With “Spoiler: Stuart Makes a Wallet” and “Spoiler: Bert Gets Married”, Stuart Fails to Save the Universe found its voice; consistently irreverent, occasionally satirical, and ever-so-slightly character driven. Where the first trio of episodes coasted on their inherent nihilism, SFTSTU has found its underdog-ian purpose in the second act of its freshman season – and even though “Spoiler: Corn is Delicious” is a slight step back from its two predecessors, it is a strong sign the show’s foundation is solid.
It certainly gets off to a shaky start; once it gets past the initial shock of its premise – humans have descended from cows, and only eat plants and grass – “Spoiler: Corn is Delicious” is way too one-note with its universe. In particular, its jokes about chewing cud become an unbelievably unfunny and repetitive crutch the episode returns to over, and over, and over again… it’s frankly exhausting, and outside of some nascent food jokes (people eat Hay’s instead of Lay’s, for example), “Spoiler: Corn is Delicious” doesn’t use its setting for any kind of thematic, or even utilitarian, purpose, rendering it easily the most pointless, empty universe of the show’s first half-dozen episodes.
When “Spoiler: Corn is Delicious” focuses its attention on Stuart, though, it continues to be the best form of itself. After getting over the initial shock of having four stomachs, Stuart is pretty content with living in this world, a peaceful place where he can enjoy his life with Denise – and more importantly, not have to feel the pressures of trying to save the very fabric of reality from tearing completely. As he tells her, he didn’t sign up for any of this, so giving up on it doesn’t feel like he’s doing anything wrong – plus, what can someone who turns out to be a failed artist-turned-comic store owner in every conceivable universe really aspire to be?
The answer comes from Denise, of course, who tells Stuart that “anyone can be a hero if they’re trying to make life better for other people” (in a way, it’s pretty fitting “Spoiler: Corn is Delicious” airs the week of Dolly Parton’s passing, because it echoes her ethos quite succinctly). And though there’s a conversation to be had about Denise’s presence and agency in this series, the truth she opens Stuart’s eyes to is beautifully simple and resonant, and exactly what Stuart needs to hear to remind himself that anyone is capable of being more than the sum of their parts. Some of us may not be destined to save the universe, but it’s common human fallibility to doubt oneself – and at times, even reject what you are telling yourself you’re capable of, as Stuart is seen doing with himself in the comic book shop that persists across the multiverse.
It’s a little slow to get there, though – a surprising turn, given how quick and paced recent episodes have been; Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is clearly not a series looking to wear out its welcome or fill a certain running time. Which begs the question why “Spoiler: Corn is Delicious” stretches out its running time so hard with the constant cud jokes, and an entire subplot where Kripke and Bert fall through a crack in time-space, where nothing happens and the series tries to fill dead air with a bunch of short bits that don’t add up to much – and while I’m willing to recognize it was smart to get the villainous Kripke out of the way for a moment to allow for a little more emotional depth, the fact they are sidelined for the majority of the episode screams of an episode struggling to fill its 20-minute running time (or even more potentially problematic, trying to thumb-twiddle between more impactful episodes to come in the first season).
“Spoiler: Corn is Delicious” is also the first episode of the series to dip its toes into the complicated realm of temporal science fiction – and at that, at least the series does not try to be sincerely scientific, allowing itself goofy little anomalies like the “quantum echo” version of the universe-hopping machine or why Stuart is a necessary tether for interdimensional travel to work for other people using the machine. If SFTSTU is going to have a mythology (which, given it’s going to have a second season, is not entirely surprising), the lighter and goofier it is kept, the better off the series is going to be; as this episode proves in the two scenes it tries to dig into temporal logic, the best way to tackle this is to make the logic transparently utilitarian, rather than work in reverse, and let defined rules of its universe predetermine (and ultimately limit) where the series can go with its characters.
Although “Spoiler: Corn is Delicious” is easily the weakest of the show’s most recent trio of episodes, there’s a consistent heartbeat across all three that’s hard to ignore, and one this episode benefits greatly from. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe may never be a series that’s considered particularly groundbreaking or evocative, but it is definitely more than just an empty, craven spinoff with an AI-generated credit sequence, thanks to an infectious quirkiness that finds interesting friction in the quest to find meaning in something pointless; in that way, SFTSTU is the most Sisyphean series of the summer, and something that’s unexpectedly enjoyable, if you’re willing to meet the show on its own (sometimes inconsistent) terms.
Other thoughts/observations:
- This week’s The Big Bang Theory cameo comes from another alternate Raj – this one standing on a soapbox, telling everyone who won’t listen that their cow-derived universe is ending.
- Fully expecting a twist involving Stuart Prime (aka Echo Stuart) in the season finale. Stuart does not know that much pseudo scientific jargon naturally.
- Gary the UPS guy!
- Kripke takes umbrage with the concept of their travels being unsuccessful; “I’ve had sex in three of the five universes!”
- Stuart continues to be a relatable king: “Schmutz happens to everything!”
- Kripke describing the void as an “interdimensional taint” is absolute perfection.
- I enjoy when SFTSTU dips into more dystopian, unsettling imagery; Stuart and Denise enjoying the salt lick is a particular highlight in this episode.
- Who wants to write 2,000 words about why this version of the MLB has no designated hitters?
- People on the internet calling for a Young Sheldon crossover; I’m down for it, only if it is violent. Like Young Sheldon, but in a Mad Max-esque setting.
- Trevor needs a little room on Batman #608, thanks to a small water mark; Stuart is not willing to budge on price, even on his way out of the universe.