TV characters who just disappeared from the show

[Jim Kelly]

From The Andy Griffith Show: Ellie Walker (season 1) and Warren Ferguson (season 6). Both gone with no explanation. Although I'm pretty sure no one cared what happened to Ferguson. LOL

Elinor Donahue had just come off of FATHER KNOWS BEST (or Father's Nose Blessed, in our house)--she was Betty Anderson. I never felt she fit in with Mayberry and was glad she was gone after the first season, the last time I rewatched all of ANDY GRIFFITH. I think she was one of those people on the show that Andy didn't get along with in real life. Miss Crump was always going to be the one for Andy Taylor in the end.

[SJNeal]

The old show Family Matters had the Winslow's having three kids at the start, a son and two daughters, as the show went on they got rid of the younger daughter and didn't mention her again...

This was the first example I thought of.

I know they never explained it on the show, but was there ever a real-life reason given? Did the actress retire early to finish school? Was she a raging diva and impossible to work with?

[LoganAlpha30X33]

I'm not sure though she wasn't very old when she left, maybe middle school at the oldest, then they went and replaced her with Carl's sister or sister in law and her son, who was younger than the daughter that he replaced...

[Zero Hunter]

This was the first example I thought of.

I know they never explained it on the show, but was there ever a real-life reason given? Did the actress retire early to finish school? Was she a raging diva and impossible to work with?

I thought it was to give Urkle more screen time more than anything else. The actress ended up doing porn if I remember right.

[SJNeal]

I'm not sure though she wasn't very old when she left, maybe middle school at the oldest, then they went and replaced her with Carl's sister or sister in law and her son, who was younger than the daughter that he replaced...

This was bugging me so I hit up IMDB and did a little research lol.

Youngest daughter Judy was there for the first four seasons, her last appearance being the finale of S4. She was gone with no explanation as of the S5 premiere. Aunt Rachel (Harriet's sister) and baby Ritchie were there from the beginning, but they aged the baby up to a ~6 yrs old right before Judy's mysterious disappearance. Aunt Rachel would also be demoted to recurring character, with Eddie and Laura's friends Waldo, Maxine, and Mayra becoming regulars in the years to follow.

Despite lots of trivia entries, IMDB offered no reason (real world or behind the scenes) for actress Jaimee Foxworth's departure. Super odd that users/fans haven't provided any info either!

[ChrisIII]

Funny thing about Family Matters it was originally spun off Perfect Stranger's Harriette character, but the original Harriet actress left shortly before FM ending, with the last episodes featuring a different Harriette.

[MyriVerse]

On Friends, Ross' son Ben was pretty much ignored after the stupid addition of Emma.
On That 70s Show, Donna had a younger sister for one episode in Season 1. Then gone. They mentioned an older sister in college, but we never saw her, then Donna became an only child. They even joked about the missing younger sister in the Soap parody episode.
Boy Meets World's Topanga had a sister too.
The kids on Mom.
I loved Ruby on Once Upon A Time, but she didn't last.

[Zero Hunter]

The kids on Mom.

They kind of explained that away though. The youngest son went to live more with his dad since he had the big house and everything. The daughter just hated her mom and stayed away from her.

[Nyssane]

This was bugging me so I hit up IMDB and did a little research lol.

Youngest daughter Judy was there for the first four seasons, her last appearance being the finale of S4. She was gone with no explanation as of the S5 premiere. Aunt Rachel (Harriet's sister) and baby Ritchie were there from the beginning, but they aged the baby up to a ~6 yrs old right before Judy's mysterious disappearance. Aunt Rachel would also be demoted to recurring character, with Eddie and Laura's friends Waldo, Maxine, and Mayra becoming regulars in the years to follow.

Despite lots of trivia entries, IMDB offered no reason (real world or behind the scenes) for actress Jaimee Foxworth's departure. Super odd that users/fans haven't provided any info either!

The actress was on various reality shows in the 2000's (and also briefly did adult films). If I remember correctly, they wrote her out of the show because of lack of storyline potential. She also, sadly, wasn't the best child actor. I was a huge Family Matters fan as a kid and I can't even remember a single storyline centered around her. Maybe one where she was getting bad grades? I would've loved if she had become the "wild child" of the Winslows.

[SJNeal]

The actress was on various reality shows in the 2000's (and also briefly did adult films). If I remember correctly, they wrote her out of the show because of lack of storyline potential. She also, sadly, wasn't the best child actor. I was a huge Family Matters fan as a kid and I can't even remember a single storyline centered around her. Maybe one where she was getting bad grades? I would've loved if she had become the "wild child" of the Winslows.

Sounds like she agreed with you...

[AnakinFlair]

Half of the supporting cast of Supergirl when it moved to the CW in Season 2. At the end of season 1, Lucy Lane was Co-Director of the DEO with J'onn, and Sam Lane and Max Lord were in cahoots with the omegahedron from Fort Rozz. With Cat, they explained her exit in Season 2. But we never heard anything about Lucy or Max again (Sam got one mention in an off-hand comment from J'onn ONCE).

I don't quite remember- did they ever say why Dr. Pulaski left the Enterprise in Season 3 of TNG?


Oh, here's one that just popped into my mind- Boxy from the BSG reboot. He was there in the pilot movie, and I think the first episode- and then he vanished, and was never mentioned again.

[titanfan]

This was the first example I thought of.

I know they never explained it on the show, but was there ever a real-life reason given? Did the actress retire early to finish school? Was she a raging diva and impossible to work with?

Just budget: https://shadowandact.com/the-ava-eff...-gender-parity

(How much a budget in the cast a young girl would actually take up is really weird...)

[Frontier]

Half of the supporting cast of Supergirl when it moved to the CW in Season 2. At the end of season 1, Lucy Lane was Co-Director of the DEO with J'onn, and Sam Lane and Max Lord were in cahoots with the omegahedron from Fort Rozz. With Cat, they explained her exit in Season 2. But we never heard anything about Lucy or Max again (Sam got one mention in an off-hand comment from J'onn ONCE).

Even Superman and Lois never mentioned Lucy once in any of the family drama between Lois and Sam.

[AnakinFlair]

Even Superman and Lois never mentioned Lucy once in any of the family drama between Lois and Sam.

If they (FINALLY) recast Sam, I got to believe they'll recast Lucy. Maybe for Season 2. They can say she's been in command DEO's desert base or something.

[SJNeal]

I don't quite remember- did they ever say why Dr. Pulaski left the Enterprise in Season 3 of TNG?

While an actual reason for her departure was never stated onscreen, it was at least acknowledged by Crusher in the episode "Who Watches The Watchers?".

IRL, actress Diana Muldaur had only signed for one season, and declined to renew her contract because she simply didn't like the job.