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The Big Bang Theory was a long-running American comedy about a group of scientists and their friends, which first introduced the character Stuart Bloom. Stuart, played by Kevin Sussman, ran a comic-book shop and became a familiar supporting character in the original series.

The franchise has since expanded with programmes set around other characters, including Young Sheldon and Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is the fourth series in that group, but uses a science-fiction story involving alternate versions of reality.

The new show brings back several actors from the original comedy, including Lauren Lapkus, Brian Posehn and John Ross Bowie. Its premise centres on Stuart accidentally setting off a wider crisis with technology connected to Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter, two of the original show’s main characters.