Kunal Nayyar Explains Why Raj Had To Be Single In The Big Bang Theory Finale

Although most sitcoms end with the characters pairing off to live happily ever after, there's usually at least one member of the group who's still single. In "Friends," there was Joey (Matt LeBlanc), left alone presumably so he would be more interesting in his upcoming spinoff. In "How I Met Your Mother," there was Barney (Neil Patrick Harris), whose marriage controversially fell apart over the span of about three minutes' worth of screentime. (Fans still haven't forgiven the "HIMYM" writers for that.)

For "The Big Bang Theory," there was Raj (Kunal Nayyar). On a show filled with socially incompetent guys who still manage to convince a woman to marry them, Raj is the lone man out. It's an outcome some fans found disappointing. There's a long-running fan sentiment that the show never quite knew what to do with Raj (who wasn't even part of the show in its original pilot), and his lack of a happy ending seems like more proof of that. 

But Nayyar himself has spoken about the decision to keep Raj single, and he's got an optimistic take on it. In Jessica Radloff's book "The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive Insider Story Of The Epic Hit Series," Nayyar explained:

"I thought it was very astute that the one person who wanted love so badly realizes maybe he needs to love himself first. It doesn't have to come through someone else, and that's a very lovely way to end a character's storyline. He grew so much in those last few seasons as a character, and you saw him become less and less dependent on all the things he thought he needed, which is very beautiful."

Some of the more cynical fans may argue that this is all just cope from Nayyar, but I'm on his side here. Raj, more than any of the other guys in the main "Big Bang Theory" cast, is someone who could benefit a lot from taking an extra year or two before finding his special someone. This is a guy who was incapable of talking to women (without the influence of alcohol, at least) until season 6. 

He's also someone whose rich parents have paid for nearly everything in his life, with Raj only really becoming financially independent in the later seasons, long after he's become well-established in his field. The result is that it's not until the final two seasons that Raj is able to blossom into his own full man; it's probably best to let him enjoy his confidence and independence for an extra year or two before settling down. 

This is gonna sound weird, but Raj reminds me a little of Joan from "Mad Men," in that both characters spend a long time looking for love only to realize it's not what they need. Just as Sheldon somehow manages to find a wife before Raj does (a seemingly impossible feat from the perspective of anyone still getting through the first few seasons), Joan's marital ambitions are somehow beaten to the punch by Peggy in the series finale. This is an outcome that would've horrified season 1 Joan, but season 7 Joan has decided to value her independence over traditional marriage. She still believes in love, but she no longer needs it to make her happy. 

This might be the first time anyone's ever talked about Raj Koothrappali and Joan Holloway in the same sentence, and it might also be the last. But when it comes to imparting to viewers the lesson that marriage is not always the most important thing in life, they're two peas in a pod.