Big Bang Theory Writers Won't Stop Screwing Raj Up, And New Scandal Makes It Worse
Over the course of 12 seasons, fans of the sitcom had their own favorites and outcasts, but the development (or rather stagnation) of this character disappointed and even offended the viewers.
The Big Bang Theory found millions of fans, and each of the main characters received its own share of applause.
Strangely enough, it was Raj Koothrappali who left us with the most questions. For several seasons, fans have been wondering just what his problem was.
At first, his shyness and muteness were intensively played out, then the arrogance and slight inadequacy occasionally appeared, and then Raj suddenly became glamorous and sentimental.
However, the character's lack of development has taken a backseat since Netflix received a legal notice over one of Raj's phrases in the second season, which Indian political analyst Mithun Vijay Kumar found extremely offensive.
In the episode The Bad Fish Paradigm, Sheldon and Raj, the ethnic Indian himself, are discussing Bollywood actresses. During the discussion, Raj says: "Aishwarya Rai is a goddess, by comparison, Madhuri Dixit is a leprous prostitute."
The phrase caused a wave of discontent among ordinary viewers and Indian stars, who criticized the actor for even agreeing to say the controversial line.
Now it's not just about bad writing complaints (which are pretty frequent in The Big Bang Theory fandom), but rather about a possibility to get canceled.
According to fans, the show's writers should really change their approach to the character, and the new scandal is yet another sign to do that.
This is not the first time that Raj has been in hot water, as fans have long complained that the writers mistreat him. In fact, the sitcom's questionable humor has already attracted unnecessary attention far more than once.
Besides, fans agree that Raj's behavior does not match either his appearance or his position.
Raj is a genius, successful in his career, handsome and rich. With all this in mind, it is hard to believe that Raj cannot even talk to women, not just for a few jokes in one of the episodes, but as one of the main characteristics of the character throughout almost the entire series.
"Meanwhile all his (objectively less desirable) friends are moving on, getting engaged and married, and he's still poor ol' pathetic Raj begging for crumbs from the few girls who do sleep with him," Reddit user Konichiwa123 said.
Many agree that while the rest of the characters evolved and changed, Raj remained so inconsistent that at some point it just became annoying.
"They just kept prolonging the "Raj is a total loser" shtick in spite of everything he has going for him, all the while allowing his (arguably more awkward) friends to grow and develop," Reddit user Konichiwa123 added.
Well, now Raj's character is not just pathetic and loser-ish, but also rude and offensive.
According to fans, this situation shows how cultural and social realities have changed since the sitcom's release, and how iconic series such as The Big Bang Theory and The Office can be perceived in a completely different way in modern times.
Considering that this is not the first scandal associated with the sitcom, and that some scenes have already been cut due to offensive subtext, fans are wondering what the consequences will be for The Big Bang Theory today.