is under fire after Netflix received legal notice about one of its episodes. Almost four years since CBS' mega-hit sitcom wrapped up its 12-season run, it finds itself in the middle of a new controversy. The issue stems from an alleged line from season 2. While the show has long been criticized for its problematic sense of humor, the discourse surrounding the matter is more complex than how it looks like.
Premiering in 2007, thanks to its unique premise that mixed the traditional ensemble peer sitcom with science and geek culture. While it was a ratings winner for CBS, it was hardly a critical success, with critics citing issues with its brand of comedy. In any case, got so popular that the network was willing to continue paying the main cast's high salary (reportedly $1 million/episode) if it meant that it will continue to be on the air. However, this popularity did not mean the show was free from controversy, as evidenced by a recent backlash.
While staged a satisfying send-off to the Pasadena gang, it wasn't enough to make up for its years of problematic storytelling. In March 2022, Indian analyst Mithun Vijay Kumar shared that he sent a that includes a joke about Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit. The episode in question is fromseason 2 titled "The Bad Fish Paradigm." In it, Raj, played by Kunal Nayyar says: "." In his request, Kumar is asking Netflix to remove the said episode from the streaming platform's catalog.
Neither Netflix nor anyone who worked on has commented on the matter. That being said, the matter has become a big talking point in India with several Bollywood stars supporting Kumar. Some of them even have very harsh words for both and Kunal Nayyar, who played Indian-native Raj in the show. Meanwhile, media baron, thinker, author, and producer Pritish Nandy defended both parties, saying that it wasn't a reflection of Nayyar's thoughts. Instead, it's the opinion of a fictional character, which is Raj.
Despite being off the air for years now, continues to be very popular. That's primarily because of its availability on various streaming platforms around the world, not to mention the constant re-runs on broadcast television. However, this also means that anyone can easily access the show and be more discerning of it more than a decade since it premiered. So, although some of the questionable jokes got better in its final years, issues like this one from 's earlier seasons are simply inevitable.
