“Big Bang Theory ”Star Is Unrecognizable in Surprise Cameo in Spinoff “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe”
Warning: This article contains spoilers for the premiere of Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, now streaming on HBO Max.
NEED TO KNOW
Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is a spinoff of The Big Bang Theory focused on Stuart Bloom’s post-apocalyptic adventures
The series features cameos, Easter eggs and alternate versions of beloved characters from the original series
Kunal Nayyar reprises his role as Raj in an alternate universe with a rugged new look and paranoid personality
Over six years after The Big Bang Theory wrapped its 12-season run, the sitcom’s universe expands once again — with familiar faces popping up.
Premiering in 2007, the original CBS comedy centered on physicists Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki), alongside their close-knit group of friends, including Penny (Kaley Cuoco), Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg), Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar), Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik) and Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz (Melissa Rauch).
Big Bang Theory concluded in 2019 with Sheldon and Amy winning the Nobel Prize in Physics, while the gang gathered for one final dinner together.
Now, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe shifts the spotlight to comic book store owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman), but it doesn’t leave the original gang entirely behind.
In the premiere episode titled “Spoiler: Gary Dies,” which debuted on Thursday, July 23, viewers are introduced to a wildly different world where man-eating moths roam and civilization has collapsed into a Dune-esque apocalypse. Stuart is still running his comic book store — though, true to form, business is far from booming.
Everything changes when Stuart encounters an alternate version of himself, who warns him that the multiverse is in danger. Joined by former girlfriend Denise (Lauren Lapkus) and geologist Bert Kibbler (Brian Posehn), Stuart sets off on a mission to find a mysterious device that could save reality itself.
The trio’s journey eventually lands them at a post-apocalyptic Caltech, where they’re captured by an alternate version of Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie). While imprisoned in the geology lab, they’re greeted by a surprising familiar face: an alternate version of Raj, once again played by Nayyar, 45.
Though nearly unrecognizable with his long hair and rugged appearance after years of captivity, this version of Raj still has the same charm and quick wit fans remember — albeit with a much more paranoid outlook.
With a little help from Bert’s geology expertise, the group manages to escape using handmade rock bombs before continuing their quest across the multiverse.
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Nayyar’s appearance is just one of several callbacks longtime fans can expect throughout the new series.
“I think they’ll be really surprised at how different it is from The Big Bang Theory. It’s a completely different vibe and type of show, but I do think that the humor that they appreciated in the first series will translate here and they’ll be able to enjoy it,” Lapkus, 40, told PEOPLE. “And there’s also lots of Easter eggs and cameos and guest stars and things that they’ll be very excited about.”
Lapkus said Nayyar’s debut stood out as one of her favorite moments.
“I’m just thinking about Kunal’s appearance. His first appearance is so funny and fun and so different from the show. I just think people will love that,” she says.
Posehn, 60, also teased that fans should expect more familiar faces. “Some of your favorite characters from the OG show will show up, but then they’ll be different because it’s different universes,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “You’ll get to see everybody in ways that you’ve never seen them.”
Co-creator Bill Prady says revisiting familiar characters in alternate realities became one of the creative team’s favorite parts of making the series.
“One of the great things about this is that because every universe has its own history, when we encounter characters, they have a different past than they had in the Big Bang Theory Universe,” Prady, 66, explains. “It’s really wonderful to see Raj.”
Stuart Fails to Save the Universeairs new episodes Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max.
Read the original article on People
