The Big Bang Theory: Why Alessandra Torresani's Claire Really Broke Up With Raj

Raj Koothrappali (Kunal Nayyar) seems to be anything but a ladies' man — at least when compared to his fellow scientists and best friends, all of whom end up in steady, happy marriages during the course of "The Big Bang Theory." Raj is an outlier to the group with his shy reluctance around women (except when drunk). He never seemed to be the sort of guy to string two gals along at the same time — until Season 9 of "The Big Bang Theory," where he dates both Emily Sweeney (Laura Spencer) and bartender and wannabe screenwriter Claire (Alessandra Torresani) at the same time. His indecisiveness results in him being double-dumped and both of his girlfriends leaving his orbit. 

During Season 10's "The Emotion Detection Automation," Claire explicitly explains the reason for their split during the gap between Season 9 and 10. Aside from the fact that Raj was also dating Emily at the time, she also finds his clinginess insufferable. His vanity also plays a big part in why she chooses to leave the relationship. Yet, she later explains to Raj that she's glad they spent time together. It seems that being with him showed her what she doesn't want in a relationship — and now she has a boyfriend with whom she's much more compatible. That proves to be true for Emily and all the other women he consults.

Even though Raj deliberately calls Emily, Claire, and two of his other previous girlfriends together to help him figure out why his relationships keep going awry, hearing all of this definitely stings a little. Especially because things with Claire had begun in such a promising fashion.

Raj claims that he chose to leave both of his girlfriends In the wake of the double breakup. But it's clear that he and Claire definitely had a nice thing going, at least in the beginning. 

Raj meets Claire when he's fresh off his breakup with Emily during Season 9. Claire has just broken up with her boyfriend and is reluctant to jump into a new commitment. Unfortunately, Raj's choice to split from Emily just before Valentine's Day proves to be a real turn-off for Claire. Upon learning this, she temporarily goes back to her ex-boyfriend.

Yet, Raj and Claire manage to forge a brief relationship, and they date after she splits with her boyfriend again. Raj tries dating both Emily and Claire at the same time throughout Season 9, but neither is very comfortable with sharing Raj. Claire makes that clear in the episode "The Wine Tasting Bifurcation," and his friends' awkward reactions to the situation makes thing worse. In the end, Raj announces that he's a free agent during Season 10, having broken up with both women off-screen.

Raj is left with the realization that he's got some serious personality flaws going on — but if he's willing to work on himself, he might yet find true love. It's definitely not the most flattering thing that's ever happened to Raj, but at least his presence helped improve the lives of his exes — Claire included — even if they didn't end up together.