‘The Big Bang Theory’ follows a group of nerdy-genius friends, but they can be really competitive sometimes. If it weren’t for Raj, the TBBT gang of friends would’ve broken up in season 7!
What’s not to love about the TBBT gang? Sheldon Cooper, Leonard Hofstadter, Howard Wolowitz, and Rajesh Koothrappali are best-friends and bring so much laughter to fans. They’re always finding ways to poke fun at each other, but it’s all in good faith.
Highlights —
- Raj just wanted the TBBT gang to hang out!
- From the beginning, Raj was considerate of everyone’s feelings
- How Raj saved the gang from breaking up!
The sitcom aired 12 incredibly successful seasons that catered to fans’ dramedy needs. The group of friends, and later their better-halves always kept the story going. TBBT is a much-loved sitcom because of its characters, but fans don’t realize they’re flawed too.
We’re going to particularly place emphasis on how competitive the friends are, especially when it comes to winning. Sheldon Cooper has always been a winner in that area, he’s unintentionally arrogant and usually has conflicting opinions. Their individual, competitive visions often clash with each other, and one such instance occurred in season 7.
Remember ‘The Scavenger Vortex’ episode, when Raj created the most enjoyable Scavenger Hunt ever? If he wasn’t considerate of his friends as they entered a tough, competitive game like that, the TBBT gang would’ve broken up. Keep reading as we elaborate on this point!
Raj just wanted the TBBT gang to hang out!
Most TBBT fans don’t realize that Rajesh Koothrappali is the real glue that holds the group together. He has done so on more than one occasion, although we’re to discuss his Scavenger Hunt from season 7 in detail. When the gang blows off Raj’s mysterious dinner, he unites them in the only way he can: a scavenger hunt.
His unusual team pairings led to many light-hearted moments. For instance: Amy and Howard’s newfound friendship where they bond over Neil Diamond. Howard’s girlfriend Bernadette usually takes up most of his time, and Amy hangs out with the girls and Sheldon. This was the first time that Amy and Howard hung out together, and truly enjoyed each other’s company.
Bernadette became ultra-competitive, and although Leonard recognizes this, he is constantly worried about Penny. While choosing partners, Leonard blatantly disregarded participating in the scavenger hunt with her because she’d be a liability. Penny, on the other hand, is a lot more street-smart than her friends think! Sheldon and she made quite the team, although the competitiveness of it all ruined the fun.
From the beginning, Raj was considerate of everyone’s feelings
Fans were shocked to discover that Sheldon wasn’t his usual competitive self here. For instance, when a task was to complete a puzzle, Penny haphazardly found a clue and wanted to rush! Sheldon, on the contrary, wanted to finish the puzzle and take every clue as it came.
When Leonard, Bernadette, and Penny finally make it to the last leg of the scavenger hunt, they’re disappointed.
Not only do they struggle with finding the gold coin (the mark of a victor) on the couch, but Raj tells them otherwise! He asks them to check their pockets, and all the friends retrieve a gold coin. Raj makes a point that they’re all winners and were just having fun together.
Raj informs them about having a coin on himself, which means he is a winner too! His friends, though, are furious. They refuse to understand that all Raj wanted was for the TBBT gang to hang out. There was no room for any competition in the first place, and they didn’t even realize they had coins all along.
How Raj saved the gang from breaking up!
Raj knows his friends better than he gets credit for. They’re cut-throat when it comes to winning and are likely to argue in order to win. His friends can’t understand the concept of a competition without a winner, and Raj knows that better than anyone.
Although his ability to sneak a coin into their pockets without them noticing is debatable, Raj was being merely considerate. He wanted the TBBT gang to engage in a fun group activity and bond with each other, something they really needed. After the fifth season, TBBT heavily focused on the romantic relationships in the show so fans understand Raj’s intentions.
Bernadette, Penny, and Leonard were furious on discovering there would be no winner and chased Raj out of the apartment. Instead of recognizing that the scavenger hunt was meant to be fun, they let their competitive demeanour get the worst of it. The only good thing that came out of this was the newfound friendship between Howard and Amy! If only the others had thought of it in the same way. Do you believe the TBBT gang would’ve broken up if it wasn’t for Raj? Let us know in the comments!
