'Big Bang Theory' couple Stuart and Denise find new love in 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.' Too bad the universe is dying.For 12 seasons, "The Big Bang Theory" turned unlikely romances into some of TV's most beloved, geekiest love stories. There were Leonard and Penny, Sheldon and Amy, Howard and Bernadette, and even Raj and Emily.The sweetest – and last – surprise of them all was Stuart and Denise, who are now starring in HBO Max's "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe."Comic book store owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) and assistant manager Denise (Lauren Lapkus) were late to "The Big Bang Theory," starting their romance in Season 11 (2017) when "Jurassic World" star Lapkus joined the show. The couple bonded over their love of comic books, and agreed to move in together in the Season 12 series finale.Getting the call to star in "Stuart" was like finding a mint-condition Action Comics No. 1 in the bargain bin for Lapkus."I was surprised since I literally joined the cast in Season 11 and was in eight episodes of like, 300 'Big Bang' episodes," Lapkus tells USA TODAY. "I was thrilled to be there. But to get the call to be on the spinoff six years later, I was not expecting that at all."How Denise and Stuart started on 'Big Bang Theory'The couple was supportive and so adorbs in their short "Big Bang" time, even when Stuart paused before agreeing to move in with Denise. Perturbed, Denise angrily peppered her boyfriend with bullets during a dominating paintball performance."It's a sweet relationship," says Lapkus. "Stuart spent so many seasons on that show desperate for love, getting more desperate. And then he finally met his match."Stuart roomie-proposed in the comic book store with the geekiest affirmation ever, saying he wanted to move in with Denise, "more than Galactus wants to devour worlds."Denise said yes, saying she wanted to do the same "more than Batman ignores the due process of law.""We're so weird," Stuart said before kissing Denise.Even if the series ended with the two moving in together, the long-awaited love was too short-lived."It was frustrating because Stuart finally gets this great relationship, with all these possibilities," Sussman tells USA TODAY. "And then the show gets canceled, which is really the most Stuart thing to happen."What are Denise and Stuart like in 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe'?"Stuart" allows the relationship to continue, but there's a catch: New life comes when the whole universe is falling apart due to a machine created by central nerds Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki).The show opens with Denise trying to rob Stuart in a dystopian "Mad Max" reality. She stops when she recognizes him. They both thought the other was dead. Denise says she's still working on the screenplay that she discussed on "The Big Bang Theory.""She's living in this totally insane world where she has to rob people to survive, and people are eating rats," says Lapkus. "Denise has lived a different life for a long time now. And in the next episode it's an entirely new reality and existence."Yet, the couple manages to come together and become stronger. In one reality, the duo even have another "talk" about whether to stay in that existence forever. And it's even weirder than the original moving-in talk."The love started with 'Big Bang' but 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe' really expands the relationship," says Sussman. "We explore many more facets to it. And it's so good."
'Big Bang Theory' stars reveal what's next for Stuart and Denise in spinoff
'Big Bang Theory' couple Stuart and Denise find new love in 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe.' Too bad the universe is dying.For 12 seasons, "The Big Bang Theory" turned unlikely romances into some of TV's most beloved, geekiest love stories. There were Leonard and Penny, Sheldon and Amy, Howard and Bernadette, and even Raj and Emily.The sweetest – and last – surprise of them all was Stuart and Denise, who are now starring in HBO Max's "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe."Comic book store owner Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman) and assistant manager Denise (Lauren Lapkus) were late to "The Big Bang Theory," starting their romance in Season 11 (2017) when "Jurassic World" star Lapkus joined the show. The couple bonded over their love of comic books, and agreed to move in together in the Season 12 series finale.Getting the call to star in "Stuart" was like finding a mint-condition Action Comics No. 1 in the bargain bin for Lapkus."I was surprised since I literally joined the cast in Season 11 and was in eight episodes of like, 300 'Big Bang' episodes," Lapkus tells USA TODAY. "I was thrilled to be there. But to get the call to be on the spinoff six years later, I was not expecting that at all."How Denise and Stuart started on 'Big Bang Theory'The couple was supportive and so adorbs in their short "Big Bang" time, even when Stuart paused before agreeing to move in with Denise. Perturbed, Denise angrily peppered her boyfriend with bullets during a dominating paintball performance."It's a sweet relationship," says Lapkus. "Stuart spent so many seasons on that show desperate for love, getting more desperate. And then he finally met his match."Stuart roomie-proposed in the comic book store with the geekiest affirmation ever, saying he wanted to move in with Denise, "more than Galactus wants to devour worlds."Denise said yes, saying she wanted to do the same "more than Batman ignores the due process of law.""We're so weird," Stuart said before kissing Denise.Even if the series ended with the two moving in together, the long-awaited love was too short-lived."It was frustrating because Stuart finally gets this great relationship, with all these possibilities," Sussman tells USA TODAY. "And then the show gets canceled, which is really the most Stuart thing to happen."What are Denise and Stuart like in 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe'?"Stuart" allows the relationship to continue, but there's a catch: New life comes when the whole universe is falling apart due to a machine created by central nerds Sheldon Cooper (Jim Parsons) and Leonard Hofstadter (Johnny Galecki).The show opens with Denise trying to rob Stuart in a dystopian "Mad Max" reality. She stops when she recognizes him. They both thought the other was dead. Denise says she's still working on the screenplay that she discussed on "The Big Bang Theory.""She's living in this totally insane world where she has to rob people to survive, and people are eating rats," says Lapkus. "Denise has lived a different life for a long time now. And in the next episode it's an entirely new reality and existence."Yet, the couple manages to come together and become stronger. In one reality, the duo even have another "talk" about whether to stay in that existence forever. And it's even weirder than the original moving-in talk."The love started with 'Big Bang' but 'Stuart Fails to Save the Universe' really expands the relationship," says Sussman. "We explore many more facets to it. And it's so good."
