Logic takes a back seat as magic becomes a reality in HBO’s Stuart Fails to Save the Universe episode 3. The first two episodes of the show gave us a pretty good idea of how distinct the science fiction comedy is going to be from The Big Bang Theory and any of its spin-offs - Young Sheldon, Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage - as well as how each episode would be packed with fresh surprises.

Each episode seems to have an iconic movie or show for inspiration - the first one had a Mad Max-style theme going on, the second resembled the utopian world from Charmed - following in the footsteps, the third ventured into the Harry Porter territory. However, it is a little more insane than JK Rowling’s world, where magic existed but only to the knowledge of a few. Here, magic is common knowledge and is the normal way of life. Everything else is just heresy, especially science.

The gang needs to get out of this universe before the magic takes over their little mission to save the universe.

The universe-hopping quartet of Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman), Bert Kibbler (Brian Posehn), Denise (Lauren Lapkus), and Barry Kripke (John Ross Bowie) arrive in a reality where magic is as normal as science is wicked in Thursday's third episode, titled Spoiler: Bert Is Magic, of the ten-part series. And the group somehow arrives in duos, where each duo finds itself in a different situation. Stuart and Denise arrive in the former’s comic book shop, where they find out about how this reality is overrun by magic.

Bert and Kripke, on the other hand, end up in a not-so-ideal situation. Bert is about to be burned at the stake while Kripke watches everyone try to burn Bert alive for just being a man of science. Kripke, being the selfish jerk he is, leaves Bert to his fate and escapes, while Bert discovers he is magic when he accidentally summons rain to put out the fire. Instantly, the very people who were trying to banish him to death just a few minutes ago become his acolytes.

Bert seems to enjoy his newfound powers, and since this is a comedy, Bert uses his abilities to make people laugh by conjuring up a cute puppy and making it housebroken, as well as converting a Coke into a Diet Coke and then a Dr Pepper with a wave of his hand. People around him go nuts over these tricks, and he even gets quite the female attention as a result.

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Elsewhere, Kripke runs away to Stuart to figure out a way to get out of this magical world. While Kripke and Stuart, who are unaware of Bert's abilities, frantically search for a magician to repair the malfunctioning time travel equipment so they may leave this reality, Denise tries to discover her feelings for Stuart by gulping down drink after drink in a bar. 

Denise starts to unload all of her confusing feelings onto the bartender and the strangers there, which seems like a cry for help. She is having a total meltdown, having her reality changed in an instant from being in a loveless marriage with Gary in the previous episode to being pursued by Stuart, with whom she never had any romantic angle in her universe.   

Back in the comic shop, when they jokingly ask Alexa for assistance, a tiny, sardonic demon named, yeah, Alexa (Louis Mustillo) shows up and takes them to Bernadette Rosetenkowski (Melissa Rauch), a sorceress and an old friend they truly know.   

When Stuart and Kripke visit her, they discover that Bernadette has lost her abilities, but she claims she can undo the spell and assist them if she can get some blood from Stuart, who is as near to an innocent as she can find. After a gullible Stuart gives up some blood, Bernadette turns into a giant and reveals herself to be a demon after consuming it. 

Bernadette being a demon is not very far-fetched if one takes a closer look at her character in the original series. When she is feeling well, she is quite endearing, but when she is angry, she is frightening. Penny and Howard were among the many characters on the first series who brought it up. Therefore, it seemed only fitting that she would become a demon in this magical realm. Even then, she apologized for stepping on people and had a lovely voice. In a brief sequence, it captured the essence of the original series.

But before she turned into a demon, we got another guest star from The Big Bang Theory in a cameo in the spinoff. Wil Wheaton came dressed as a high-ranking sorcerer who is here to warn everyone about Bernadette’s real identity as a demon, and also punish Stuart for giving her blood. And to make everything a little dramatic, the punishment for this offence is death. 

When Wheaton tries to k*** Stuart with magic, Bert comes in the way to protect his best friend and uses all his magic to overpower and k*** him. As Wheaton dies, he goes out, warning everyone of the threat Bernadette poses to the world. And guess what? He was right. Bernadette becomes this giant demon who is clumsily squishing people under her foot and then saying sorry.  

Turns out she wants the universe-hopping machine, but the gang will not let her have it, so they ask Bert to use his magic to repair it so they can escape that place quickly. Bert does what he is told, and the gang escapes just in time. However, we see Stuart in a psychiatric ward next, definitely not looking great. The nurse gives him the meds and compliments his sketch that depicts the same scene where they were trying to get the machine working in the previous world.

The episode ends there, leaving the audience with the mystery of what kind of world they have jumped to now. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe episode 3 finally does something that The Big Bang Theory never did - give Bert center stage. It was fun to watch Bert in the spotlight for once. Let us see what the next episode has in store for the viewers.

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Did you like Bert being given the central role in this episode? Do let us know.