Netflix Buying Warner Bros. Turns The Big Bang Theory Spinoff Into Chuck Lorre’s Toughest Test Yet

Here is a sentence I never thought I would type: a Big Bang Theory spinoff called 'Stuart Fails To Save The Universe' is reportedly in production for HBO Max. Yes, Stuart. The comic shop guy. And because it is a Chuck Lorre joint, we are also getting a fresh round of opinions on weekly releases vs binge drops. The project details are interesting; some of the industry chatter around it is... less so. Let me walk you through it cleanly.

What this Stuart spinoff actually is (as far as the report says)

According to the report, 'Stuart Fails To Save The Universe' comes from Chuck Lorre Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television, Lorre's long-time home base. The piece cites Deadline for that connection. It is said to be set for HBO Max — which, branding alert, is now called simply Max — but there is no release date, and TV Guide is cited to say it is not arriving this year.

Weekly vs binge: Lorre weighs in

Speaking to CinemaBlend, Lorre — the hitmaker behind Two and a Half Men, The Big Bang Theory, and Mom — framed the weekly vs binge argument this way: both can work, it depends on the show. He pointed to the weekly model fueling conversation and suspense (think Severance), while acknowledging that the binge drop clearly works for giant, buzzy hits (think Stranger Things).

That said, he pretty clearly favors weekly releases, which tracks with both his career and HBO's history with appointment TV like The Sopranos and The White Lotus. He talked about shows having time to build a relationship with an audience and the value of week-to-week discussion that stretches across a full season — the way he grew up watching things like Cheers and Get Smart.

'There is something to when a show comes out once a week, it maybe has a better chance of developing a relationship with the audience... If you watched them all at once, the conversation that follows is the only conversation you will have, and then it is over.'

He also floated a very specific time horizon: if a season plays out over 16 to 22 weeks, the audience conversation can get deeper and more interesting. Hard to argue with that; a drip-feed schedule keeps the group chat alive.

The business claims in the report, cleaned up

Now for the part that got messy. The original write-up tosses out a wild claim that Netflix has acquired Warner Bros. Discovery, and then uses that to speculate about what happens to HBO Max/Max content and release formats. It also mentions that Variety reportedly says Netflix plans to keep WB and HBO Max content on its own platform for now, suggests this would take 12–18 months per PR Newswire, and even name-drops Paramount as trying to acquire WBD.

Here is the reality check: as of now, there is no completed Netflix acquisition of WBD. Max still exists as WBD's streaming service. The rest of that acquisition timeline chatter reads like speculation tied to an unconfirmed scenario. Consider those points unverified at best.

One more head-scratcher from the piece: it cites 'HBO's The Pitt' as proof that weekly beats binge. If you are wondering what show that is supposed to be, same. That reference is unclear.

So how will this Stuart show roll out?

The report says the format is not confirmed, but expects a weekly release. Given Lorre's open preference and HBO/Max's typical playbook, weekly makes sense. It is just not official yet.

• Title: 'Stuart Fails To Save The Universe' (a Big Bang Theory spinoff)
• Status: in production, per the report
• Home: HBO Max (now simply 'Max')
• Producers: Chuck Lorre Productions with Warner Bros. Television
• Release date: none yet; not this year, per TV Guide
• Release model: not confirmed; weekly is likely based on precedent and Lorre's stance
• Lorre's take: both weekly and binge can work; weekly better sustains conversation
• Examples cited: Severance (weekly momentum), Stranger Things (binge success); HBO staples like The Sopranos and The White Lotus for weekly
• Deep-cut mention: Cheers and Get Smart as the week-to-week vibe Lorre grew up with
• Oddity: a reference to 'HBO's The Pitt' is unclear
• Industry noise in the original report: claims about Netflix acquiring WBD and a 12–18 month timeline; treat as unverified

Bottom line

There is a Stuart spinoff on deck from Chuck Lorre, aimed at HBO Max/Max, with no release date yet. Lorre is pro-weekly, which probably tells you how the episodes will roll out if and when the show lands. Everything else — especially the merger chatter — is foggy and should be taken with caution. I will update when the platform and release plan are official.