Kaley Cuoco has reprised her role as Penny from the hit sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" in the new HBO Max spinoff series "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe." Cuoco appeared in the second episode of the series as a version of Penny living in a dystopian world ruled by artificial intelligence, where she leads a resistance movement.
Series co-creator Chuck Lorre explained to People that the alternate realities within "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe" allow for characters to reappear with different backstories. "Penny becomes someone else," Lorre stated. "She's still Penny, but she has an entirely different background. She never worked at the Cheesecake Factory, never met Leonard. She’s a leader of a revolutionary guerrilla group, and she’s not averse to violence."
In the original "The Big Bang Theory," which aired from 2007 to 2019, Penny was a waitress at The Cheesecake Factory and an aspiring actress who eventually married Leonard. "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe" focuses on the character of Stuart, played by Kevin Sussman, who was a recurring character in the original series. The new show premiered on July 23.
Co-creator Zak Penn told Variety that the multiverse concept of "Stuart Fails to Save the Universe" facilitates these guest appearances. "Sometimes we would have an opportunity for a character and say, ‘Oh, the leader of the rebellion, that would be fun if that were Penny,’" Penn said.
"Stuart Fails to Save the Universe" is the third spinoff from "The Big Bang Theory," following "Young Sheldon" and the upcoming "Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage." The series airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on HBO Max.