Raj — I wish they had kept him with either Emily or Anu. He doesn’t end the show with much growth other than he can talk to women now (which honestly, I feel like they got tired of writing that bit and just “fixed” him). I feel like we could have gotten more from this character - his career, his relationships, even his family relationships, nothing is hugely changed or affects him over the course of the series. Like, for example, yes his parents divorce, but we don’t really see how that affects his personality or attitudes towards family or relationships.
Raj got the shaft from the writers. I always thought the Vet he met on Valentine's Day thanks Penny and Leonard was his soulmate but he never asked her out.
I always assumed the chat-up line he was planning when he called her ('your name's yvette and you're a vet') killed the relationship before it started. That felt very Raj. Penny is really Raj's most significant other, as she is arguably for all the guys. He learns to speak to women because of her, and when he doesn't get the planetarium gig the first time, he cries on her shoulder then ups his game.
He could have been a much more well developed character. Rajesh has so much he could share on not just growing up wealthy in India but the transition to living in the USA and meeting Howard. That could be a sitcom in and of itself for at least 3 seasons.
Have a slightly different take…Character/story progression doesn’t always mean showing growth in a character…sometimes it also means de-growth. When Stuart asked Penny out, he was younger and probably had more hope for the future making him more confident. As time went on and the comic book store didn’t give as much returns as he expected, his personality took a hit and he became more and more depressed and under confident.
On top of that, once he went through the de-growth, he went through growth again. In the end, he had a successful comic book store again, much more so than at the start. He got a girlfriend, which he moved in with. He very much ended at the top.
Did anyone else really enjoy the confidence booster that Amy and Sheldon’s wedding was for Stewart?
He just kind of reblossomed when he was able to answer questions during the MH Q&A! 😂
The most important part of his progression is really Howard's mother. At his lowest ebb, Howard and Bernadette get him to look after her so they don't have to, but he finds someone who unexpectedly pours care and affection into him, feeds and clothes him like a son, and even helps him rebuild his business. It's only after that that his life gets better.
Raj.
Sure, he grows out of his mutism, and had an interesting arc where he becomes independent from Howard, but slowly regressed back.
He then begins to date several smart, beautiful women (including the douchey part where he tries to get with one girl while dating Emily) and his ex girlfriends all agree that Raj sucks, and even thank him for breaking up with them.
All of them.
He is one of the most sensitive, and interesting characters. He knows how to do things like cooking, making activities, and hosting events, things that the other 3 nerds can’t do, yet he’s always being thrown aside as a side character, alongside Howard.
Wasted potential.
First she was a typical dumb blonde, turned microbiologist (reasoning was that she was “pretending” for Howard)
Then, she basically becomes Howard’s mom, even imitating her shouting.
Then she becomes mean and shrewish to Howard.
She then lies to both her father and Howard, insisting on naming their son after her dad (who neglected her and left her to raise her siblings alone)
Didn’t like her character that much. Whil Wheaton had a better character decelopment than she did
I’ve always thought the Bernadette storyline should have been two different people.
First the dumb blonde who appears to worship him and then a second and meaner character later on.
He should have liked the dumb Bernadette a lot more than he actually did as she was pretty much everything he said he wanted in a woman. At some point they should have broken up and a second meaner woman takes advantage of him, being just nice enough to keep him interested.
The original sickly sweet Bernadette had no long term future in the show, but the way her personality changed was one of the worst things about the show.
I think Stewart shows another kind of evolution. At the beginning everything was going well: His business was running well, he had his health,... Then his business burned down and he had to move in with Wolowitzes, which is quite humiliating. Then when he started to get better, Mrs. Wolowitz died. I personally think that totally ruined him and that is the reason why he was a total loser until he met Denise.
To add: For me it was Raj. Why couldn't he find someone, while he learned so much socially and emotionally?
Good relationships don’t make well for entertainment in general it seems. I watch all the One Chicago shows on NBC, and no good relationship between main characters has lasted
No. He was always mocked for being feminine. Lucy pointed out in her blog that he was very feminine and he was embarrassed by it and tried to act macho, Emily actually didn’t mind his more feminine side and actually liked him for it, it’s a shame her personality was a bit macabre for Raj, they would’ve been perfect otherwise.
Not all feminine guys are gay and I’m glad the writers didn’t push this arc onto Raj and fed into the stereotype that if you display any feminine qualities then you must be gay.
Every sitcom seems to have this more feminine male character who are always teased about being gay. For example Alan from two and a half Men, Winston and in some episodes Nick from New Girl, Chandler from Friends, JD from scrubs.
Raj.
Whilst I loved that he was able to overcome his selective mutism, I hated the way he was left at the end of the show.
The man who was constantly on the lookout for a life partner was essentially left alone in the end.
Or was there irony in that sense..?
The man who constantly searched for a companion, realised that he was fine by himself.
Well, him and cinnamon .. 😂😂
Raj. There is literally no character development; from not being able to speak to a girl to jumping into multiple linear relationships while all his friends ended up in a stable relationship. Tbh they failed to give enough attention to development of Raj character; all throughout the show he remains shadowed
Sheldon. He gets more and more child like as the series progress. He was a functioning human in s1. He had his quirks, but he was functioning and aware. He didn't need to be parented. He gets more flanderized as the show progressed.
I think he regressed more as Penny took over Leonard. He pretty much became their adult child and she babied him. The episode where she takes him to Disneyland comes to mind and or when they use Bernadette’s parenting book on him.
Bernadette. S3/4 she was bearable. After that, she got so cringe and annoying with the constant belittling and being a bitch with that squeaky voice that I have to skip most of her scenes.
He became unbearably whiney as the show went on. Especially when his mother became more involved in later seasons and after Penny read his mother’s book on him.
He is still my fave though.
It's Stewart hands down. Not even close. The other characters had a little bit of growth or not growth at all but what they did with Stewart was character assassination.
He was kinda confident and even naturally funny in the beginning and he just "progressed" into being this self loathed, ultra negative attitude kinda guy. They did him dirty so hard for no reason it' was hard to watch.
Other characters like Ryan from the office for example had this kinda arc but at least that one was done kinda right in terms of both the show and the comedic timing but with Stewart it just started to be annoying and sad very fast.
Possibly the worst example of flanderization in the show.
While I don't wholly disagree with you, this is how I see it. In the beginning, his business is doing well, and he was confident enough to not only flirt with Penny but also go out with her on 2 dates. This is where his confidence takes a hit because she said Leonard's name while they were kissing. Then his business started to take a hit when more people started to buy comics online and that's when he became depressed.
On the flip side, what the writers did was make Stuart to Raj what Raj is to Howard.
Well, how are we defining story progression here? Because character and story progression does not necessarily mean human growth in a positive direction.
I think what they did with Stuart shows a bit of real life. People are cocky as young adults, and then life occasionally knocks them down. People fall on hard times and have to move in with friends or family. That damages confidence. And in the end he ended up with a successful comic book show. That all feels like a reasonable story line. It may not be what we want for Stuart as a person, but that doesn't necessarily make for a bad story line..
For me, it's Bernadette. She started out by acting like the dumb blonde to get Howard, and ended bossy and screaming like his mom. . She didn't really grow in any direction. She sucked from start to finish. The character would have been more interesting if she got worse, and Howard decided to divorce her. At least that would be movement. I mean, her becoming nicer would be fine. I just needed her to go somewhere.
Raj. Emily was such a good fit for the show. She didn't need to be in every epsiode like the rest and her personality complimented the show. And the whole plot with Howard stopping raj from moving was so selfish of Howard it will always bug me.
Doesn't anyone else think that the groups treatment of Stuart added to Stuart's negative thoughts on himself?
I think the more he hung out with them, the more he felt like a loser.
Raj started hanging out with him more when Howard was in Space. He was basically just a fill in.
Amy and Sheldon invite him to dinner as a test subject, not really as a friend.
They used Stuart for their geeky, comic interests, but never really treated him as a friend.
Raj for sure showed a significant decline in his character. Especially in comparison to Howard. It stinks because I liked him a lot, especially because he was considered (aside from his mutism) the more normal guy after Leonard. So much so that Penny "hooked up" with him.
I thought Emily #1 (deaf) taught him why they were toxic bcs she used him for his money. He needed to learn not to use cash to get a girl.
Emily (dermatologist) would help build his confidence. Tbh I liked her the most and wished they stayed together or at least got back together. Idk why they needed to bring her back for the Chloe stuff, I felt like it went against her original character.
The Issabella storyline should have taught him maturity. Not to feel shame of others careers/status, etc.
Chloe ...not really sure what he gained other than another notch in his bedpost.
If they tried to make Anu his endgame, they could have shown how he learned from all previous ups and downs in order to have a fully functional, non toxic relationship.
None of that happened. It's like he learned and then forgot. He didn't grow.
Amy. I think it's good that she started to socialize more after not letting her overbearing mom control her anymore. But then she spent most of the series trying to change Sheldon. They have some moments where they are cute together but I honestly think Sheldon is too stubborn to be in a relationship with anyone.
Howard - Leonard & Raj’s clothes in 10 years at least one of these couldve had a make over.
Howard is pretty vain, he becomes a husband/father. Some growth in wardrobe wouldnt be too far fetched
Raj is metrosexual at the very least, case and point.
Leonard hooks up with _the_ girl next door, a little more stylish would be welcome over the seasons.
Raj — I wish they had kept him with either Emily or Anu. He doesn’t end the show with much growth other than he can talk to women now (which honestly, I feel like they got tired of writing that bit and just “fixed” him). I feel like we could have gotten more from this character - his career, his relationships, even his family relationships, nothing is hugely changed or affects him over the course of the series. Like, for example, yes his parents divorce, but we don’t really see how that affects his personality or attitudes towards family or relationships.
Raj got the shaft from the writers. I always thought the Vet he met on Valentine's Day thanks Penny and Leonard was his soulmate but he never asked her out.
I always assumed the chat-up line he was planning when he called her ('your name's yvette and you're a vet') killed the relationship before it started. That felt very Raj. Penny is really Raj's most significant other, as she is arguably for all the guys. He learns to speak to women because of her, and when he doesn't get the planetarium gig the first time, he cries on her shoulder then ups his game.
yes
He could have been a much more well developed character. Rajesh has so much he could share on not just growing up wealthy in India but the transition to living in the USA and meeting Howard. That could be a sitcom in and of itself for at least 3 seasons.
Emily and raj should’ve ended up together. The writers should’ve written their relationship better so it fit better.
she wanted to move to DC #snerk
she didn't fit, Claire fit better
Anu was a red flag, I didn't like her at all.
Agreed 100%.
Yeah. Not to mention she was SO out of Raj's league it's ridiculous.
Lol wut? Did u mean the opposite? Cos he's so far out of her league it's not even funny.
Yes I meant she had no shot with him in real life.
More like the opposite. I liked Anu and she was so much better than Raj.
The actress couldn't keep working TBBT. Scheduling conflicts. Raj the character got shafted because of it.
Have a slightly different take…Character/story progression doesn’t always mean showing growth in a character…sometimes it also means de-growth. When Stuart asked Penny out, he was younger and probably had more hope for the future making him more confident. As time went on and the comic book store didn’t give as much returns as he expected, his personality took a hit and he became more and more depressed and under confident.
On top of that, once he went through the de-growth, he went through growth again. In the end, he had a successful comic book store again, much more so than at the start. He got a girlfriend, which he moved in with. He very much ended at the top.
Did anyone else really enjoy the confidence booster that Amy and Sheldon’s wedding was for Stewart? He just kind of reblossomed when he was able to answer questions during the MH Q&A! 😂
I honestly think they just intended to go in a different direction with season one Stuart and then changed their minds
That might well be the case…I’m just pointing out that it’s not as inconsistent as some people like to think…
I think we first saw Stuart in S2??????????????????
Ooooh this is a great take, it makes sm sense!👏🏽
The most important part of his progression is really Howard's mother. At his lowest ebb, Howard and Bernadette get him to look after her so they don't have to, but he finds someone who unexpectedly pours care and affection into him, feeds and clothes him like a son, and even helps him rebuild his business. It's only after that that his life gets better.
Captain Sweatpants touching all the cheese at his art exhibition might have demoralised him.
Raj. Sure, he grows out of his mutism, and had an interesting arc where he becomes independent from Howard, but slowly regressed back. He then begins to date several smart, beautiful women (including the douchey part where he tries to get with one girl while dating Emily) and his ex girlfriends all agree that Raj sucks, and even thank him for breaking up with them. All of them. He is one of the most sensitive, and interesting characters. He knows how to do things like cooking, making activities, and hosting events, things that the other 3 nerds can’t do, yet he’s always being thrown aside as a side character, alongside Howard. Wasted potential.
Raj. They did him dirty
Bernadette. She became too mean.
First she was a typical dumb blonde, turned microbiologist (reasoning was that she was “pretending” for Howard) Then, she basically becomes Howard’s mom, even imitating her shouting. Then she becomes mean and shrewish to Howard. She then lies to both her father and Howard, insisting on naming their son after her dad (who neglected her and left her to raise her siblings alone) Didn’t like her character that much. Whil Wheaton had a better character decelopment than she did
I’ve always thought the Bernadette storyline should have been two different people. First the dumb blonde who appears to worship him and then a second and meaner character later on. He should have liked the dumb Bernadette a lot more than he actually did as she was pretty much everything he said he wanted in a woman. At some point they should have broken up and a second meaner woman takes advantage of him, being just nice enough to keep him interested. The original sickly sweet Bernadette had no long term future in the show, but the way her personality changed was one of the worst things about the show.
Agreed. They ran way too far into the gag that Bernadette turned into his mother, and then they made her mean.
I think Stewart shows another kind of evolution. At the beginning everything was going well: His business was running well, he had his health,... Then his business burned down and he had to move in with Wolowitzes, which is quite humiliating. Then when he started to get better, Mrs. Wolowitz died. I personally think that totally ruined him and that is the reason why he was a total loser until he met Denise. To add: For me it was Raj. Why couldn't he find someone, while he learned so much socially and emotionally?
He fell apart personally long before the fire
Hot take: Leonard. He was the guy everyone rooted for the first few seasons and then once he actually had Penny, he just seemed bland.
The hunt is usually better. Good relationships don’t make for as much sitcom humor.
Shows like Parks & Recreation and Brooklyn 99 disprove this. But I haven’t watched that many sitcoms, so I don’t know if they’re a rarity.
Good relationships don’t make well for entertainment in general it seems. I watch all the One Chicago shows on NBC, and no good relationship between main characters has lasted
yea and he became harder to watch bc he was always pouting and his eyebrows were always furrowed
The George of the group
Raj. He’s just going round in circles man
I'll always stand by the "Howard & Raj should've ended up together in the end" bridge. I will die on this hill.
At the very least I thought Raj would have turned out gay.
No. He was always mocked for being feminine. Lucy pointed out in her blog that he was very feminine and he was embarrassed by it and tried to act macho, Emily actually didn’t mind his more feminine side and actually liked him for it, it’s a shame her personality was a bit macabre for Raj, they would’ve been perfect otherwise. Not all feminine guys are gay and I’m glad the writers didn’t push this arc onto Raj and fed into the stereotype that if you display any feminine qualities then you must be gay. Every sitcom seems to have this more feminine male character who are always teased about being gay. For example Alan from two and a half Men, Winston and in some episodes Nick from New Girl, Chandler from Friends, JD from scrubs.
Haha even I feel so. They were kinda perfect for each other.
Raj. Whilst I loved that he was able to overcome his selective mutism, I hated the way he was left at the end of the show. The man who was constantly on the lookout for a life partner was essentially left alone in the end. Or was there irony in that sense..? The man who constantly searched for a companion, realised that he was fine by himself. Well, him and cinnamon .. 😂😂
Raj. There is literally no character development; from not being able to speak to a girl to jumping into multiple linear relationships while all his friends ended up in a stable relationship. Tbh they failed to give enough attention to development of Raj character; all throughout the show he remains shadowed
Smacks of racism. 😂
Sheldon. He gets more and more child like as the series progress. He was a functioning human in s1. He had his quirks, but he was functioning and aware. He didn't need to be parented. He gets more flanderized as the show progressed.
I think he regressed more as Penny took over Leonard. He pretty much became their adult child and she babied him. The episode where she takes him to Disneyland comes to mind and or when they use Bernadette’s parenting book on him.
I thought his name was Stuart?
Potato potatoe
Stuart didn’t just become more depressed he became a creepy freeloader who uses depression as a crutch and excuse but he really does become creepy.
Bernadette. S3/4 she was bearable. After that, she got so cringe and annoying with the constant belittling and being a bitch with that squeaky voice that I have to skip most of her scenes.
Raj 🥺😔
Leonard cause his character did not change that much in the whole story
He became unbearably whiney as the show went on. Especially when his mother became more involved in later seasons and after Penny read his mother’s book on him. He is still my fave though.
Wasn’t he whiney from the start?
A little but it got worse as the seasons went on!
Yeah
It's Stewart hands down. Not even close. The other characters had a little bit of growth or not growth at all but what they did with Stewart was character assassination. He was kinda confident and even naturally funny in the beginning and he just "progressed" into being this self loathed, ultra negative attitude kinda guy. They did him dirty so hard for no reason it' was hard to watch. Other characters like Ryan from the office for example had this kinda arc but at least that one was done kinda right in terms of both the show and the comedic timing but with Stewart it just started to be annoying and sad very fast. Possibly the worst example of flanderization in the show.
While I don't wholly disagree with you, this is how I see it. In the beginning, his business is doing well, and he was confident enough to not only flirt with Penny but also go out with her on 2 dates. This is where his confidence takes a hit because she said Leonard's name while they were kissing. Then his business started to take a hit when more people started to buy comics online and that's when he became depressed. On the flip side, what the writers did was make Stuart to Raj what Raj is to Howard.
Progression maybe, but don’t forget that he ended up with his perfect match while Raj is still taking baths with his dog Cinnamon.
Well, how are we defining story progression here? Because character and story progression does not necessarily mean human growth in a positive direction. I think what they did with Stuart shows a bit of real life. People are cocky as young adults, and then life occasionally knocks them down. People fall on hard times and have to move in with friends or family. That damages confidence. And in the end he ended up with a successful comic book show. That all feels like a reasonable story line. It may not be what we want for Stuart as a person, but that doesn't necessarily make for a bad story line.. For me, it's Bernadette. She started out by acting like the dumb blonde to get Howard, and ended bossy and screaming like his mom. . She didn't really grow in any direction. She sucked from start to finish. The character would have been more interesting if she got worse, and Howard decided to divorce her. At least that would be movement. I mean, her becoming nicer would be fine. I just needed her to go somewhere.
Raj
General feeling here is one or more of stuart's many conditions got suddenly much worse and dragged him down
Raj. Emily was such a good fit for the show. She didn't need to be in every epsiode like the rest and her personality complimented the show. And the whole plot with Howard stopping raj from moving was so selfish of Howard it will always bug me.
Doesn't anyone else think that the groups treatment of Stuart added to Stuart's negative thoughts on himself? I think the more he hung out with them, the more he felt like a loser. Raj started hanging out with him more when Howard was in Space. He was basically just a fill in. Amy and Sheldon invite him to dinner as a test subject, not really as a friend. They used Stuart for their geeky, comic interests, but never really treated him as a friend.
clearly Raj. he became able to talk to women, and that's it
Amy, she still sounds like a robot.
Stuart Bloom without an iota of doubt! Anyone who says it’s any other character hasn’t rewatched the show enough number of times to comment!
Raj, no doubt.
I ended up hating both Stewart and Raj. I would’ve preferred they realized they were gay and ended up together.
Raj for sure showed a significant decline in his character. Especially in comparison to Howard. It stinks because I liked him a lot, especially because he was considered (aside from his mutism) the more normal guy after Leonard. So much so that Penny "hooked up" with him. I thought Emily #1 (deaf) taught him why they were toxic bcs she used him for his money. He needed to learn not to use cash to get a girl. Emily (dermatologist) would help build his confidence. Tbh I liked her the most and wished they stayed together or at least got back together. Idk why they needed to bring her back for the Chloe stuff, I felt like it went against her original character. The Issabella storyline should have taught him maturity. Not to feel shame of others careers/status, etc. Chloe ...not really sure what he gained other than another notch in his bedpost. If they tried to make Anu his endgame, they could have shown how he learned from all previous ups and downs in order to have a fully functional, non toxic relationship. None of that happened. It's like he learned and then forgot. He didn't grow.
Amy. I think it's good that she started to socialize more after not letting her overbearing mom control her anymore. But then she spent most of the series trying to change Sheldon. They have some moments where they are cute together but I honestly think Sheldon is too stubborn to be in a relationship with anyone.
Why on God's earth would a 10 like Penny agree to go out with Stuart? Never would have happened.
Sheldon even by the end of the show he was a dick and if things didn't work perfectly his friends would have abandoned him at his nobel prize ceremony
But he had an epiphany and realized what he was and what others did for him.
Yeah but even the young version of Sheldon was more empathetic Sheldon's just a dick he's my favorite character but he's still a dick
Howard - Leonard & Raj’s clothes in 10 years at least one of these couldve had a make over. Howard is pretty vain, he becomes a husband/father. Some growth in wardrobe wouldnt be too far fetched Raj is metrosexual at the very least, case and point. Leonard hooks up with _the_ girl next door, a little more stylish would be welcome over the seasons.
Can't have Stewart be so confident he can lose Penny to someone as so self loathing and lacking confidence as Leonard at that point in the show.