New series of The Big Bang Theory debuts with the worst rating in the franchise
The television universe of The Big Bang Theory has just gained another new chapter for fans. After the closure of the acclaimed main attraction in 2019, which had twelve years of uninterrupted airing, the streaming network launched the first direct continuation of the story, officially named Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.
Unlike previous productions from the same universe, such as Young Sheldon and the recent Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, which explored Sheldon Cooper’s family past, the new bet brings back familiar faces from the original timeline. The comedy made its debut in the HBO Max catalog recently, but ended up attracting attention for a negative reason: it recorded the lowest rating of the entire brand on the Rotten Tomatoes aggregator.
New comedy’s initial performance disappoints Rotten Tomatoes experts
The recently launched series achieved an approval rating of 72%, coming very close to winning the platform’s coveted quality seal, with just three percentage points remaining. Despite suffering the title of the worst critical reception of the saga to date, experts point out that this lukewarm reception in the introductory episodes does not decree the work’s failure, especially when we look at the growth history of other attractions in this same ecosystem.
To get a clear idea of this evolution, the debut year of The Big Bang Theory received a mere 59% approval rating, receiving the dreaded rotten tomato seal, which proves that Stuart’s journey has room to evolve considerably. The original attraction, for example, turned things around over the years, achieving top marks in its second, third, fifth and seventh seasons, and ending its run with a solid average of 81% among journalists and 85% acceptance from the general public.
Following the reviews timeline, the first year of Young Sheldon debuted on the right foot, guaranteeing 76% positive reviews and the site’s seal of excellence. Even though the intermediate seasons did not gather enough reviews to form a numerical consensus, the seventh and final part of the Texan genius’ childhood achieved an impressive 100% approval rating from the press.
To date, the top of the franchise podium belongs to Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, which boasts a highly praised mark of 89% favorable texts. However, it is essential to highlight that this number only reflects the initial batch of episodes, as the continuation of the couple’s plot still lacks critical volume to generate a definitive and consolidated average.
Multiversal plot and the verdict of the specialized press on the plot
The narrative focuses on Stuart Bloom, the iconic and pessimistic owner of the comic book store that served as a refuge for the classic protagonists. In the new premise, which satirizes Hollywood’s current obsession with parallel realities seen in studios like Marvel and DC, the merchant accidentally breaks an invention left by Sheldon and Leonard, generating a collapse in space-time. Now, without the help of the ancient geniuses, he is given the thankless mission of repairing the fabric of reality before the multiverse collapses.
For this unlikely mission, the protagonist recruits a team of supporting characters made up of his companion Denise, the eccentric geologist Bert and academic rival Barry Kripke. Throughout this science fiction adventure, the group ends up bumping into dimensional variants of figures extremely loved by longtime viewers, creating unusual situations.
Assessing the dynamics of the show, journalist Greer Riddell pointed out that the narrative and visual excesses of the work sometimes overshadow the dramatic weight of the central story. However, the professional highlighted that the script’s greatest asset is finally giving protagonism, agency and worthy development to the supporting actors who were always in the background of the main attraction.
Critic Abe Friedtanzer adopted a milder tone in his analysis, describing the program as an unpretentious and quick experience. According to him, the production works perfectly as light entertainment for those looking for something easy to binge, without requiring major intellectual commitments or in-depth knowledge of the previous twelve seasons.
Analyst Alison Herman weighed in on the drastic changes in tone, explaining that the chaotic nature of the premise requires giving up the traditional comfort of sitcoms recorded in closed studios. However, she guarantees that the excellent humorous harmony between the main cast sustains the quality of the project and compensates for the absence of the classic format.
In a rather enthusiastic take, Katie Doll admitted that the central idea of the apocalypse sounds completely absurd and silly right off the bat. On the other hand, the expert argued that it is precisely this ridiculous and no-strings-attached tone that transforms HBO Max’s bet into a hilarious comedy, making it a mandatory recommendation for orphaned fans of the brand.
Contrary to the praise, Alexander Zalben was incisive and ironic in his negative review, playing with the series’ science fiction theme. The author stated that, somewhere in the vast multiverse, there must exist a version of this same series that is considerably more intelligent, funny and profound than the material that was delivered to the public in this dimension.
The new chapters of the fiction and humor saga continue to be released weekly in the HBO Max catalog, with the conclusion of this first season officially scheduled to air on September 24th.
