Highlights

The Big Bang Theory faced criticism for a discriminatory scene, which was not addressed until 2023, and Indian critics have targeted Netflix and the actor involved.Despite some plot holes and controversies, The Big Bang Theory earned rave reviews for its accurate science, nerdy humor, and character development.The problematic episode that sparked the discrimination complaint has not been removed from Netflix, and it is unlikely that any streaming or production company will take action to censor it.

With so many people tuning in to watch, stream, and re-watch , the show has received tons of attention ever since it began airing in 2007.

In general, the show is beloved, though there have been some criticisms over the years.

One of the most significant complaints was that of the show being discriminatory, but that complaint seemingly didn't arise until 2023. At this point, doesn't seem interested in taking responsibility for the perceived slight against women in one of 's episodes, but the company and the actor behind the lines are being dragged by Indian critics.

A Lawsuit Alleged Netflix Of Discrimination Thanks To 'The Big Bang Theory'

was a massive hit with audiences all over the world, so much so that . Through its twelve seasons, the show earned rave reviews for its mostly correct science, nerdy puns, and impressive character development.

That's not to say everything was perfect, of course. There were some plot holes, such as , and a bit of controversy on set when .

But overall, the show checked all the boxes. Yet later, it would come out that a specific scene was judged as being not only in poor taste but also defamatory.

During season two's first episode, "The Bad Fish Paradigm," a conversation between Raj and Sheldon was initially glossed over.

In a conversation, Sheldon says that Aishwarya Rai, an Indian actress, is a 'poor man's' Madhuri Dixit.

Raj, defending Aishwarya Rai, says that in comparison, Madhuri Dixit is a "leprous prostitute." The comedic element of the episode is the fact that Raj gets upset with Sheldon and ditches him at Howard's house.

When the episode aired, there might have been discontent over those lines, but nothing much came of it. It wasn't until 2023 that alleging that the show was "promoting discrimination against women"—15 years after the episode aired, and four years after the series ended.

Netflix Completely Denied Responsibility For The 'The Big Bang Theory' Scene

regarding the defamatory episode by a representative of one of India's leading political parties; the notice was specifically sent to Netflix Mumbai by Mithun Vijay Kumar. The document apparently requested that Netflix remove the episode, or face legal action.

Given that Netflix only hosts (well, ) the show and did not produce it, Netflix apparently was not interested in engaging with the notice. Instead, they directed the political group to Warner Bros, which produced

.

Mithun Vijay Kumar stated that Netflix Mumbai had "informed the original producers of the show regarding the gravity of the issue." Kunal Nayyar was also criticized by another political party for his comments, with Jaya Bachchan saying he should be "sent to mental asylum" for his character's lines.

The Problematic Episode Was Not Removed From Netflix

It doesn't appear that the episode "The Bad Fish Paradigm" was removed from streaming services due to the complaint, or that CBS ever edited it out or addressed any complaints.

Because the complaint arose in 2023, however, it's possible a statement could be forthcoming. But viewers think there was even more to pick apart in the episode, specifically the fact that a show Raj and Sheldon were watching featured a different actress than the ones named in the series.

Raj and Sheldon were apparently watching , a show led by Ameesha Patel. Then, they even incorrectly refer to the lead actress as Aishwarya Rai. The conversation that drags Madhuri Dixit was an added insult on top of the show appearing to use the Indian show and the argument with Sheldon as a way to build up Raj's character and his 'Indianness.

'

This came after questions about Raj's on-screen accent; , and eventually wrote a book to hopefully stop the questions.

Altogether, it seems that could have been more sensitive with its intercultural content—specifically putting as much effort into the cultural side of things as it did science.

Is 'The Big Bang Theory' Still On Netflix?

Although the show has a listing on Netflix in Great Britain, according to the streamer, is "" for viewers in the United States.

What's more, , so it's unlikely Netflix in the US will get the show back.

Either way, it doesn't seem as if any streamer or production company is inclined to change , and may simply ignore the calls for censoring the perceived problematic episode.