‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’: All the ‘Big Bang Theory’ Characters Who Made Surprise Cameos
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is the zany, genre-bending sci-fi spinoff that follows The Big Bang Theory‘s lovable B-team — that is, Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman), Denise (Lauren Lapkus), Bert Kibbler (Brian Posehn), and Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie) — as they’re thrown into a multiverse-spanning adventure filled with alternate realities and high-stakes chaos.
While fans of The Big Bang Theory have learned to expect a few fun Easter eggs and references to the mothership, Stuart goes the distance and brings back beloved characters from the flagship series to the spinoff, albeit sometimes in far worse shape than when we last saw them.
Below is a look at the familiar faces from The Big Bang Theory who made their way to Stuart Fails to Save the Universe and how they are handling their portion of the universe.
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Thursdays, 9/8c, HBO Max
Teller
Episode 1
In The Big Bang Theory Universe, the silent Raymond Joseph Teller played Amy’s (Mayim Bialik) henpecked father Larry Fowler, who spent his time hiding from her overbearing mother (Kathy Bates). Here, he’s Teller, a magician just trying to survive by juggling small predators for canned goods.
Dr. Rajesh Ramayan "Raj" Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar)
Episode 1
Poor Raj (Kunal Nayyar). He finally found the woman of his dreams, settled down, and got married just like he always wanted to, only to have her eaten by a large moth on their honeymoon. Ever since then, he’s been camped out in a CalTech lab, growing an impressive beard, kowtowing to Supreme Leader Barry Kripke, and slowly losing his mind. The episode ends with Kripke killing Raj, so hopefully this universe has an afterlife where he’s reunited with his wife.
Ramona Nowitzki (Riki Lindhome)
Episode 2
Sheldon-obsessed Ramona is on a bit of a power trip when we see her in Episode 2, thanks to the mood-controlling, electrically charged gem implants on the backs of Kripke and Kibbler’s necks. Nowitzki is the receptionist at Caltech and the keeper of knowledge, particularly Sheldon and Leonard’s whereabouts, information she has no intention of divulging without a proper appointment. Her passive-aggressive nature causes both scientists to eventually lose their cool with her, only for the gems to shock them into oblivion and the really nice authorities to be called.
Zack Johnson (Brian Thomas Smith)
Episode 2
On The Big Bang Theory, Brian Thomas Smith played Zack Johnson, Penny’s sweet, dim-witted ex-boyfriend who later became her husband for a very brief and accidental stretch. In SFTSTU, Zack is part of Penny’s resistance against the AI-controlled world. After Denise secretly calls Penny for help, Zack joins her in attempting to deprogram the group, with shielding technology protecting the resistance from the implants’ shocks. Their rescue attempt quickly goes sideways when drones descend on them.
Christine Baranski
Episode 2
On The Big Bang Theory, Christine Baranski played Dr. Beverly Hofstadter, Leonard’s brilliant but emotionally distant neuroscientist mother, who often had more in common with Sheldon than her own son. In Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, however, Baranski returns to the Big Bang universe as someone entirely different: herself. This alternate-universe Baranski is the host of a reeducation center in a dystopian world where AI has implanted devices into people’s brain stems to eliminate anger, war, and even insult comics. Stuart and the gang are sentenced to spend 30 months there, and when asked whether the process will hurt, Baranski states in a chipper tone: “Like a motherf**ker.”
Penny Hofstadter (Kaley Cuoco)
Episode 2
On The Big Bang Theory, Kaley Cuoco starred as Penny, Leonard and Sheldon’s across-the-hall neighbor who eventually married Leonard and became an integral part of the gang, often serving as the street-smart counterbalance to their scientific brilliance.
In SFTSTU, this alternate-universe Penny has taken on a much different role as a resistance fighter battling the AI that controls humanity. Denise secretly calls Penny for help after discovering Stuart and the others at the reeducation center, and Penny arrives to deprogram them (rather aggressively) while shielding technology protects her from being shocked by the AI’s implants. She wants Stuart and the gang to help destroy the AI, but their escape is cut short when drones attack, killing most of her team and defeating the resistance.
Wil Wheaton
On The Big Bang Theory, Wil Wheaton played an exaggerated version of himself, evolving from Sheldon’s nemesis into one of the gang’s friends, with his biggest weapons usually being sarcasm. In SFTSTU, he takes on a much more magical role as the leader of the Wizard’s Guild. Determined to stop the demon Bernadette from destroying the world, he attempts to kill the gang before he battles a supercharged Bert in a magical showdown involving fireballs, giant octopus, and sharks. Wil is ultimately killed by Bert, making this easily the most action-packed and tragic version of Wheaton the franchise has ever seen. So far.
Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz
Episode 3
On The Big Bang Theory, Bernadette’s (Melissa Rauch) darker tendencies, like her bullying and need to control every situation, were usually balanced by her caring side and bubbly personality. In Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, that balance is gone. She is far less caring, far less perky, and has one hell of a mean streak after being revealed as an actual demon determined to destroy the magical universe. After Stuart restores her powers with a bit of his near-virgin blood, she transforms into a giant succubus and begins wreaking havoc, , proving she’s easily the most terrifying version of Bernadette the franchise has ever seen. So far.
Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik)
In The Big Bang Theory, Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) was a neurobiologist who began dating Sheldon Cooper, eventually becoming his wife, a core member of the group, and a Nobel Prize winner. In Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, Bialik returns in a very different role as Stuart’s psychiatrist in a universe where Stuart has been institutionalized. As Stuart struggles to convince everyone that the alternate universes he’s visited are real, she treats his delusions and has him create therapeutic wallets, while making sure he is taking the medication he’s prescribed.
Dr. Rajesh Ramayan "Raj" Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar)...Again
Episode 6
Guess what gang? Raj is back! And this time, he’s not dead. Instead, he’s a doomsday survivalist who takes to screaming at strangers in order to get his message across to people in the cow universe.
Ramona Nowitzki (Riki Lindhome)
Episode 7
Ramona Nowitzki returns for her second cameo, once again as Caltech’s receptionist, but this time she can read minds in a telepathy universe. To sneak past her and steal parts for their machine, the gang fills their heads with “Come On Eileen” to hide their real plan. And unlike the Sheldon-obsessed Nowitzki of The Big Bang Theory, this version seems surprisingly into Kripke — even after he tells her she smells like his mother.
Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz (Melissa Rauch)
Episode 7
Not a demon this time, but still bitter, this version of Bernadette is a sour tap dance teacher with a tragic past as a failed child beauty pageant queen, a strong dislike for children, and an impressive working knowledge of local drug dealers in Pasadena. She’s a far cry from the Bernadette who bullied her coworkers and made an honest man out of Howard, but at least some things remain the same: No matter the universe, Bernadette is still terrifying.
President Siebert (Joshua Malina)
Episode 8
Joshua Malina returns, but President Siebert has traded running Caltech for practicing military law as Captain Siebert. And like his previous position, he’s not that great at it. On The Big Bang Theory, Siebert was the university president frequently forced to deal with Sheldon and the gang’s various disasters. In a war-torn military universe, he’s the gang’s less-than-impressive military defense attorney after they’re arrested and put on trial. Unfortunately, as their lawyer, he isn’t much better at keeping them alive than Siebert was at keeping Caltech under control.
Colonel Richard Williams (Dean Norris)
Episode 8
Colonel Richard Williams (Dean Norris) is back in uniform, although this alternate universe has given him a much bigger battle to fight. On The Big Bang Theory, Williams recruited the guys to develop a guidance system for the Air Force and was deliberately vague about what the military planned to do with it. In SFTSTU, he is taking command after Gary is killed, prepping Stuart and the gang to send into battle and their inevitable doom.
Penny Hofstadter (Kaley Cuoco)
Episode 8
Kaley Cuoco makes her second cameo as Penny, and this version is a long way from the aspiring actress-turned-pharmaceutical sales rep of The Big Bang Theory. Here, Penny is a major overseeing the quartet’s military trial, charging them with cowardice, desertion, espionage, murder, and mutiny before they’re sentenced to death by firing squad. But Major Penny ultimately gives them an unexpected way out, bringing them their machine under the guise of using it to send a battle plan. When they make their escape across universes, there’s one major complication: Penny jumps with them, landing in the centaur universe alongside the gang. But unlike the others, she’s strangely into her new horse bod.
Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik)
Episode 9
The gang tracks The Flash/Jay Garrick (Andrew Ridings) to his home, where they get another major surprise: Amy is back, and in this universe, she’s Jay’s partner and knows about his secret identity as The Flash. She’s clearly the glue holding their marriage together, and a bit exhausted by the whole endeavor. She might be married to a hero, but at this point, she’s over it.
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P
there was also an appearance by the person Stuart hired to run the Comic Store while Stuart was date with Amy in BBT.
In the new show, he is the one who gets killed in opening scene in Comic Book store.
That is the actor who was in the Google movie with Vince Vaughn
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G
What did Penny do to her nose? It look awful.
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T
Oh, no, poor Raj!
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