Rick & Morty Meets Quantum Leap In HBO's Hit New Sci-Fi Series With 10 Episodes
While Rick and Morty meets Quantum Leap would be a tall order for any sci-fi comedy series to fill, one new HBO Max hit has managed to pull off this promising premise with elan. From the frequently canceled and renewed cult classic Futurama to the short-lived British space opera parody Hyperdrive, sci-fi comedies that spoof the more self-serious elements of the genre are nothing new.
That said, it is fair to say that Adult Swim’s Rick and Morty franchise took them to new heights. While Futurama was repeatedly canceled despite its family-friendly rating and the backing of the creators of The Simpsons, Rick and Morty became a global sensation even though the show is unabashedly TV-MA rated and began life on the little-known cult late-night cable block Adult Swim.
Since the series debuted in 2013, Rick and Morty has gone on to spawn numerous spinoffs and tie-in comics, as well as influencing the tone and writing style of everything from later animated cartoon comedies to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Rick and Morty made high-concept sci-fi ideas not just accessible, but funny, introducing viewers to multiverse theory and parallel realities via fart jokes and goofy absurdity. By mixing this immature tone with the premise of the ‘80s classic Quantum Leap, The Big Bang Theory’s HBO Max spinoff Stuart Fails To Save The Universe created something truly special.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Is Already Superior To The Big Bang Theory
Unlike Rick and Morty, Quantum Leap wasn’t a comedy first and foremost. The sci-fi drama followed Scott Bakula’s Dr. Sam Beckett, a physicist whose attempts to travel through space-time saw him accidentally vanish out of reality. Only, that was not quite true, as it turned out Sam’s consciousness still existed, but it no longer inhabited his body. Instead, his mind now leaped from one body to another during different points throughout the course of history.
One of the most influential sci-fi shows of its era, Quantum Leap managed to turn this knotty, complex premise into some digestible mainstream genre fun. Without the series, it is tough to see how Stargate and similar ‘90s sci-fi mainstays would have become major mainstream hits. Now, The Big Bang Theory’s spinoff Stuart Fails To Save The Universe has managed to mix this reality-jumping setup with Rick and Morty’s R-rated sense of humor.
While The Big Bang Theory featured a lot of complex scientific jargon and a lot of gags about sci-fi books, games, shows, and movies, the show itself wasn’t a sci-fi series at all. Instead, it was a grounded hangout sitcom that was about as fantastical as Friends. Stuart Fails To Save The Universe changes that entirely with its basic premise, wherein Kevin Sussman’s hapless title character accidentally destroys the original show’s universe with a device invented by Sheldon and Leonard.
Stuart Fails To Save The Universe Puts A Fun Twist On The Multiverse
This sends Stuart, along with his original series love interest Denise and The Big Bang Theory’s supporting characters Bert and Kripke, on a multidimensional odyssey as they trip across the multiverse in an attempt to restore reality. Each episode introduces a new universe where, for example, a malignant AI has enslaved humanity, or magic is real, but highly regulated.
Since Stuart Fails To Save The Universe feels more like a ribald parody of a Star Trek series than The Big Bang Theory, it should come as no surprise that the ambitious, original spinoff has largely won over critics. While imperfect, The Big Bang Theory’s follow-up Stuart Fails To Save The Universe deserves credit for daring to completely abandon the franchise’s established straightforward sitcom routine in favor of a bizarre blend of Quantum Leap and Rick and Morty.