It’s weird to think that there are any TV characters that disappeared without any explanation. The truth of it is that there are a lot of them. It would be nice to be given some closure, but some characters aren’t big enough to even be given that. What about the bigger characters though? The writers must think that we won’t notice. I think they underestimate us. Here are nine TV characters that disappeared without any explanation.
1 Erica Hahn
Dr. Hahn’s last scene of “Grey’s Anatomy” shows her walking to her car never to be seen again. There isn’t a big goodbye. There isn’t even a little goodbye. What’s weird (and different than many of the TV characters that disappeared) is that she was a main character for quite some time. She may not have been everyone’s favorite, but she was part of some big story lines. Viewers were left to assume that this episode where she walks to her car was her last episode. Other than reading it somewhere or seeing it on an interview, there was really no signal to tell you that was it. They never even gave us a reason to why she left.
2 Stuart Minkus
Here's a big “Boy Meets World” offender. This one deserved its own spot on my list because it’s so bad that even the show made fun of it. Minkus was a recurring character, not just some background person we saw every so often, but out of nowhere he just disappeared. When Cory and the rest of his friends are graduating from high school Minkus showed up again and explained that he spent the rest of his school days on the other side of a hallway (one that was never seen on the show). He also mentions that he was there with a few teachers that had disappeared too. At least “BMW” had a sense of humor about it!
Laurie was never really a main character on “That '70s Show,” but she was recognizable. She was the main character of a few episodes, but never really was one of the steady main characters. Eventually she was slowly faded out of the show and then written out completely without any real explanation. Nobody seems to remember when exactly she left, just that she did. The writers must have realized that she wasn’t that big of a deal, because it seems that the fans never really missed her.
4 The Woodcocks
This one drive me crazy! “’Til Death” is another one of the worst offenders of getting rid of and replacing characters without any explanation. That probably has something to do with the fact that the show didn’t do very well. The Woodcocks were two out of four the main character when the show started and then without any explanation, they were gone. There was no explanation and not even a mention of them, until later when another character has a theory that they’re actually living on a TV set. He says that it’s weird that people in their lives keep disappearing and mentions the Woodcocks on this list. A “we’re moving!” episode would have been nice!
5 Chuck Cunningham
Chuck is a character that disappeared pretty quickly from “Happy Days.” He was originally supposed to be Ritchie and Joanie’s older brother, but soon was left behind, never to be heard about again. After his disappearance, they quickly changed from talking about three Cunningham children to only having two. Where did Chuck go? Nobody will ever know. I guess the writers realized there really wasn’t any need for him on the show. I guess we’ll never know what he would have added.
6 Max from the Max
Max from “Saved by the Bell” didn’t seem to exist outside of his restaurant The Max. Maybe that’s why he was able to disappear almost under the radar. Some people did notice that he was gone, but most didn’t seem to notice because he wasn’t a main character. I think I remember him leaving, coming back, and then leaving again without any explanation. I never thought to question it because to be honest, it didn’t matter to any story line.
7 Cousin Oliver
The term Cousin Oliver Syndrome has been developed for this character specifically. This term doesn’t refer to people disappearing, but to children characters being added for what seems like no reason. So, not only did Oliver show up out of the blue on the show, but he also left for no reason. I guess when the writers heard that the audience didn’t really like Oliver, they decided to get rid of him – no explanation needed.
8 Judy Winslow
I never really watched “Family Matters,” but I needed to refresh my memory on missing characters so I asked around. Apparently Judy Winslow was one of the younger children in “Family Matters” and people remember her being in a few episodes and then never being seen again. It seems not to have affected the show and none of the shows fans seemed to care too much, but it does raise the question as to why they even created her character in the first place.
9 Stacy and Nebula
“Boy Meets World” is the biggest offender of making characters disappear and never talking about it. When talking to “BMW” fans, a few of these cases stand out over others. I’m not sure why but Stacy and Nebula are two of those characters that stand out. Stacey was only mentioned in one episode as Shawn’s sister and Nebula was only seen in one episode as Topanga’s sister, but for some reason the fans still recognized them as never returning.
10 Professor Slater
On “Community,” Professor Slater was a pretty Stats teacher whom Jeff fell for and later dated exclusively despite the prof’s reluctance to date a student. Interestingly, Jeff hinted on the show that his relationship with Professor Slater was his first real relationship. Too bad her character disappeared at the end of the second season and was never to be seen again!
11 Denise Huxtable
If you watched “The Cosby Show,” you probably remember Denise Huxtable, the second child in the family played by Lisa Bonet. Denise was later cast the star of a spin-off to “The Cosby Show” called “A Different World,” which followed Denise as she went to college. In real life, Bonet got pregnant and she never returned to the show again!
12 Owen Salinger
“Party of Five” was a huge show in the late 1990s and made huge stars out of Neve Campbell and Jennifer Love Hewitt. The Salinger’s baby bro Owen’s character didn’t necessarily disappear, but he certainly went through some changes. First off, Owen was a baby then he was later replaced by another actor who was suddenly seven years old!
13 Agent Amy Jessup
Fans of the show “Fringe” might remember Junior FBI Agent Amy Jessup. She appeared in season two and supported the Fringe Division after a mysterious crash in Manhattan where she had to investigate the Agent-in-Charge. When the show ended, many fans were left wondering what happened to the character who brought religious significance to the show.
I’m sure there are more people who have disappeared without any explanation. It seems that some characters can come and go without ever being missed. Did you notice when some of these went missing? Are there any others you can think of?
Beener83 No it is actually true about Laurie Foreman. I just read it a few days ago.
Maria What's not true about laurie foreman ?
Frank That's not true about Laurie Foreman ! I was a huge fan of Lisa Robin Kelly, but after I wrote to the show they should have Tanya Roberts appear more often, Tanya was taken off the show! Fan messages meant nothing I think!
Matthew Mulan in Once Upon a Time. We find out she has a crush on Araura then...nothing, we never see her again. Although the show is still going so I guess there's still hope.
Jenn Celia Hodes from Weeds is the worst case of disappearing character that I've ever seen...she's starting up her own gig and then boom never see or hear from her again....she was a main character from the beginning
tj Behrooz Araz. Worst case ever of a character disappearing mid-show. He actually had a term coined after his name - any time a character on 24 would disappear, people would say that character had been Behroozed.
Kristen Why bring up Denise Huxtable when Marisa Tomei's character Maggie was in the first season and then just disappeared. At least we know what happened to Denise, she was on the Cosby Show again but we have NO idea what happened to Maggie
David I also remember Mandy from West Wing, just disappeared when Season 2 started. No explanation, no death, just gone.
Phil Apparently Cousin Oliver was so unimportant at #7 on this list, the article doesn't even mention the name of the TV show...no idea what he was on, although I remember that child actor having several small forgettable TV roles (apparently including this one).
Neecey @Phil Derby, Cousin Oliver was in The Brady Bunch.
Julie Erica Hahn did not disappear, she left over Chief Webers' shady ethics. He refused to report Izzy for stealing Danny a heart that was meant for her patient before she even appeared on the show. Denise like millions of people know, left her own spin off to return to the Cosby Show then left her stepdaughter there to join her military husband. Oliver never left, the show was canceled in between seasons so EVERY ONE disappeared without explanation.
Clara Carrie had a sister in 'King of Queens" that disappeared after a couple of episodes.. .
EA Denise came back to Cosby show.... She was married and brought Olivia when Rudy became awkward preteen....
Aaron I would change #11 from Denise Huxtable (she flunked out of college and returned to The Cosby Show) to Seven from Married with Children. He straight up disappeared.
Stephen Couldn't the editor find a picture of Professor Slater rather than confusing people with a totally different character? I did in five seconds.
Shannon Erica Hahn was super pissed off that a heart was stolen from her patient by Izzy Stevens. When she wanted to report the fact that the hospital let her off easy, she got into an argument with her new girlfriend Callie. She realized she never knew her gf and left. The next episode opens with two characters talking about her leaving and quitting the hospital. And Callie is shown dealing with the breakup and her resignation. So - yeah Erica Hahn didn't disappear lol
Pat Yes! Agent Amy Jessup there one minute gone the next!!! But I wasn't surprised though the character didn't work. And if she was only added for eye candy? Sorry Anna Torv was more than enough eye candy.
Jay the family - grandpa & kid(s) on The Doris Day show. One season they're there, the next they're not
Angela It did say why Erica Hann left.
Theresa Denis huxtable came back with a step daughter. she married a military man, they left raven symone with her parents because her jusband was deployed. she made guest appearances and regular phone calls
Kothos Sheldon's twin sister from The Big Bang Theory! And they're twins! I have twins and they are almost always very close. But she's been totally missing for several seasons!
Maria well Laurie Forman in that 70s show died from drug abuse in real life so that's why she just disappeared from the show. not sure her last time on the show or anything because I never really watched it but she passed away.
Rachel @Maria, \No the show was over years before she died.
Chris Kyra on the TV show Reba. She went to the end store in one episode and wasn't seen again for an entire season. She suddenly walks in one day and making light of her unexplained absence, Van asks whee she has been and she replies "Getting some milk", which I believe was what she was going out to do when she was last seen on the show.
jane3eyre My youngest sister adored "The Torkelsons" and the second version "Almost Home" - but when the mother made the move from the Midwest to the city to work as a live in housekeeper and childminder, two of the children vanished. The second and third children, a boy and girl were never mentioned again. When rebooted they added a boy and girl from the city, the girl , Mollie, being played by Brittany Murphy.
Leanne There are so many others you never mentioned. Like the room mate of Mya Gallo in 'Just Shoot Me' who disappeared halfway through the first season. I just thought but forgot again about a couple of others. But as for babies suddenly becoming around 5 in the next season, this happens in nearly every sitcom. Even Modern Family now it seems that Lily has grown up extremley fast from being a baby. Ive always hated that. While the teenage children usually grow up slow to stay at High School as long as possible, Their younger siblings becaome years older. I really hated it when it happend in Family Ties.
Charm M*A*S*H had another main guy who disappeared after 4 episodes, famous Spearchucker Jones!
Janet M*A*S*H had three rather prominent characters simply disappear without explanation. One character we never saw, but was the voice heard over the loud speaker. It was an intergral part of the show, but before you even realized it was happening, that voice was gone. Then their was ugly John and Duke. The character of Duke actually shared a tent with Hawkeye and Trapper. Then gone.
Andrea You guys got Boy Meets World right as a really bad offended of this but missed the worst one! Mr. Turner! Jonathan Turner was the gang's middle school English teacher, and he became an enormous and extremely important character when he took Shawn in after his father ran off. Shawn and Mr. Turner lived together for a whole season. He wasn't a fleeting guest star, his presence on the show was huge for a number of seasons. Then one episode, he gets in a motorcycle accident. There's a sad, heartfelt scene in a hospital room where Shawn talks/cries to a beaten-up, unconscious Mr. Turner, AND THEN WE NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN. Nothing was explained, leaving fans to grasp at straws and wonder whether we were supposed to think he'd died in the hospital even though they never actually said he was dead. It wasn't until much later in the Graduation episode that there was a brief reference to the fact that he was still teaching at the school, but it was never explained why he and Shawn never spoke again.
Dannielle You need to go back and watch Grey's again because Erica didn't just disappear it was explained why she left the whole reason they even showed us walking to her car in that scene was because it was her final scene and we all knew it was good bye to Dr Erica Hahn!
Denise did come back to the Cosby Show. She first came back after dropping out of college and then traveled to Africa. She eventually returned with a Navy husband and a step daughter named Olivia played by future Disney star Raven. :-)
Jennifer Joe, long haired tattooed guy from Glee- there was no explanation for his disappearance and the show is usually good (and respectful) about letting fans know who went where an why.
pbwfp Mindys god daughtet is just gone. Avriella Ford?
Jake On the first episode of season two Franklin and Bash, Peter Bash starts dating a police officer named Wendy. She may have made a brief appearance on the next episode, but after that no explanation of why they broke up or what happened to her.
Amanda I'm a big Brady Bunch geek. Cousin Oliver never disappeared. The final episode involved him and Bobby selling hair product that turned hair orange. Unless you mean the 9000 reunions, but he was only the cousin that stayed for a short while, so he didn't need to be there.
Blair I feel like "Ben" from Friends, the son of Ross and Susan (his first wife who divorces him after she comes out as a lesbian) is another one...
Sheily Boy meets World, Mr. Tunner :/
Amie Seriously, would it really take that much effort to simply write in a goodbye seen or even an honorable mention from the other characters?
Amie The King of Queens had several characters disappear over the years: 1. Carrie's sister Sarah 2. Doug's friend Richie and random characters portrayed as friends would appear then disappear within episodes.
Jennifer I miss George.
Elizabeth In beginning episodes of boy meets world, Shawn mentions that he has a sister but its never shown or mentioned again.
mike That 70's show had another one. Donna had a little sister at the very begining. Fez even tried to hook up with her until Eric told him that it was illegal. After a few episodes she was never mentioned again...
Jen Erica didn't just disappear. Her last episode was when she found out the truth about Izzie stealing the heart and demanded that the chief fire her. When Callie sided with the chief, she stormed off. In the next episode, they say that she quit. It's not a typical Grey's kill-off, but it was not totally without explanation. I have a good one though for King of Queens fans! Carrie had a sister named Sara in the first season. She disappears at some point and they make Carrie out to have been an only child.
Carrie One of the main reasons erica hahn's character left was because they said there wasn't much chemistry between her and Dr torrez and that viewers lost interest as well.
Heather On Seinfeld, Jerry had a sister in the earlier episodes. I think it was in the Chinese restaurant episode that he mentions her finding out that he didnt go to a family function. She was never seen, but was never mentioned again.
The The most famous one I can think of is in The West Wing, where Mandy Hampton - a main first-season character - vanishes from the start of S2 onwards, without explanation. The fictional town "Mandyville" was invented in Internet commentary as her new residence, and the term is now often used in describing any vanishing character. Google 'Mandyville' for more.
Matt Boston fricking Legal. From season to season, characters would just disappear. Occasionally, they'd explain it. Often they wouldn't. In particular, two first-year associates have a handful plot lines in season 2 - and vanish by its second half. Gilmore Girls also just vamoosed a number of early bit-players like Bootsie, Drella and the mayor.
Heather Oh yeah! I LOVE that show! And The Practice. :)
Iman I think also teddy Altman also from greys anatomy
Heather @Iman Hamdy, They did explain it. Owen fired her so that she'd take the opportunity for a job she'd just received.
Brianna Burke upset me far more than Erica Hahn
Heather True -- that was a hard one.
Rebecca I know Disney channel isn't the best examples, But on one of there shows ( Austin and ally) Dallas left and never came Back. It was weird.
Heather Oh! That's a great show!
Rashelle In later episodes calli takes the blame for erica leaving
Kavita Erica Hanh left because she was furious that they didn't fire Izzie after she cut the LVad wire to move Denny up the list for the new heart. Hanh's patient was supposed to get the heart.
Dannielle @Kavita Hemraj, I was glad to see others knew she didn't disappear first person on the list and I had to comment that it was wrong lol.. But your description was perfect
Heather That's so true -- she was really, really mad.
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