The Big Bang Theory: Why The Actor Who Played Raj Isn't Ready For A Spin-Off
Few sitcoms can boast the kind of success that "The Big Bang Theory" has experienced. As if 12 seasons weren't enough to demonstrate the popularity of the hit sitcom, the spin-off series, "Young Sheldon," has already had six seasons of its own, with a seventh on the way soon.
However, that doesn't mean that every cast member of the series is ready to have their own spin-off. Kunal Nayyar, who played Raj across all 12 seasons of "The Big Bang Theory," told TV Line that he was a little shaky on the prospect. "To be honest, it feels a little too soon," he said. "Can you do a [revival] only four years after your show ends? That's not a reunion show; that's just another season," Nayyar mused. "If [the spinoff] were to happen, we'll see what the universe says," he teased.
The proposed spin-off is being planned as an original series for Max and is set to be developed by Chuck Lorre, who previously worked on "The Big Bang Theory" and "Two and a Half Men." Still, despite this knowledge being available for nearly a year, few other details about the upcoming Raj-based series are known publicly.
Nayyar doesn't want the series to feel like a cheap cash-in
Either way, Kunal Nayyar remains cagey about the prospect of bringing his "The Big Bang Theory" character back for more. He stated that "unless there was a creative reason to do it — a wonderfully, wonderfully creative reason to do it — then the only reason [to do it] is economics, and that's not good enough."
As for the sparse details, it turns out that Nayyar himself has little more information on the planned Raj spin-off than anyone else. "To be honest, I have not heard anything about this other than what the media has spun out," he admitted. While that may seem like very little movement for a project like this in 10 months, the development was likely affected by the SAG-AFTRA and Writer's Guild strikes of 2023.
While fans of "The Big Bang Theory" and "Young Sheldon" may be itching for more of their favorite characters, the fact that the upcoming series is still gestating is likely good news. After all, even the most ardent devotees of the hit sitcom would probably rather wait for a series of a higher quality than get a quicker turnaround for a more lackluster effort.