Be warned, this article contains spoilers for the first episode of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe! The show unexpectedly brought back a classic character from The Big Bang Theory in its premiere, but killed them off shortly after.
The first episode of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe takes place in a bizarre world overrun by zombies and giant moths. In this reality, alternate versions of Stuart, Bert, and Denise were surprised to find their friend Raj Koothrappali (played again by Kunal Nayyar) imprisoned by Lord Barry Kripke. Sadly, Raj didn’t stay free for long – Kripke immediately shot and killed him. After the release of a preview hinting at Gary’s fate, the show’s creators and actor John Ross Bowie have explained what this means for Raj’s character going forward.
In an interview with Deadline, creators Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady – along with Zak Penn, who co-created Stuart Fails to Save the Universe – explained that Raj’s death only applies within a single universe of their show. As Eric Kripke has indicated in another version of the story, other versions of Raj still exist. Penn clarified that while this particular Raj is staying dead, it doesn’t rule out the possibility of seeing different iterations of the character in future storylines.
We all thought the idea was great – bringing the characters back seemed really exciting. I think viewers will especially enjoy the first episode and be shocked when Raj is unexpectedly gone.
In this version of The Big Bang Theory, Raj explained that Leonard, Sheldon, and Howard created a quantum entanglement device that didn’t work properly. Raj was almost able to repair it, but Kripke shot him, leaving Stuart to finish the job with Denise’s assistance. However, a mistake with the instructions caused the device to send Stuart, Bert, and Kripke to a different universe, while Denise remained behind.
Actor Bowie, who plays Kripke, explained that his character’s unpleasant behavior drives the story forward. He also mentioned Kripke’s idea – that the universe might no longer exist – will be explored further in the next episode of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. Bowie then began imitating Kripke’s distinctive way of speaking.
Honestly, the whole thing just messes with your head. Either I didn’t kill the Raj, or I killed one of countless other Rajes out there. It’s this weird, philosophical problem – they call it a ‘wounding error,’ which is a mouthful to even say, let alone understand!
Putting aside the bigger questions about the show’s premise, the trailer for the rest of Stuart Saves the Universe season 1 confirms that Kunal Nayyar will be back as Raj – another version of his character from The Big Bang Theory. He’s shown yelling about impending doom, dressed similarly to how he appeared in the original series, and still sporting a beard. The spin-off will also feature Will Wheaton playing himself, and other familiar faces from The Big Bang Theory – Joshua Malina, Christine Baranski, and Riki Lindholme – though their roles haven’t been revealed yet.
You can watch new episodes of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe every Thursday at 9 p.m. Eastern Time on HBO Max, where you can also stream The Big Bang Theory. If you’re a fan of the Big Bang Theory universe, you’ll find Young Sheldon and the new series Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage on Paramount+.
2026-07-25 00:57