10 TV Show Characters That Were Cut Without Explanation (2024)

Network TV shows, especially those that have a longer run, often feature a rotating cast of characters. Sometimes, characters are introduced and seem to be set up to be a main part of the series but are never heard from again. There are many reasons why this could happen. Sometimes, there aren't in-universe explanations, and characters simply vanish from their respective series. These character disappearances can sometimes cause baffling continuity errors.

Some characters, like Degrassi: The Next Generation's Terri McGreggor (Christina Schmidt) were main characters and were downgraded after an in-show catastrophe. Others, like Tina Pinciotti (Amanda Fuller) from That '70s Show caused confusion regarding a series' main character's arc. Each of these characters were introduced in their respective series for a reason. Their unresolved arcs were often never forgotten by fans of these series.

13 Seven

'Married...With Children' (1987-1997)

Seven (Shane Sweet) was the son of Zemus (Bobcat Goldthwait) and Ida Mae Walker (Linda Blair) on Married...With Children. He was informally adopted by his cousin Peg Bundy (Katey Sagal). Seven is dropped off at the Bundy house by his parents, and leave without returning. Al (Ed O'Neill) is initially reluctant to accept Seven into the Bundy family but ultimately loves and accepts him as one of their own.

Seven appears throughout the series' seventh season and then stops appearing without further explanation. He is mentioned a couple of times in seasons eight and nine. In a dark twist, his picture appears on the side of a milk carton, which could imply that the character ultimately went missing. This is never confirmed, however, and this plot point is never explored. It is unfortunate that a character who was so important to the Bundys for a time.

Married... With Children

TV-PG

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Release Date

April 5, 1987

Creator

Michael G. Moye, Ron Leavitt

Cast

Ed O'Neill , Katey Sagal , David Faustino , Christina Applegate , Amanda Bearse , Ted McGinley

Seasons

11

Main Genre

Comedy

12 Chuck Cunningham

'Happy Days' (1974-1984)

Chuck Cunningham was introduced as the Cunninghams' oldest son at the beginning of Happy Days. The character was played by Ric Carrott in the series' pilot and was subsequently played by both Gavan O'Herlihy and Randolph Roberts. Chuck was considered a jock and only appeared a handful of times throughout the first two seasons. The character disappeared after the second season, and there is no in-show explanation for his absence.

Chuck's father, Howard Cunningham (Tom Bosley), mentions near the end of the series that he is proud of both of his sons, implying that Chuck never existed. This is another example of a character who could have reasonably had their absence explained. The fact that neither his siblings nor his parents even mentioned him in passing is an odd continuity issue that followed the series throughout its run. O'Herilhy and Roberts both appeared in the Happy Days: 30th Anniversary Reunion.

Happy Days

TV-G

Comedy

Release Date

January 15, 1974

Creator

Gary Marshall

Cast

Henry Winkler , Marion Ross , Tom Bosley , Anson Williams , Don Most , Scott Baio , Ted McGinley

Seasons

11

Main Genre

Sitcom

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11 Dr. Grace Miller

'Scrubs' (2001-2010)

Scandal star Bellamy Young starred as Dr. Grace Miller in Scrubs. For a time, she was Turk's (Donald Faison) boss. She had a strong personality and sometimes had difficulty bonding with her colleagues. Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) developed a crush on her, although this was never fully explored. She stepped in to perform surgery for Dr. Turk so that he would not be any later for his wedding than he already was and was never seen again.

While Dr. Miller's disappearance may not seem odd since many characters appear in the series for a short time, this character's departure was uniquely abrupt. She evidently impacted her colleagues during her tenure, so it seems strange that it is not even mentioned where she ended up. Dr. Miller did make a brief cameo at the end of season 8 when J.D. (Zach Braff) is looking back on his life and career, but she looked vastly different than she did when she was in the series.

Scrubs

Comedy

Drama

Where to Watch

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Not available

*Availability in US

Release Date

October 2, 2001

Cast

Zach Braff , Donald Faison , John C. McGinley , Eliza Coupe , Kerry Bishé , Michael Mosley , Dave Franco

Seasons

9

Main Genre

Comedy

Studio

ABC

10 Ben Geller

'Friends' (1994-2004)

Friends remains one of the most iconic sitcoms of all time. One of the series' earliest storylines is the birth of Ross's (David Schwimmer) son, Ben. Ben was played by several child actors throughout the series. The last ones to play him were Dylan and Cole Spruce. Ben's birth was a turning point for Ross as a character, and was frequently seen with his dad and the rest of the friends especially in the earlier seasons.

Eventually, Ben just stopped being mentioned all together. It is strange, since his storyline was essential to one of Friends' main characters. It is also disappointing that almost as soon as Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) and Ross welcome their daughter Emma, Ben essentially ceases to exist. While Ben is mentioned several more times throughout the series, there is no confirmation of where he ends up or how he is doing by the end of the story.

Friends

TV-14

Romance

Sitcom

Where to Watch

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Release Date

September 22, 1994

Cast

Jennifer Aniston , Courteney Cox , Lisa Kudrow , Matt LeBlanc , Matthew Perry , David Schwimmer

Seasons

10

Main Genre

Sitcom

Studio

9 Mandy Hampton

'The West Wing' (1999-2006)

Mandy Hampton (Moira Kelly) was introduced as a main character in the first season of The West Wing. Mandy was a critical member of the White House's team. She served as an advisor to the President's team, including President Barlett (Martin Sheen) himself. She also had a will-they-won't-they relationship with Josh Lyman (Bradley Whitford) and the two had a history. After the first season, this character is never mentioned again.

What makes this character's disappearance even more alarming is that it happens right when Josh is shot and critically wounded following an assassination attempt against Charlie Young (Dulé Hill). While Mandy's role seemingly tapered off through the first season, she remained an important part of the cast, which makes the choice to not even mention her again all the more baffling. In the series' seven-season run, not one character even references her or what may have become of her.

The West Wing

Drama

News

Where to Watch

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Release Date

September 22, 1999

Cast

Martin Sheen , Allison Janney , Richard Schiff , John Spencer , Bradley Whitford , Dule Hill , Joshua Malina , Alan Alda

Seasons

7

Main Genre

Drama

8 John Bennett

'Orange Is the New Black' (2013-2019)

John Bennett (Matt McGorry) played a crucial role in the early seasons of Orange is the New Black. This character's romance with Daya Diaz (Dascha Polanco) was a central plot point and one of the most charming aspects of the series in the early seasons. Daya became pregnant with their daughter, which was the catalyst for John's eventual departure. He abandoned his responsibilities as a parent as well as his job as a prison officer.

What makes Bennett's departure so jarring is that it goes against so much of his character development up to that point. The explanation for his departure is presumably that John became intimidated by Daya's family. The door was left open for his return, however. John never did reappear, and he is mentioned less and less as the series continues. By the time Orange is the New Black ended, it is unclear what became of John Bennett.

Orange is The New Black (2013)

Comedy

Crime

Release Date

July 11, 2013

Creator

Jenji Kohan

Cast

Taylor Schilling , Natasha Lyonne , Danielle Brooks , Selenis Leyva , Taryn Manning , Nick Sandow , Kate Mulgrew , Laura Prepon

Seasons

7

Main Genre

Comedy

Studio

Netflix

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7 Detective Daniels

'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' (2013-2021)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine is remembered as an exceptionally strong workplace comedy. In the premiere episode, Detective Daniels (Kate Flannery) is introduced as Scully (Joel McKinnon Miller) and Hitchco*ck's (Dirk Blocker) friend. She introduced as the third member of this duo, who are said to be better at desk work than frontline police work. After the premiere episode of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Detective Daniels is never mentioned again.

It is interesting that Flannery returned to Brooklyn Nine-Nine as "Mean Marge" although she never reprised her role as Daniels. This character's departure could have been explained by a mention of a transfer or retirement. It would have been interesting to see how the Scully-Hitchco*ck dynamic would have functioned as a trio. Daniels' could have added to the chaos that Scully and Hitchco*ck caused throughout the series.

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

TV-14

Comedy

Crime

Where to Watch

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Release Date

September 17, 2013

Creator

Dan Goor, Michael Schur

Cast

Andy Samberg , Terry Crews , Andre Braugher , Stephanie Beatriz

Seasons

8

Main Genre

Comedy

6 Dr. Leah Murphy

'Grey's Anatomy' (2005-Present)

Dr. Leah Murphy (Tessa Ferrer) added to the drama of Grey's Anatomy by getting fired from Grey-Sloan Memorial. She returned to the hospital after training elsewhere and proving herself as a doctor. While it was noted that she had improved her skills immensely, she simply stopped being a part of the series. There was no mention of her accepting a new job elsewhere or of her circ*mstances changing at all. She has also not been mentioned again since her departure.

Although Grey's Anatomy features many doctors on a revolving-door basis, Murphy's departure, reintroduction, and re-departure are notable. It is interesting that her storyline would be made so central to the series, and then she would simply disappear without a farewell. Murphy's absence could have easily been explained, especially considering the fact that she worked so hard to improve herself throughout her tenure.

Grey's Anatomy

TV-14

Drama

Release Date

March 27, 2005

Cast

Ellen Pompeo , James Pickens Jr. , Chandra Wilson , Justin Chambers , Kevin McKidd , Jesse Williams , Patrick Dempsey

Seasons

20

Main Genre

Drama

WATCH ON NETFLIX

5 Gwen Grandy

'The Mindy Project' (2012-2017)

Gwen Grandy (Anna Camp) was introduced at the beginning of The Mindy Project as Mindy's (Mindy Kaling) best friend. While Gwen took a drastically different path than Mindy, the two remained friends throughout the first season. The two would often get together to discuss their lives and to share advice on their respective lives. She stops appearing approximately halfway through the first season and is not mentioned again.

Sitcoms, especially those like The Mindy Project that had a decent network run, often also have characters going through revolving doors, especially in a premiere season. What made Gwen's departure so notable is that she was set up to be an integral part of Mindy's story. Watching the two of them grow in their friendship could have given the show an interesting dynamic. The fact that these two were so well-contrasted would have made their relationship a natural focus in the series.

The Mindy Project

TV-14

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Not available

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Release Date

September 25, 2012

Cast

Mindy Kaling , Ike Barinholtz , Beth Grant , Xosha Roquemore , Fortune Feimster

Seasons

6

Main Genre

Comedy

Studio

Hulu

4 Danny Kessler

Lizzie McGuire (2001-2004)

Danny Kessler (Byron Fox) was a minor character in Lizzie McGuire. He was set up to be the main heartthrob at Hillridge Junior High School. His family owns the local slip-and-slide. He is only featured in a few episodes of the first season. He is later replaced by Ethan Craft (Clayton Snyder) as the main object of Lizzie (Hilary Duff) and Miranda's (Lalaine) affection. He is not referenced throughout the rest of the series.

While it might make sense to change up the pre-teen heartthrob in Lizzie McGuire, it is still strange to set up a character as being important to the protagonist's development only to completely switch gears. It could have been interesting to see how Danny and Ethan interacted and how they would have evolved separately. On a deeper level, these two could have shown how pre-teen crushes evolve and how perhaps they are all the same at the end of the day.

Lizzie McGuire

Comedy

children

Where to Watch

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Release Date

January 12, 2001

Cast

Hilary Duff , Lalaine , jake thomas , Hallie Todd , Robert Carradine

Seasons

2

Main Genre

Comedy

3 Tina Pinciotti

'That '70s Show' (1998-2006)

Donna's (Laura Prepon) sister Tina created a continuity error in the series that is still remembered by fans. This was not the only continuity error in That '70s Show, but it was among the most notable. Tina made a single appearance in the series premiere season and did not return. After her appearance, there were several references to the fact that Donna was an only child, making the lore even more confusing.

This is another example of a character whose name was never mentioned after their appearance. It could have been interesting to see how having a sister would have impacted Donna's character. It is also interesting that the powers-that-be felt the need to shift the canon to have Donna be an only child. Sitcoms naturally lend themselves to fun and poignant stories featuring siblings. It is a shame that this series did not take this opportunity.

That '70s Show

TV-14

Comedy

Sitcom

Where to Watch

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Not available

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Release Date

August 23, 1998

Creator

Mark Brazill, Bonnie Turner, Terry Turner

Cast

Topher Grace , Laura Prepon , Mila Kunis , Ashton Kutcher , Wilmer Valderrama , Debra Jo Rupp , Kurtwood Smith , Danny Masterson

Seasons

8

2 Terri McGregor

'Degrassi: The Next Generation'

Terri McGregor (Christina Schmidt) was a member of the core group of Degrassi teens in the revival series Degrassi: The Next Generation. In particular, she was close friends of Paige (Lauren Collins), Hazel (Andrea Lewis), Jimmy (Drake), and Spinner (Shane Kippel). Terri is often bullied for her weight, which is objectively normal for a teenager. She dates Rick (Ephraim Ellis), who eventually physically abuses her.

Terri's story is a tragic and devastating one, as the explanation for her departure is that the injuries that Rick inflicted on her were so severe that she had to change schools. This is so alarming, that it seems too intense, even for Degrassi: The Next Generation, which never shied away from tackling tough issues. What is even sadder about her departure is that Terri isn't mentioned again by those who were supposed to be her closest friends once she transferred schools.

Degrassi: The Next Generation

TV-PG

Drama

Romance

Release Date

April 1, 2002

Creator

Kit Hood, Yan Moore, Linda Schuyler

Cast

Demetrius Joyette , Niamh Wilson , Craig Arnold , Drake

Seasons

14

Main Genre

Drama

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1 Ruby Lucas

'Once Upon a Time' (2011-2018)

Ruby Lucas (Meghan Ory) is introduced in Once Upon a Time as Snow White's friend. She is also known as Red and is based on Little Red Riding Hood. The series often combined classic fairytales with modern Disney princesses, and Ruby and Snow White's relationship demonstrated this. Ruby seemed to be featured as a main character and an important confidant and ally for Snow White throughout the series. Ruby only appeared in the first season of the show.

Red Riding Hood is such a well-known fairytale, and this version of her was so well executed that it is notable that she left with hardly a mention by the other characters. Once Upon a Time is another series that featured a large cast. However, because Ruby played such a pivotal role in the premiere season, her absence is felt. It would have been interesting to see how her relationship with Snow White evolved and how she integrated with the larger story.

Once Upon A Time

TV-PG

Drama

Fantasy

Release Date

October 23, 2011

Creator

Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz

Cast

Lana Parrilla , Colin O'Donoghue , Robert Carlyle , Gabrielle Anwar , Dania Ramirez , Mekia Cox

Seasons

7

Main Genre

Drama

Studio

ABC

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