Diksha Sundriyal
HBO Max’s ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe’ takes the audience on a fun-filled ride to alternate universes with an unlikely and unexpected hero. The show is a spin-off of CBS’ hit comedy series, ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ in which Stuart Bloom was a secondary character running a comic book store. However, he takes center stage, as it turns out, he is the only one who can save the universe from destruction. Apparently, Sheldon, Leonard, and Howard created a machine that malfunctioned, and now, the world has turned into a post-apocalyptic nightmare. However, there is a way to fix things and get back to the original timeline. Stuart is joined in this quest by Bert, Denise, and Barry Kripke. But even as they hurtle through several timelines and alternate realities, all roads seem to start and end at his comic book store.
Stuart’s Comic Book Store is a Part of TBBT’s Iconic Set
The Comic Center of Pasadena is introduced in ‘The Big Bang Theory’ and is frequently visited by the main characters. Several key episodes of the show took place in that location, and with each season, Stuart’s expanding role makes the comic store a more prominent location. In real life, there is no such store. Instead, it is set constructed at one of the soundstages at the Warner Bros. Studios at 3400 Warner Boulevard in Burbank, California. Stage 25 served as the home of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ for its twelve-season run. While it was a fictional location made up to serve the show’s plot, the production team ensured that it felt as close to a real comic book store as possible.
Reportedly, the store was stocked with real comic books and all the other things you could buy in a real store. The team also stayed up to date with current trends in the comics industry and superhero films to ensure they were reflected in the merchandise on shelves and the posters on the walls, which were regularly changed over the course of the seasons. To lend the store more authenticity, a real website (http://www.thecomiccenter.com) was created. It stated the store’s address as E. Green Street, placing it near Pasadena City College and Caltech. The domain name still belongs to Warner Brothers, but the website has been defunct since 2011.
In the same vein, a Facebook page was also created for the same purpose, but that also went inactive years before ‘The Big Bang Theory’ ended. What makes things more interesting is that Kevin Sussman, who reprises his role as Stuart in ‘Stuart Fails to Save the Universe,’ used to work at an actual comic book store before he landed the role in ‘The Big Bang Theory.’ His prior experience would have informed his performance as Stuart and may even have come in handy in helping the show’s creators understand aspects of the character and his shop. With Sussman leading his own TV show with the spinoff, the actor feels like he has come full circle.
Read More: Where is Stuart Fails to Save the Universe Filmed?
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