'Stuart Fails To Save the Universe' drops Big Bang Theory originals into alternate-universe roles

The HBO Max spinoff puts each returning Big Bang Theory cast member in a completely different alternate-universe version of their character. Co-creator Chuck Lorre told Deadline the promise was "you're playing a version of your character you never got to play before." Episode 2, released 30 July 2026, casts Kaley Cuoco's Penny as a resistance leader paired with Zack, not Leonard.