The multiverse has long been a staple of science fiction, but few shows have explored it as thoroughly as The Big Bang Theory's spin-off, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe. This quirky HBO series takes the gang from Caltech and propels them into a multiverse-spanning adventure that's equal parts comedy and sci-fi.
After accidentally building a quantum machine that goes haywire, Sheldon, Howard, and Leonard find themselves at the center of a multiversal apocalypse that only their friend Stuart can stop. The show's early days are a blast, leveraging the parent series' geeky humor and affection for genre tropes.
For those seeking more entertainment in the same nerdy vein, there are plenty of other shows that inject varying degrees of comedy into serious sci-fi scenarios. Sliders, for instance, is a quintessential '90s sci-fi show that anticipates the multiversal mayhem of the modern Marvel era.
Starring Jerry O'Connell as Quinn Mallory, Sliders follows a group of companions as they travel through the multiverse, visiting worlds where the Soviet Union won the Cold War, where antibiotics were never invented, and where Hillary Clinton is president. While the show's serialization can make it feel uneven, it's still a fun ride.
Other shows that blend sci-fi with comedy include Future Man, where Josh Hutcherson plays a janitor recruited by time-traveling soldiers to fight in a war that's essentially The Last Starfighter. Then there's Red Dwarf, a British sci-fi series that sends up the genre while still delivering a compelling story.
Legends of Tomorrow, meanwhile, started as a dumping ground for supporting characters from other DC shows but evolved into something weirder and queerer. The show's blend of solid character work and brilliant goofiness makes it a standout in the superhero genre.
Resident Alien, starring Alan Tudyk as an alien who assumes human form, flies under the radar but still manages to deliver a solid four-season run. The show's fictional setting near the real Southern Ute Reservation offers up impressive Indigenous representation.
The Librarians, a series that began as a charming Indiana Jones-light TV movie, follows a group of action-scholars as they use their brains to save the world. The Last Man on Earth, starring Will Forte as a former banker who believes he's the only survivor of a plague, explores our obsession with the end times.
Pluribus, a sensational series from Breaking Bad's Vince Gilligan, displays a dark and dry sense of humor as it follows a fantasy romance author who becomes one of the few people immune to an alien virus that transforms humanity into a peaceful hive mind.
Twisted Metal, based on the '90s-era vehicular combat games, stars Anthony Mackie as a driver tasked with carrying a package across a lawless Wasteland while dodging challenges that include a murderous clown in an ice cream truck.
Now Apocalypse, a successor to Greg Araki's neon-tinged cinematic apocalypse in Kaboom, follows a struggling actor and sex worker who keeps having bizarre dreams about an alien invasion that feel increasingly like they might be premonitions.
