Stuart Fails To Save The Universe is the third spinoff of The Big Bang Theory. It debuted on July 23, 2026 on HBO. This series brings back beloved characters Stuart, Bert, Denise, and of course Barry Kripke. A significant departure from the standard sitcom series, this single-camera show follows the characters as they travel to alternate universes in an attempt to return their own universe to order.
Despite being a Warner Bros/HBO production, the show’s exteriors were filmed at Universal Studios Hollywood.
Courthouse Square
A majority of the shots in the pilot episode were filmed in Courthouse Square. While this area has appeared in countless productions over the years, it’s most recognizable from Back To The Future. Much of the plot centred around the Clock Tower, which has also been a courthouse or City Hall over the years.
Stuart’s comic book shop is located directly across the street from the courthouse and it’s park. This spot has been home to a gas station/garage set for a number of years. From what I can tell, it looks like the comic book shop was a facade set up in front of that gas station.
A number of other parts of Courthouse Square appear in the series as well. There are facades of storefronts surrounding the square, which were made to look post-apocolyptic for the premiere episode.
Caltech
The exterior of Caltech is also located on the Universal backlot, specifically on the Park Avenue section. When I last visited a couple years ago, it was partially a glass office building facade attached to an older stone facade, It appears that they’ve made the glass building larger since then, perhaps even for this specific show.
If you’d like to check out Universal Studios for yourself, you can take the tram tour attraction at the theme park. For a more in depth tour, check out their VIP tours.
As Stuart Fails to Save the Universe continues, I’m sure we’ll see more backlot and real life locations. I’ll do my best to update as the show progresses.
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