Summary

• Fans noticed that Kevin Sussman was originally named Larry and not Stuart on the show - a plothole brought to light by keen observers.
• Sussman's role on The Big Bang Theory changed after an improvised line - showcasing the power of a simple moment in TV history.
• Unlike the main cast, Sussman's backend deal wasn't as lucrative due to streaming services affecting residual payouts, a challenge for supporting actors.

It is hard to get anything past Big Bang Theory fans. They noticed that Annie O'Donnell was replaced by Kathy Bates as Amy's mom. As it turns out, they also noticed a change with Kevin Sussman's Stuart character early on in the show.

In the following, we're going to take a look at why Stuart's character might've been completely different at the start of the show. Fans have theories as to why a certain change was made. We'll reveal what the was, while also taking a lot at a pivotal moment that completely changed Stuart's status on the show.

Let's take a look at what that was, and how Sussman feels about the show looking back.

Fans Noticed That Kevin Sussman Was Originally Named Larry And Not Stuart On The Big Bang Theory

Given Kevin Sussman's importance on The Big Bang Theory as Stuart, fans are very insightful when it comes to his role on the show. What fans noticed at the start of the show is that Stuart's original name might've been Larry. Over on Reddit, a discussion started, taking a closer look at the plothole.

"In 1x14 - The Nerdvana Annihilation when Leonard is considering selling his comic book stuff he says "I'm going to take it down to Larry at the comic book store" Now consider by this point Stuart has not appeared yet. Stuart's first appearance isn't actually until 2x20 - The Hofstadter Isotope. Sort of only leaves a couple of possibilities. Stuart was originally named Larry at one point and they changed it as they developed the character. Stuart acquired the store from someone named Larry. We never see this Larry person on screen."

The likely scenario might be that an actual character was developed for Stuart, and perhaps at the start, he would be a background player on the show as Larry. Kevin Sussman himself might agree, as the actor revealed that a moment of improv really put him on the show's radar.

Kevin Sussman's Role On The Big Bang Theory Changed Because Of An Improvised Line

It is said that an iconic line got Sussman more exposure on the show. It was an innocent scene with Penny, as Stuart says under his breath, "I love you," after serving her. Chuck Lorre and company loved the moment, and felt as though there was more to tap into with the character.

Although Sussman agreed that it was a major turning point, he also admitted that improv work on the show was not common.

“The cast doesn't improvise,” Sussman says. “Because "we don't need to. The writers are so good that if a joke doesn't hit, the writers will converge on the spot and within three minutes have it rewritten—so it is funny," tells Sussman.

He continues, "The writers on The Big Bang Theory are probably the best in the business when it comes to on-the-spot writing. It's not a single camera show like The Office was," suggests Sussman. "Everything is very tightly-scored. There are four cameras all going at once, so everyone has to watch where their marks very closely. That doesn't leave any room for improvisation, really."

It truly was a rare moment of improv, and one that opened the door to yet another great character on the show.

Kevin Sussman's Backend Deal Was Much Different On TBBT Compared To The Main Cast

Still to this day, The Big Bang Theory is making a fortune thanks to syndication deals. However, Kevin Sussman is among the members of the cast who aren't impressed with the residuals from the show. Sussman revealed that streaming services have really hurt the backend deals for supporting actors like himself.

The actor revealed, “For me the big issue is residuals for streaming. I’ve known that it’s been untenable for years. I was surprised that it took this long for there to be a strike like this. I’ve seen residuals for my own shows absolutely tank once they go to streaming. I’m lucky because I was on The Big Bang Theory, which was on a broadcast network for years. Since it moved to streaming [like Max and Amazon Prime], it’s night and day."

Sussman concluded that given the current circumstances of residual pays, it will be hard for the future generation of actors to make stable pays in the field.

"I don’t see how it’s possible for an upcoming actor these days to actually be able to make a living.”

Sussman's impact was an important one on the series for over a decade.