Both Friends and The Big Bang Theory have cemented their place in TV history among some of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. Starring ensemble casts, each show brought laughter, heart, and many memorable moments, following the lives of a close-knit group of friends navigating the ups and downs of everyday life.
Despite their unique storylines and character arcs, there remained a striking resemblance in their finales, as Kunal Nayyar’s Raj and Matt LeBlanc’s Joey found themselves alone at the end of their respective show, something fans still wish had been avoided.
Bittersweet Endings for Raj in The Big Bang Theory and Joey in Friends
Both The Big Bang Theory and Friends follow a group of friends as they navigate their personal and professional lives. However, despite their different tones and character arcs, a particular detail about their ending has remained a topic of discussion.
In both the series, Kunal Nayyar’s Raj and Matt LeBlanc’s Joey, despite their vastly different personalities and approaches to relationships, share a common fate, they end up single by the show’s ending.
In Friends, Joey’s fear of commitment is a central theme that complicates his romantic life. His character development, though consistent, does not lead to a traditional happy ending like his friends.
Raj, also goes through significant growth, overcoming challenges such as his fear of speaking to women and eventually finding hope for a relationship with Anu, after he urges his parents for an arranged marriage.
Despite their individual character arcs and development, both Raj and Joey conclude their respective series without a romantic partner. Joey eventually returns in a less memorable Friends spin-off where he is depicted in a committed relationship but remains unmarried.
As for Nayyar’s character, the producer of the show and the actor himself have addressed the controversial ending, arguing that not every character needs to find love to have a fulfilling conclusion.
Kunal Nayyar on Raj’s Ending in The Big Bang Theory
During a Q&A with the Oxford Union, Kunal Nayyar reflected on his character Raj’s ending in The Big Bang Theory, expressing a perspective different from many fans. He found it poignant and meaningful that Raj, who strongly believed in true love, was the one left without a romantic partner.
It could have been easy that he found someone, but I think it’s something poignant that the one character that believed so much in true love was the one that never found it.
The show’s producer Steve Holland also shared the reason he chose to keep Raj single in an interview with Glamour. “It just felt like we didn’t need to leave everyone in a relationship at the end of the show,” he said, as he explained,
It felt like life was going to go on for these characters. This wasn’t an end for them. There’s more adventures for them to go on, we just weren’t going to see those stories anymore. We didn’t need to tie all these stories up and leave the characters all in a more finite place.
Bill Prady, the creator of the series, also stated that he finds it more meaningful for Raj to continue his search for love rather than wrapping up his story with a neat, happily-ever-after relationship. “I love that we kind of leave the characters where we’ve known them to be,” he said.
However, with the showrunners actively expanding The Big Bang Theory universe with spin-off series, including Young Sheldon and the upcoming Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, fans have been discussing a potential spin-off series following Raj and his subsequent life events.
The Big Bang Theory and Friends are available to stream on Max.
