The Unfortunate Problem With Big Bang Theory's Raj Koothrappali

Big Bang Theory was a force to be reckoned with when it was at it's peak on CBS. Though not all of Big Bang's characters got the same treatment when it comes to meaningful story telling. Raj Koothrappali was the one main character on Big Bang Theory that seemed to be more caricature than real person. Even when finally given a meaningful story line, the writers were quick to course correct and undo everything they had built.

#thebigbangtheory #rajkoothrappali #nerdstalgic

Written by Brian Long
Edited by David Sadvari

[Nerdstalgic]

Thanks to everyone for requesting we cover "The Problem with Raj". What other TV characters had problems that were too big to miss?

[siphillis]

I love how the writers wanted Raj to find that special someone, as if they don't have 100% control over that fact.

[Tim_the_Enchanter]

The Raj-Howard dynamic was funny early in the show, but I always felt like they had no idea what to do with Raj once Wolowitz got a girlfriend. They gave Raj the ability to speak, only to discover that they had nothing for him to say.

[lookingforlove]

Stuart felt more like a main character than Raj by the end of the show. Stuart found happiness while drowning in misery throughout the show. Raj just remained the same " funny Indian guy"

[jamesrobbins]

We later find out Raj is wealthy. We also find out that he is very savvy about fashion. Yet he never stopped wearing his ridiculous clothes that were specifically supposed to look mismatched. Raj would never wear that crap, but they always forced him to.

[SairajRKamath]

Speaking as an Indian, it's virtually impossible to not know Hindi if you grew up in New Delhi.

[shantanukhandkar]

As an Hindu who speaks Hindi as a second language (Marathi is my first language), whatever Sheldon said was practically undecipherable. I'd have the same reaction.

[abigailaceves]

Raj’s relationship with Emily is one of my favorite parts of TBBT. Both truly care for each yet are also honest and sympathize with each other. It’s a shame they didn’t became a thing in the end.

[michaellatta]

They had great potential with Emily. She was quirky, educated, and a little scary. She also mixed will with the other characters.

[GoddessOfWhim]

everyone got a happy ending, even freaking Stuart, but not Raj. i wanted to see Raj get his big, beautiful Bollywood wedding. that's the thing that bugs me most. Raj deserved so much better

[dvornikovalexei]

It's not only about Raj. They hated Leonard and Penny in the later seasons as well. Bernadette was turned into an irredeemable sociopath. Howard and Sheldon had to carry the show hard.

Also you asked a good question. The show was always about laughing AT the geeks, not with them

[sodiumlights]

The most impressive thing about the show was how four actors dressed in three tops never appeared to sweat under bright hot studio lights.

[tonyrae]

It is SO bizarre that Sheldon of all people evolves enough to get married and yet Raj is just a jerk and never learns lessons from the people he loses through his mistakes.. Frustrating.

[AKen_Films]

Early in the show Raj not being able to speak to women worked for his character for two reasons, 1 it shows potential character growth and 2, it made comedy out of his social insecurity which is far more dynamic and relatable than making jokes about his ethnicity. As the show went on the writers failed to capitalize on any of this since his potential growth boiled down to him just "getting over it" and once he did "get over it" the writers couldn't think to do anything else except make jokes about his ethnicity at his character's expense.

[jayb]

Raj was always just used for the most insensitive jokes. They made fun of his social anxiety, his race, his "femininity", constant gay jokes with him and Howard.

The other guys all had quirks that were made fun of, but they were also given redeeming qualities to balance them. Sheldon is legitimately the most brilliant. Leonard is the least socially inept one, who actually manages to land the "hot chick". Howard is the first to have a family, and becomes an astronaut. What was Raj's thing? Maybe one could argue that he was the most emotionally intelligent?

[Falkuzrules]

Love hearing the part about how side characters can become what we remember, because I solely started rewatching Zack and Cody so that I could see everyone *besides* the twins again. Moseby is truly the main character.

[marlyneadams]

They did him wrong. The one person who always dreamed of finding love ending up with nobody😢

[superdave]

Poor Raj the writers did him dirty. It’s almost like they wanted him to be like “Fez” from that 70s show. But unlike that show Fez won a lot, Raj just ultimately kept loosing all the time. Just sad. 😢

[catspresident]

I actually liked his relationship with Anu. The fact that it was a well-working relationship (and not some overly romantic fairy-tale thing) seemed healthy and just what he needed. There was balance between her matter-of-fact approach to life and his naive and unrealistic romantic way of thinking. I really hate how Howard ruins his friend's chance to happiness for such a stupid reason.

The romance with Lucy also had a very interesting premise. Two broken people, finding comfort in each others flaws, sharing that burden of struggling in social situations. There was lots of room for character grow, relatable stories and interesting experiences there. Instead they choose to make him an insufferable ass towards Lucy. :(

[trinaq]

I wish that they'd let Raj have his own happy ending, since he's the only one of the main seven who isn't in a committed relationship by the end, unless you count Sarah Michelle Gellar. He deserved better than to be used as a walking punchline.