SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” Season 1 Episode 3, now streaming on HBO Max.
Episode 3 of “Stuart Fails to Save the Universe” takes a mystical turn with the appearance of a towering, 60-foot Bernadette played by Melissa Raush.
Entitled “Spoiler: Bert Is Magic,” the episode begins with Bert, portrayed by Brian Posehn, tied to a stake and facing execution by fire. He pleads for rain, and it arrives, revealing his true nature as a wizard. Bert showcases his magical abilities by transforming regular Coke into Diet Coke and conjuring a puppy with a flick of his wrist.
Meanwhile, at “The Wizard’s Sleeve,” a comic book store resembling a repository of spellbinding books, Stuart (Kevin Sussman) attempts to clarify to Denise (Lauren Lapkus), from the previous universe, the workings of the machine that transports them through the multiverse.
Kripke (John Ross Bowie), who witnessed Bert at the stake, returns to the store with urgency. “Stuart, we have to leave here. The people in this world think science is evil,” he warns. Stuart humorously replies, “How’s that different from our world?”
Realizing magic is needed for the teleportation machine in this physics-defying universe, Kripke and Stuart consult a demon named Alexa, played by Louis Mustillo, who directs them to Bernadette Rostenkowski, a “master sorceress.”
Initially, Bernadette appears as her familiar self from “The Big Bang Theory.” She claims to be out of business, having been accused by the “Wizards Guild of America” of using her powers during a strike. She mentions a reversal spell to regain her powers, requiring the “blood of an innocent,” making Stuart a suitable candidate due to his limited romantic history.
Bert, back at the store, turns Kripke into a penguin as payback for abandoning him. Their confrontation is interrupted by Wil Wheaton, who, as a wizard in this universe, warns Stuart against trusting Bernadette. Wheaton, a recurring presence in “The Big Bang Theory,” reveals Bernadette’s demonic nature. A magical showdown ensues between Bert and Wil, with Bert emerging victorious. Simultaneously, Bernadette concocts a potion, transforming into a 60-foot creature and wreaking havoc in Pasadena. Despite her plans to dominate the universe and seize the machine, Bert uses his powers to whisk them all away just in time.
Reflecting on her role, Rauch shared with Variety her excitement upon learning from Chuck Lorre about the premise, where she would portray a unique version of Bernadette. “It’d be extremely different from anything you ever played,” Lorre told her. Rauch expressed her enthusiasm for working with the cast, praising Kevin, Lauren, Brian, and John as both individuals and actors, describing them as “comedic lasers.”
Rauch found reprising her role with a twist exhilarating, appreciating the opportunity to delve into Bernadette’s new demonic layer. “There’s always been this edge to Bernadette,” she noted, finding joy in amplifying that aspect to an extreme.
Playing a gigantic version of Bernadette was a thrilling experience for Rauch, who stands less than five feet tall in reality. Engaging in motion capture for the first time, she described the elaborate set, complete with a miniature Pasadena, as extraordinary. “It was a blast,” she said, enjoying the chance to interact with scaled-down versions of people and buildings.
Donning a motion capture suit, Rauch felt empowered by the experience, humorously remarking on her newfound desire to “crush things.”
