10 TV Shows Like ‘Stewart Couldn’t Save the Universe’ That You Should Watch Next.
Not since Happy Days and Mork & Mindy has there been a stranger extension of a television franchise than Stuart Couldn’t Save the Universe , which takes the relatively straightforward sitcom antics of The Big Bang Theory and expands them into the multiverse. It seems that at some point after the end of their series, Howard, Sheldon, and Leonard built a quantum machine that malfunctioned and caused a multiversal apocalypse, which only comic book guy Stuart (Kevin Sussman) can stop.
It’s too early to draw conclusions, but the HBO series is quite funny, taking full advantage of the original show’s fondness for genre clichés. If you’re looking for more entertainment in the same geeky vein, here are other series that inject varying degrees of humor into serious sci-fi scenarios.
Sliders (1995–2000)
While this ’90s sci-fi series has less overt humor, there’s an engaging absurdity that anticipates the multiversal chaos of the modern Marvel era. Jerry O’Connell plays Quinn Mallory, who accidentally opens a portal that sends him and a rotating cast of companions (including, initially, John Rhys-Davies as Quinn’s mentor) across the multiverse. The device he invents to return them all home turns out to be an unfortunately unreliable timer that keeps them in their final destination for… well, as long as the plot dictates. Their adventures take them to worlds where the Soviet Union won the Cold War, where antibiotics were never invented, and where Hillary Clinton is president (I swear!). The increasing number of episodic scenes featuring an entire species of predominantly evil creatures doesn’t improve matters as the series progresses, but it’s still pretty fun. Stream Sliders on Peacock and Tubi.
Future Man (2017–2020)
Josh Hutcherson plays Josh Futurman, a twenty-year-old janitor living with his parents and excelling in little other than video games. However, as it turns out, that’s enough: he’s the only person to ever beat the game Biotic Wars , and this success triggers the arrival of time-traveling soldiers from the future who recruit Josh for their war (yes, that’s essentially the plot of The Last Starfighter ). The series succeeds by overtly displaying its sci-fi influences, taking its world and backstory seriously before populating it with ridiculous, cheeky, and believably incongruous characters. Buy “Future Man” on Prime Video.
Red dwarf (1988–2020)
The film is a sci-fi action film in the vein of Star Trek , but it’s still a wonderful, irreverent parody of the genre, centered on a charming loser. Craig Charles plays Dave Lister, a good-natured slob who holds the lowest-paid position on the massive mining ship Red Dwarf. When he smuggles a pregnant cat on board, he’s punished by being suspended (without pay) for the rest of the voyage. And the voyage turns out to be much longer than anyone expected: when Dave awakens, three million years have passed, and humanity has become extinct. The kittens survived, spawning a feline empire that has risen and nearly fallen since, and the decrepit mainframe has recreated Dave’s hated roommate (Chris Barrie) as a hologram to keep him company. They are soon joined by a simpering android, and they spend the next 30-plus years wandering the cosmos and getting into various adventures. Watch Red Dwarf on Britbox .
Legends of Tomorrow (2016–2022)
In the depressingly straightforward and complacent world of superhero media, Legends of Tomorrow has transcended its rocky origins as a dumping ground for supporting characters from other DC shows and evolved into something far stranger (and queerer). Initially recruited by a time traveler for a mission precisely because of their insignificance (their absence from the timeline would have no effect), the Legends transform from misfits into reluctant heroes under the guidance of Sara Lance (Caity Lotz), righting wrongs across time and space. Combining strong character development with brilliant absurdity, the series has featured storylines including a giant animatronic bear threatening the Wild West, a final fight scene set to “The Thong Song,” and a character having his nipple bitten off by a unicorn.Watch Legends of Tomorrow on Netflix .
Resident Alien (2021 – 2025)
I feel like Resident Alien went a little under the radar during its four-season run. Alan Tudyk ( Serenity , Rogue One , Superman ) plays Dr. Harry Vanderspeigle, but only in a way: he’s actually an alien with an unpronounceable name who crash-landed on Earth before killing the real Harry and taking his identity. He was supposed to be scouting the planet for a planned destruction, but after taking human form and integrating into the community of the tiny town of Patience, Colorado, he gradually begins to have doubts, though he remains thoroughly disgusted by human culture. Tudyk is genuinely funny and manages to deliver some touching emotional moments on his journey to stop wanting to kill us all so much, and the supporting cast is equally impressive. The fictional series takes place near a real-life Southern Ute reservation and features an impressive Native American cast, including Sara Tomko as Harry’s best friend and occasional partner, Asta Twelvetrees. Watch “Resident Alien” on Peacock and Netflix.
Librarians (2014–2018)
The Librarians began as a charming Indiana Jones-style TV movie starring Noah Wyle back in 2004, which spawned two sequels, the aforementioned series, and a sequel now in its second season. While the film is largely a standalone effort, based on a lightly comedic premise (a secret section of the New York Public Library housing magical and occult items), The Librarians features Rebecca Romjin, John Larroquette, and Christian Kane as the leaders of a group of action-packed scientists who use their intellect to save the world. They’re not lovable losers in the vein of the Stewarts , but they’re genuine nerds who become reluctant heroes nonetheless. Watch The Librarians on Prime Video.
The Last Man on Earth (2015–2018)
Series creator Will Forte stars as Phil Miller, a former banker who believes for about a year that he’s the only survivor of a plague that wiped out humanity… until he meets Kristen Schaal, a Delaware notary. They have little in common, but they decide they’re responsible for repopulating the Earth. The series, often genuinely funny, ultimately aims for a higher purpose than parodying apocalyptic plots, exploring our obsession with the end of the world and what it means to live in a world where apocalyptic thinking becomes self-fulfilling. Watch The Last Man on Earth on Hulu.
Pluribus (2025 – )
The tone of this sensational series is radically different from Stuart , and yet it would be unfair not to mention this strange sci-fi apocalypse from Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, who displays a very dark and dry sense of humor. Rhea Seehorn plays Carol Sturka, a fantasy romance novelist and general grump who becomes one of only 13 people on the planet immune to “The Joining”—the result of an alien virus that transforms the rest of humanity into a peaceful, cheerful, and eternally content hive mind. Carol refuses to accept her misery in the face of her loss of identity, instead fighting to return humanity to its undoubtedly terrible ways. Saving the world means saving the world for snobbish misanthropes like herself. Gripping, heartbreaking, and genuinely funny, the series explores important questions about what it means to be human and the lengths we’re willing to go to achieve change. Watch “Pluribus” on Apple TV .
Twisted Metal (2023–)
Based on the ’90s vehicular combat games your parents probably hated (and which, as is often the case, are rife with frantic, demolition derby-style action where you smash and/or blow up your opponents), Twisted Metal tells the story of John Doe, a driver tasked by Anthony Mackie with delivering a package through the utterly lawless Wasteland, dodging obstacles including a bloodthirsty clown in an ice cream truck. Alternately violent and ridiculous, the series mostly lives up to its name, offering plenty of insane vehicular combat (as well as car-versus-truck collisions, hearses, ice cream trucks, and more). If you enjoy Stewart -style over-the-top comedic violence, you’ll find it in abundance here. Watch Twisted Metal on Peacock .
Apocalypse Now (2019)
New queer cinema pioneer Greg Araki followed up his neon apocalypse with Kaboom with Apocalypse Now , its spiritual successor. Avan Jogia plays Ulysses Zane, who lives in sun-drenched California with his best friend Carly (Kelli Berglund), an aspiring actress and sex worker. He suffers from strange dreams of an alien invasion, which increasingly resemble premonitions or perhaps simply disturbing hallucinations brought on by excessive marijuana use. The series only lasted one season and never quite reached the predicted apocalypse, but it was certainly funny while it lasted and certainly offers something a little different from the typical bleak conceptions of the end of the world. It’s a comedic dystopia, just sweatier and sexier than usual. Watch Apocalypse Now on Tubi.