Chuck Cunningham syndrome

Contents

[ hide ]

Chuck Cunningham syndrome is a phenomenon observed when a regular character in a television series leaves with no explanation, and is never referred to again despite the character's previous importance either to the show or to the other characters. The term has been used since at least as early as 1997. [1] [2]

The term derives from the Chuck Cunningham character from the American series Happy Days (1974-1984). Chuck, the oldest of the three children in the Cunningham family, first appeared in the pilot episode "Love and the Happy Days" (aired as part of the series Love, American Style ). However, when Happy Days became its own series, Chuck appeared as a minor character (usually seen on his way to basketball practice). He was written out of the series at the beginning of the second season with the explanation that he was going off to college . After the second season, he was never mentioned again. Subsequent episodes referred to the Cunninghams as having only two children (Richie and Joanie).

Chuck Cunningham was played by two different actors during his short run in the series ( Gavan O'Herlihy and Randolph Roberts ). This also makes Chuck Cunningham an example of Darrin Syndrome . The Happy Days reunion special that aired on February 3 , 2005 referred to the character's disappearance and both "Chuck" actors were then brought out as a surprise for Marion Ross and the rest of the Happy Days cast.

The process has also been referred to by fans of the show ER as "being Bobbed" , named after a supporting character who suffered a similar fate. [3]

Spoiler warning : Plot and/or ending details follow.

Television

Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

0-9

  • 227 :
    • Rose's daughter Tiffany ( Kia Goodwin ) disappears halfway through the series' third season, never to be mentioned again.
  • 24 :
    • Jonathan, the sniper assigned to kill then Senator David Palmer disappears after the first attempt fails in episode 8 of season 1.
    • Milo Pressman disappears around 5 PM in season 1 and is never heard from again.
    • Lynn Kresge is never heard from after her character falls down a flight of stairs and is rendered in critical condition. Her status is never clarified either.
    • Behrooz is never seen or alluded to after the viewers see him traveling to CTU during season four.

A

  • All My Children :
    • Joe Martin's son Bobby went upstairs to wax his skis one day in 1970 and was never seen again. The show has been known to poke fun at the incident, such as one episode in which Opal ventured into the Martins' attic and found a skeleton with a shirt bearing the word "Bobby" next to a pair of skis.

B

  • Babylon 5 :
    • Lieutenant Commander Laurel Takishima was second in command of Babylon 5 in the pilot. She was completely absent from the subsequent series, however, and while several characters from the pilot didn't appear in the series, their absences were at least explained with onscreen dialogue.
  • Battlestar Galactica (2003) :
    • Boxey, played by Connor Widdows appears in the miniseries and in one episode on season one. After being chased out of the pilots' meeting room by Colonel Tigh, he is never mentioned or heard from again during the series. Additional scenes featuring Boxey were shot, but ended up being cut. In a commentary track on the Season 1 DVDs, the producers claim - somewhat tongue-in-cheek - that Boxey has died of cholera.
  • The Bill :
    • The character of WPC Debbie Keane vanished in the late 1990s without explanation, and was never heard of again.
  • Bonanza :
    • Adam Cartwright, played by Pernell Roberts , was one of three sons of Ben Cartwright and was a regular character for the first few seasons of the show. When Pernell Roberts quit the show in 1965, Adam simply ceased to exist and his disappearance was never explained until the 1994 TV movie Bonanza: The Return , where his son returns from Australia.
  • The Brittas Empire :
    • In the first series, leisure centre manager Gordon Brittas had a personal assistant named Angie (played by Andree Bernard ). From the commencement of the second series, Brittas had a new assistant, Julie (played by Judy Flynn ). Angie's disappearance was never explained, she was never mentioned again, and in a later flashback episode, Julie was shown working at the centre from the time it opened.

C

  • Casualty :
    • Nurse Dillon Cahill ( Dan Rymer ) was shot and left for dead at the end of the 17th series. Despite being a major character and a close friend of several of the other characters, he has never been seen or mentioned since, although in response to a query in Radio Times the producers did confirm that he had survived the shooting.
  • Cosby :
    • When Madeline Kahn died halfway through the show's 4th and final season, there was a special episode where the rest of the cast (appearing as themselves) paid tribute to her. However, in the show's narrative, after her final appearance early in the season, her character was never mentioned again, even though she was the best friend and business partner of Phylicia Rashad 's character.

D

  • Dallas :
    • Katherine Wentworth, Bobby Ewing's jealous ex-sister-in-law, stalks him at the end of the 1984-85 season and eventually runs him over with her car, killing them both. When Patrick Duffy returned at the end of the next season and the first episode of the 1986-87 season implausibly explained that the interim events had all been a nightmare of Pam Ewing, Katherine was never seen in the series, nor even mentioned, again despite the fact that she, too, should still have been alive and stalking Bobby, one of several continuity problems created by this infamous plot line.
  • Danger Man :
    • For the first half of this spy series' second season, secret agent John Drake takes his orders from a somewhat similar figure named Hobbs. Midway through the season, Hobbs disappears and Drake begins taking orders from a succession of guest star performers.
  • Days of Our Lives :
    • In 1985 , Don Craig ( Jed Allan , who had played the role since 1971 ) went out to mail a letter and never came back, and was never referred to again.
    • In 1991 , Neil Curtis ( Joseph Gallison , who had played the role since 1974 ) announced to colleagues that he had to see to some of his patients, and also disappeared without an explanation.
    • In early 2005 , Cassie "DiMera" Brady (Alexis Thorpe) returned safely from Tony DiMera's European castle along with Jack Deveraux , Victor Kiriakis, and Caroline Brady. Soon after returning to Salem, Cassie disappeared with no reason. Her twin brother Rex left Salem after a fallout with Mimi, but Cassie's whereabouts remain unknown.
  • Dragon Ball GT :
    • Bulma 's daughter Bra (or Bura) is a supporting character in Dragon Ball GT. In episode 47 of the series, she is shown to be with everyone else at her house. In the next episode everyone is there but she is not, despite it being her house. She is not seen again or mentioned.
  • Dynasty :
    • Leslie Carrington was beaten up by Sean Rowan and never seen or mentioned again.

E

  • El Hazard : The Alternative World :
    • During the course of the series, Princess Rune Venus met and fell in love with Chibal, a farmer. The tenth episode of the series ends with a literal cliffhanger , with Chibal hanging onto the edge of a cliff . However, the cliffhanger was not resolved and the character was never even mentioned again (in this case, due to the series run being literally cut in half, causing the creators to scramble to jam in a resolution to a plotline that was intended to take twice as long).
  • ER : Ward clerk Bob (see lead section).
    • Though many supporting characters are "Bobbed", a prominent example is the character of Charlene 'Charlie' Chiemingo played by Kirsten Dunst . Throughout the 3rd season, she was introduced as a major supporting character whose storylines intersected with Dr. Ross. She disappears after the 3rd series finale, despite Dunst admitting in interviews at the time that there were storylines being written for the character.

F

  • Family Matters :
    • Judy Winslow ( Jaimee Foxworth ) disappears in the fourth season. She goes up to her room and never comes back down. [4]
    • Eddie Winslow's best friend Waldo Geraldo Faldo ( Shawn Harrison ) originally appeared as a sidekick to a bad guy named Willie (played by Larenz Tate ), but then he befriended Eddie with no explanation and eventually was so popular that he became a series regular only to be dropped mysteriously a few seasons later.
    • Bryton McClure , who played Richie Crawford, Rachael's son, appeared less and less once the character of 3J was introduced. By the last season, his character was completely dropped with no explanation.
  • Full House :
    • Michelle's best friend Denise vanishes after the seventh season.
    • Stephanie's friend Mickie also vanishes, to be replaced by Gia.

G

  • Gimme a Break! :
    • After Uncle Ed, the Chief's older brother, gets married, neither he nor his wife are ever seen or mentioned again.
  • Good Times :
    • At the end of Season 4, Florida Evans agrees to marry Carl Dixon and move with him to Arizona. They are unseen in Season 5, but when Florida returns at the beginning of Season 6 for Thelma's wedding, she is alone. Carl is never mentioned again, and Florida continues to be addressed as Mrs. Evans, not Mrs. Dixon.
    • J.J. and his three best friends Poppo, Cool Breeze, and Head refer to themselves as the "Awesome Foursome". But after only one episode Cool Breeze disappears, never to be mentioned again, and the friends become the "Gleesome Threesome".
  • The Greatest American Hero :
    • Ralph Hinkley's son Kevin went from being featured semi-regularly to appearing rarely to only being mentioned in passing by mid-season 2, after which he is never seen or heard from again.
  • Guiding Light :
    • Roxy Shayne, Kristi Ferrell Reva's younger sister, suffers a nervous breakdown and is never mentioned again.
    • Samantha Marler Suzy Cote after helping solve the Daniel St. John mystery, is never seen nor heard from again.

H

  • Happy Days : Chuck Cunningham (see lead section).
    • In addition to the Chuck Cunningham character, Fonzie had a young nephew named Spike who liked Joanie and was a young clone of the Fonzie character. After the character of Chachi was introduced, Spike disappeared.
  • Heartbeat :
    • In Series 1, a young couple, Alan and Sandra, were major characters. They did not return for Series 2, and were never seen or heard of again.
  • Hey Dad :
    • Nudge, the Kelly family's next-door neighbor and regular character vanished between seasons. No mention was ever made of the character again. While almost the entire cast would leave the show during its run, the departure of Nudge is the only case where no reason was given.
  • Hey Arnold :
    • Some minor examples are Mr. Smith, a mysterious housemate who disappears, and Arnold's coach's son Tucker, who was absent even in his parents' remarriage.
  • Hogan's Heroes :
    • During the final season of the series (1970–1971), Ivan Dixon did not appear as the character Sgt. Kinchloe and the producers replaced his character without any explanation with Sgt. Richard Baker.

I

  • It's Garry Shandling's Show :
    • In the pilot episode, Garry spends a fair bit of time promising the arrival of his friend Lewis ( Geoffrey Blake ), who shows up too late to be part of the story. Lewis did make appearances in a few subsequent episodes, but disappeared halfway through the first season, never to be referred to again.

J

  • Just Shoot Me :
    • In the first season, Maya had a goofy roommate named Wally, played by Chris Hogan . He usually had one scene per episode, and in one scene slept with an age-phobic Nina Van Horn. After the six episodes of the first season, Wally was never seen nor mentioned again. Some of Hogan's scenes were cut from re-runs as well. Fans of the show have some alarming theories as to what became of Wally. [5]

K

  • The King of Queens
    • Doug's best friend Richie Iannucci , played by Larry Romano , only appeared during the show's first two seasons and one episode (Paint Misbehavin') in the third season. He has not been heard of since his last appearance. Richie was apparently replaced by Doug's cousin Danny, played by Kevin James ' real-life brother Gary Valentine .
    • Carrie's sister moved into the house along with their father. The sister has a room upstairs and the father moves into the basement. At the start of season two the father is still in the basement but the room upstairs suddenly becomes Carries "office", and her sister is never mentioned again.

L

  • Life With Bonnie :
    • The Molloys' oldest child, Samantha, disappeared from the show after the first season. According to series star Bonnie Hunt , this was due to "creative differences." The daughter seemed to have been replaced by a young neighbor whose parents are never seen. [6]

M

  • Mad About You :
    • During the first half of the first season, Paul Buchman had a college buddy named Jay Selby. Selby was Paul's sidekick, though Jamie appeared not to like him much. Selby's character went off to escort his grandmother to the museum and was never heard from again. His role on the show was replaced by Paul's cousin Ira. In a fifth-season episode, Selby's sudden disappearance is referenced by Paul during a conversation with Jamie about how they don't seem to have that many friends: "Like Selby, what the hell happened to him?"
  • Malcolm & Eddie :
    • Malcolm had a waitress employed at his bar named Holly Brooks ( Angelle Brooks ) that appeared in almost every episode of the first season. By the second season, she had disappeared.
  • Malcolm In the Middle :
    • Malcolm's classmates, the Krelboynes (Dabney, Lloyd, and Kevin), appear regularly in the series, but disappear completely after Season 4.
  • Mama's Family :
    • During the first two seasons of the show, Mama's son Vinton had two teenage kids from his first marriage -- Sonja and Buzz. When the show returned for its third season, both kids were gone with only one fleeting reference made to them in the first episode. They are not mentioned at all for the remainder of the series. In the final season, while Vint and his second wife Naomi awaited the birth of their first child, it was implied that Vint had no other children.
  • Married... with Children :
    • The Bundys' youngest son Seven ( Shane Sweet ) runs away to live with the D'Arcys and is never seen again. His face is later seen on a milk carton.
    • In the first few episodes, his buddy was Luke Ventura ( Ritch Shydner ), who was even listed as a series regular in the original pilot episode. He was never seen after the first season, although he was referenced one final time.
    • Al also had an assistant at Gary's named Aaron ( Hill Harper ), who was briefly replaced by Dexter ( Chi McBride ) before the producers settled on Griff ( Harold Sylvester ).
  • M*A*S*H :
    • Spearchucker Jones was a lead character during the first season as a doctor at the 4077th and the fourth tent mate in the Swamp. Although his character was carried over from the film, he quietly disappeared without explanation during the first season when the producers were made aware that his presence was a factual inaccuracy, as there were no black surgeons in United States Army M*A*S*H units during the Korean War . Despite this, however, there are many instances of black extras wearing doctors' uniforms. [7]
    • Later on in the first season, the anesthesiologist Ugly John Black, who played a rather prominent role in the series, also disappeared. No explanation was ever given for his departure, even though he too was a carry-over from the film. However, the character of B.J. Hunnicutt was scripted to reference Ugly John in a much later episode, but the line was removed from the final cut. BJ was scripted to write a letter to his wife, in which he wrote "It seems like they're all leaving us. Even Ugly John got shipped home."
    • Ginger Bayliss, an African-American nurse played by Odessa Cleveland , was another prominent character in the first season & appeared in the M*A*S*H Christmas Episode. However, she was never seen again in the series.
  • Matlock :
    • Ben's assistants Tyler Hudson, Cassie Phillips, Michelle Thomas and Conrad McMasters, as well as his neighbour Les Calhoun, all left without explanation.
  • McLeod's Daughters
    • Towards the end of Series 3, Becky Howard ( Jessica Napier ) left with her boyfriend Jake Harrison ( Charlie Clausen ) to go to College. After that she is never seen or mentioned again. While Claire McLeod ( Lisa Chappell ) who was killed off afterwards, still gets mentioned by the other characters on a regular basis.
  • Mork & Mindy :
    • The producers radically made-over the series between the first and second seasons and the characters of Fred (Conrad Janis), Cora (Elizabeth Kerr) and Eugene (Jeffrey Jacquet) were dropped. While Fred and Cora eventually returned as regulars, Eugene was never mentioned again.
  • My Hero :
    • Avril, George's nervous assistant, simply faded away at the end of the first series, and was never referenced again.
  • My Three Sons :
    • A clear-cut example of Chuck Cunningham Syndrome that actually predated Happy Days by a decade. From 1960-65, Mike Douglas (played by Tim Considine) was the oldest son of widower Steve Douglas. (The other two sons were Robbie and Chip.) When Considine left the series, Ernie Thompson (played by Barry Livingston ) was adopted so that Steve still had three sons. While Ernie's adoption was referred to throughout the series, Mike was never mentioned again, and Steve Douglas mentioned several times that he had three sons, never four, and that Robbie was the oldest.

N

  • Neighbours :
    • Marlene Kratz, who was a regular cast member from 1994 to 1997, announced that she was going away for a three-month cruise and was not mentioned again for several years. In a special episode airing in 2005 for the soap's 20th anniversary, which contained cameos from past characters, Marlene appeared briefly and praised her time on Ramsay Street, while standing next to a boat. Producers included this as an in-joke for fans who had been confused about Marlene's disappearance.
  • New York Undercover :
    • Chantal Tierney was the mother of J.C. Williams' son, Gregory ("G"). After the massive cast shake-up at the beginning of Season 4, Chantal is never mentioned again (although G is seen several times).
  • The New Tomorrow :
    • The fearsome and bossy character of Jag suddenly disappears, and no explanation is made.

O

  • The O.C. :
    • Holly, Marissa and Summer's old best friend, is never seen or mentioned again after the first season.
  • One Life To Live :
    • Carlotta Vega's adopted son Eli Traeger disappeared in 1998, never to be spoken of again.

P

  • The Parent 'Hood :
    • Robert's original best friend, Daryl ( Bobby McGee ), and a neighbor, Mrs. Wilcox ( Carol Woods ), were series regulars during the first season, but then they were dropped without explanation. Coincidentally, the same thing happened to Robert's second best friend (and Mrs. Wilcox's son), Wendell Wilcox ( Faizon Love ), who disappeared midway through Season 4.
  • Passions :
    • Reese, who had a crush on Kay, one day disappeared from the show without explanation.
  • Punky Brewster :
    • Eddie Malvin ( Eddie Deezen ), the building superintendent, went to fix the fuse box one day and never returned, nor was he mentioned again.
  • Phil of the Future :
    • Seth Wosmer ( Evan Peters ), one of Phil's friends, appeared in various episodes in Season 1, but was not seen or mentioned again.
    • Mandy Teslow ( Yeardley Smith ), Keely's mom, was not seen or heard from again in the second season.

Q

  • Quincy, M.E. :
    • Actress Lynette Mettey played Quincy's on-again, off-again girlfriend Lee Potter in four first-season episodes and the first three episodes of the second season. After that she was never seen or mentioned again.

R

  • Robotech
    • In the first few episodes of the Macross Saga, Minmei spends much of her time babysitting her cousin Jason. After Rick saves her, the two are separated from Macross City and the plot focuses on them. When Minmei returns to her aunt and uncle on the SDF-1, Jason is gone and his absence is never explained.
  • Roseanne
    • Bonnie Watkins ( Bonnie Bramlett ), a waitress at Rodbell's and close friend of Roseanne, disappears without further mention at the end of season four.
  • Roswell
    • During the first season, Maria had a younger brother who lived at home with Maria and her mother. He was never mentioned again after the end of the first season.

S

  • Saved by the Bell :
    • Max, the owner of the hangout the gang frequents, disappeared during the second season. Although the gang still goes to the Max, he is never mentioned or heard from again.
    • Kelly, and Jessie, two of the main charachters, dissappear with no explanation and are replaced with a new charachter, Tori.
    • Tori dissappears from the last episode with no explanation and Kelly and Jessie reappear (these two cases were created due to a change in the number of episodes ordered)
  • seaQuest DSV :
    • Dr. Kristin Westphalen, Lieutenant Commander Katherine Hitchcock, Lieutenant Ben Krieg, and Chief Manilow Crocker mysteriously vanish following the first season finale " Higher Power ", with only Hitchcock and Crocker given explanations as to their disappearance (Hitchcock assumed command of her own ship and Crocker retired from the navy). With the exception of Lieutenant Krieg who reappears in one third season episode, none of the departing characters are ever seen or mentioned again.
    • Similarly, in the third season priemiere, " Brave New World ", Sensor Chief Miguel Ortiz and Dr. Wendy Smith (who replaced Dr. Westphalen) both mysteriously disappear, their absence only explained by a throwaway line from Captain Bridger who claims "We lost some very good friends."
  • The Secret Life of Us :
    • A large portion of the cast left the series at the end of the third season, and while the final episode revolved around the election of Sibylla Budd 's character to parliament, the characters of Dan Spielman , Gigi Edgley , Spencer McLaren (a founding member) and Nina Liu disappeared without warning. The fourth season began with an almost entirely new cast and without explaining the disappearances of four key characters. The series was axed three episodes later.
  • The Shield :
    • The character Tavon, played by Brian J. White , is last seen recovering in the hospital from a car accident. After season 3, no mention is made of the former Strike Team member.
  • Silver Spoons :
    • Edward Stratton's business associate Leonard Rollins ( Leonard Lightfoot ) was a series regular for the first season; afterwards, he was never mentioned again (the character had apparently been replaced by Dexter Stuffings, played by Franklyn Seales ).
  • Sonic X :
    • Big the Cat appeared in the first episode; he was fishing and was warped to the human world. He was then missing for the rest of the first season, until the beginning of the second season, but after a few episodes, he went missing again. Even when everyone went back to Sonic's planet, Big was never seen going back with them, nor was he seen on the planet ever again.
  • Space: 1999 :
    • In the pilot episode, the Moonbase computers are entirely under the control of a prominent character named "Ouma." "Ouma" then disappears without explanation and is replaced by David Kano.
    • In a first-season episode, " Alpha Child ", a child is born to a pregnant Alpha crewmember. After he grows rapidly into adulthood under the influence of an alien who wishes to take over Alpha for his own race's purposes, he is returned to infancy and is never seen or mentioned again (in a later episode, Commander Koenig even tells an alien that they've had to ban new children due to limited resources, but this doesn't explain the child's fate).
    • Between the first and second seasons, Paul Morrow and David Kano disappeared from Moonbase Alpha without any explanation, a particularly glaring omission since there was nowhere they could have gone (both were let go by new producer Fred Freiberger in favor of new characters Tony Verdeschi and Maya in an effort to make the show's appeal a little broader).
    • Victor Bergman ( Barry Morse ) also vanished between the first and second seasons. A throwaway line about a spacesuit malfunction was written, but not aired. Morse left due to a contract dispute with Freiberger.
    • Sandra Benes Zenia Merton disappears a few episodes into the second season without explanation, and is replaced by a Japanese character named "Yasko." Yasko herself abruptly disappears after twelve episodes without explanation, and is replaced by Benes.
  • Spin City :
    • At the end of the fourth season, four principal characters departed: Mike Flaherty ( Michael J. Fox ), Nikki Faber ( Connie Britton ), James Hobert ( Alexander Chaplin ) and Janelle Cooper ( Victoria Dillard ). While Michael J. Fox's departure was set up over the course of several episodes, and he made guest appearances in later seasons, none of the other characters were ever mentioned again, and the reasons for their disappearances remain a mystery.
    • Stacey Paterno ( Jennifer Esposito ) and Angie Ordonez ( Lana Parilla ) similarly vanished without comment at other points in the series' run.
  • SpongeBob SquarePants :
    • In the pilot episode, SpongeBob has a pet scallop, Shelly, sitting by his bed. We only see him again in one more episode, and after that Shelly disappears completely, apparently replaced by Gary the snail.
  • Star Blazers :
    • The chief engineer Orion who was a regular during the Quest for Iscandar and Comet Empire series was not seen in the third season, The Bolar Wars. He was replaced by another chief engineer. In the Japanese version of these series, Orion (Tokugawa) was killed near the end of the Comet Empire and his replacement, Joe Yamazaki was introduced in the movie Yamato: The New Voyage which was never released as part of the Star Blazers continuity. Orion's death was simply cut out of the English language Star Blazers.
    • In the original Space Battleship Yamato canon, the rookie characters of Sakamoto and Kitano are introduced as apprentices to Kodai and Shima during Yamato: the New Voyage which also introduces Tasuke Tokugawa (Orion Jr.). Tasuke continues in the further Yamato movies and series but Sakamoto and Kitano are never seen again. Sakamoto's place is taken over in the following film Be Forever Yamato by Shiro Kato (Conroy), brother of the late Saburo Kato (Conroy).
  • Star Trek: Voyager :
    • In the episode "Collective", the crew encounters a group of Borg children, one of which is an infant who is sent to sickbay. Although the Doctor saves the child, it is never mentioned again, although the other children remain on the show.
  • Step By Step :
    • In the first season, Carol owns a beauty salon attached to the Lamberts' house. The beauty salon employs two women, Carol's mother and sister, who are also main characters. After the first season, the two women are completely dropped.
    • The youngest Lambert boy on the show, Brendan, saw his role reduced during the last few years of the show (especially after the birth of Lilly) until he was completely dropped from the show during the last season without explanation.

T

  • Taxi :
    • Cabbie John Burns ( Randall Carver ), a displaced midwesterner, disappeared after one season of being a regular character. Nothing was mentioned about it on the show, but the producers realized the character had run its course, and most jokes associated with his character could easily be transferred to Tony Banta ( Tony Danza ).
  • That's My Mama :
    • Two old fellows who frequented Clifton's Barbershop, Wildcat ( Jester Hairston ) and Josh disappeared after the first season, and were never mentioned again.
  • That's So Raven :
    • Mr. Lawler appeared throughout season one and in one episode from Season two, and was never seen or heard from again.
  • The Thin Blue Line :
    • While only two series of this sitcom were made in the mid 1990s , there were two cases of Chuck Cunningham Syndrome, with the characters of DC Kray ( Kevin Allen ) & DC Crocket leaving without explanation. No mention was ever made of these characters again.
  • Three's Company :
    • Next-door neighbor Lana Shields ( Ann Wedgeworth ) was added to the show at the beginning of the fourth season but disappeared without explanation after only a handful of episodes when the show's writers realized they had run out of ideas for her.
  • The Tomorrow People :
    • During the 1990s version of The Tomorrow People, the show originally introduced Adam Newman, Lisa Davies, and Kevin Wilson as the shows three main characters with the ability to "teleport". Marmaduke 'Megabyte' Damon was originally a close friend of Kevin's with no teleportation ability. However as the shows later stories were broadcasted, both Lisa and Kevin disappeared and only Adam and Megabyte (now with teleportation abilities) remained steady as the shows main characters.
  • The Torkelsons :
    • During their move from Oklahoma to Seattle (and the show's name change to Almost Home ), the family mysteriously lost two children, Steven Floyd and Ruth Ann.

U