the hard-luck comic book store owner from The Big Bang Theory – and dropping him into a full-blown sci-fi crisis of his own.
Kevin Sussman reprises his original role as Stuart Bloom, with the series following Stuart as he accidentally breaks an experimental device built by Sheldon and Leonard. He not only tears a rift in space-time but also triggers a multiverse apocalypse which leaves him trying – and mostly failing – to put reality back together.
Sussman obviously leads the cast as the eponymous Stuart, joined by returning Big Bang Theory faces including Lauren Lapkus, Brian Posehn, John Ross Bowie and Wil Wheaton.
This high-concept comedy sends its heroes through collapsing timelines which are populated by alternate versions of familiar characters, with plenty of familiar faces having been confirmed. However, it’s still not clear whether they will reappear as the characters we know them as or if they’ll be existing in one of the show’s alternate realities.
Below is a full guide to the actors and characters appearing in Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe season 1 cast list
- Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom
- Lauren Lapkus as Denise
- Brian Posehn as Bert Kibbler
- John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke
- Ryan Cartwright as Kyle
- Josh Brener as Trevor
- Tommy Walker as Gary
- Wil Wheaton
- Christine Baranski
- Riki Lindhome
- Teller
- Joshua Malina
- Jon Cryer
Kevin Sussman as Stuart Bloom
About the character: Stuart is the socially awkward owner of a Pasadena comic book store, but is now thrust into the unlikely role of a cosmic saviour after he breaks the device left behind by Sheldon and Leonard which unleashes a multiverse Armageddon. Sussman is also set to play an alternate-universe version of Stuart, with the story moving between collapsing timelines.
Where you’ve seen Kevin Sussman before: Sussman played Stuart across a decade of The Big Bang Theory, from 2009 to 2019, having first drawn wider notice as Betty’s boyfriend Walter in the first season of Ugly Betty. His other credits include Walter Pine in the acclaimed miniseries Lessons in Chemistry, plus film roles in Hitch and Burn After Reading and guest turns in Better Call Saul.
Lauren Lapkus as Denise
About the character: Denise is Stuart’s comic-expert girlfriend and comic-shop colleague. Lapkus originally starred as Denise in season 12 of The Big Bang Theory.
Where you’ve seen Lauren Lapkus before: Lapkus is best known as prison guard Susan Fischer in Orange Is the New Black. She led the Netflix comedy The Wrong Missy, appeared in Jurassic World and Holmes & Watson, and had a recurring role as Agent Phoebe Donnegan in Good Girls, alongside extensive voice work on the likes of Bob’s Burgers, Star Trek: Lower Decks and Digman!.
Brian Posehn as Bert Kibbler
About the character: Bert is the eccentric Caltech geologist who joins Stuart on his mission to mend reality. He’s one of the returning Big Bang Theory characters who is folded into the core team of this new series.
Where you’ve seen Brian Posehn before: A stand-up comedian and writer, Posehn is well known as Brian Spukowski in The Sarah Silverman Program and for his voice work on Metalocalypse, Ginger Snaps and Steven Universe. He has appeared in HBO’s Mr. Show with Bob and David, as well as having appeared as Bert in The Big Bang Theory.
John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke
About the character: A quantum physicist, Barry returns and is reimagined here as a Supreme Ruler within the multiverse chaos.
Where you’ve seen John Ross Bowie before: Bowie played Kripke throughout The Big Bang Theory and is also known for the ABC comedy Speechless, as well as guest roles across shows including Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Generation and Feel Good. He and Sussman have also collaborated as writers on comedy pilots for FOX and CBS, The Ever After Part and The Second Coming of Rob.
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Stuart Fails to Save the Universe will be available to watch on Sky TV and HBO Max from Friday 24 July 2026. You can sign up to NOW from £3.99 a month.
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