Stuart's Best Episodes Of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ To Watch Before His Spin-Off TV Show
When The Big Bang Theory first aired in 2007, it was built around a small group of highly intelligent but socially awkward scientists trying to function in a world that didn't quite operate on their wavelength. Over time, what started as a dynamic centered on Leonard (Johnny Galecki), Sheldon (Jim Parsons), and Penny (Kaley Cuoco), pulled in characters that became essential to the show.
Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman), the owner of The Comic Center of Pasadena, is one of them. Although he didn't appear in every episode, he definitely made an impact on the show. Since the character is about to debut as the lead of his own HBO Max series, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, on July 23, 2026, now is the perfect time to catch up on his best The Big Bang Theory moments.
The Hofstadter Isotope (Season 2, Episode 20)
Stuart made his The Big Bang Theory debut in "The Hofstadter Isotope," during a scene in which Penny is searching for a birthday present for her nephew at the comic book store. Stuart, who is the most confident we have ever seen him be, asks her out on a date, which makes Leonard jealously act out. The date goes well until Sheldon derails the evening with a question about Batman.
Penny falls asleep while Sheldon and Stuart argue about Batman comic book lore, and the entire date collapses as a result. Looking back, this episode shows a version of Stuart before the show fully committed to turning the character into someone who could have been fine, but ends up slightly out of sync with everything around him.
The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition (Season 5, Episode 10)
In "The Flaming Spittoon Acquisition," Stuart meets Amy Farrah Fowler (Mayim Bialik), who visits the comic book store with the guys out of sheer curiosity. He asks Leonard to ask Sheldon if he can ask Amy out. Sheldon, thinking that Amy would never go for Stuart, scoffs at the idea, and they leave the store. But he has a change of heart when he realizes that Stuart and Amy have gone on a date.
Struck by jealousy, though refusing to admit it, Sheldon crashes their date at the movie theater to tell Amy that he "would not object to us no longer characterizing you as not my girlfriend." All of this happens around Stuart, who is part of the story, but structurally replaceable. It's one of the clearest examples of how the show initially used him as a sort of story catalyst.
The Status Quo Combustion (Season 7, Episode 24)
The Stuart portion of "The Status Quo Combustion" begins with Howard Wolowitz (Howard Simon Helberg) telling his friends about the trouble he's had finding a nurse who can manage his injured mother's demands. When Howard and Bernadette (Melissa Rauch) lose their third nurse, they contemplate looking after Mrs. Wolowitz themselves, but immediately hate the idea.
After Howard realizes that Stuart's comic book store has burned down, he says he knows a place where he could stay and earn some money. Despite Howard describing the gig as something that comes with verbal abuse and degradation, Stuart is seen having the time of his life with his new patient and even calls her by her first name. It's one of the rare times we get to see Stuart seemingly happy.
The Prom Equivalency (Season 8, Episode 8)
At first glance, "The Prom Equivalency" doesn't look like a Stuart episode since it begins when the girls find Penny's old prom dress and decide to recreate the event on the roof. While most of the plot focuses on Sheldon and Amy's relationship, there's a fun little side story about Howard worrying that Stuart will bring his mom, Mrs. Wolowitz, to the prom as his date.
But in a hilarious twist, Stuart brings Howard's second-cousin Jeanie as his date. The same Jeanie whom Howard previously confessed was his first romantic encounter. A furious Howard attacks Stuart in the limo for getting overly close to his family members. Stuart is also a little more confident than we're used to seeing, which is a nice touch.
The Perspiration Implementation (Season 9, Episode 5)
"The Perspiration Implementation" is split into two stories. One focuses on the guys, while the other sees Stuart inviting Penny, Bernadette, and Amy to the comic book store. Since women have become more interested in superheroes, Stuart tells them he's been making some improvements to the store to make female customers more comfortable. But in typical Stuart fashion, the additions come across as creepy.
So the girls try to help as best as they can. Amy suggests that he use advertising that appeals to women, which doesn't go well at all. When Penny decides to check the store's online reviews, it opens up a hilarious can of worms about how women feel about the establishment and its owner. Stuart eventually opens up to the girls about his deepest insecurities.
The Bow Tie Asymmetry (Season 11, Episode 24)
The series finale of The Big Bang Theory, "The Bow Tie Asymmetry," sees the entire gang stepping into a new chapter of their lives. Although the focus is on Sheldon and Amy's wedding, Stuart has a few wins of his own. He asks his employee, Denise (Lauren Lapkus), to be his date to the wedding. She turns him down at first since Stuart is her boss, and it might make things weird.
But Denise changes her mind when she hears that Mark Hamill is going to officiate at the wedding and agrees to go. Stuart also gets a moment to shine when the wedding is delayed, and Hamill is asked to stall by answering Star Wars questions from the guests. Since the actor knows nothing about Star Wars outside of his lines, Stuart ends up keeping everyone entertained with his knowledge of the lore.
