TV characters have disappeared from shows without explanation, including seemingly important supporting characters involved in a romantic subplot with a member of the main cast. This gives the impression that they are just a passing fling in the life of someone who frequently dates casually. While this is representative of real life, it is still irritating when a love interest character with a lot of potential in their own right is unceremoniously dropped from the show.
Many great female TV characters don’t get what they deserve when they are treated as a side note in a male character’s storyline. Occasionally, the show implies that they are the start of a bigger story, but never follows through. It is most frustrating when this person could have been the perfect match for one of the TV show’s main characters, but they were only envisioned as a one-off arc. Half of Ted Mosby’s girlfriends could have been “the one” if the story weren’t so committed to him getting in his own way.
10 Scott Rosson (Chris Riggi)
Gossip Girl (2007-2012)
Finding out that series regulars, major love interests, and future spouses Serena and Dan share a half-brother through Serena’s mother and Dan’s father would be a major event for a show like Gossip Girl. During his time as part of the show, Lily and Rufus’ love child Scott has a romance with Vanessa, another major recurring character. Scott’s appearance causes a lot of drama among Lily and Rufus’ other children and the rest of the cast, kicking off a cycle of “who knows what” shenanigans.
Scott is last seen in Gossip Girl after supposedly resolving his family drama before leaving for Boston, on which occasion Lily invites him back. He accepts and is then never seen again. While it is safe to say that Gossip Girl can create plenty of dumb drama without Scott, viewers are still puzzled by his abrupt departure. He seems to be on good terms with his siblings but never appears at any of their weddings.
9 Cynthia Sanders (Tania Raymonde)
Malcolm In The Middle (2000-2006)
In Malcolm in the Middle, Cynthia is Malcolm’s longtime friend who forms a crush on him at first sight. She first appears in season 2, having recently moved from Manhattan. Initially annoyed by her, Malcolm eventually comes to consider Cynthia his friend and has a crush on her in return. While they almost kiss several times, this never happens. Cynthia is absent for a while in season 3, said to be because she is on vacation in Europe. However, Cynthia returns and attends high school with Malcolm in season 4.
This is when she tells everyone that she had sex with Malcolm to raise his social status and, in turn, destroy hers. It is implied that she was forced to change schools because of this, and she is never seen again. Cynthia has her own storyline about feeling awkward as she grows up, making her departure insulting. The show misuses Cynthia by ruining her life only for a popularity boost for Malcolm, before dropping her instead of doing the work of resolving things for her.
8 Jake (Ryan Guzman)
Pretty Little Liars (2010-2017)
Jake ended up being a weird one-off love interest, only intended to distract from Aria’s long-term romance.
Aria ended up in a different on-and-off romance while carrying on her on-and-off romance with Ezra. Aria meets Jake, a martial arts instructor, when she takes it upon herself to learn self-defense; they swiftly begin dating, during which time she is pushed to reveal her past with Ezra when they run into him. They eventually break up because Aria decides to get back together with Ezra, although Jake expresses his concerns about him.
Jake’s last scene in the series shows him working out in his dojo; when he kicks a punching bag, he discovers that knives have been placed inside it. While this incident would only have increased Jake’s concern for Aria, had he suspected that Ezra or someone else related to her placed the knives, he never talks to her about it. Jake ended up being a weird one-off love interest, only intended to distract from Aria’s long-term romance.
7 Cathy Mueller (Abbie Cornish)
Jack Ryan (2018-2023)
Jack Ryan’s wife Cathy is an established part of the series, so when Abbie Cornish debuted as his girlfriend Cathy Mueller in season 1, it was natural to assume that she would be a regular for a long time. Cathy has a story outside the relationship, as she is an accomplished doctor. Cathy is directly involved with the main conflict of season 1, throughout which she and Jack are dating. However, she vanishes for a while after that.
Jack is busy with other dangerous missions during seasons 2 and 3 and may have broken up with Cathy to keep her safe. However, she then suddenly reappears at the beginning of season 4, back in a relationship with Jack. Cathy’s absence in Jack Ryan seasons 2 and 3 isn’t properly explained, when she deserved more exposition than being a love interest who could be shelved and brought back at any given time.
6 Danny Kessler (Byron Fox)
Lizzie McGuire (2001-2004)
For a brief time, Danny is the ultimate heartthrob of the 7th grade, just one of the characters utilized by Lizzie McGuire to illustrate Lizzie’s coming-of-age experience. Disney Channel shows still haven’t done anything as clever as Lizzie’s animated alter ego more truthfully narrating her daily adventures. Byron Fox plays Danny for three episodes of Lizzie McGuire: “Rumors,” “When Moms Attack,” and “Pool Party.”
The show then effectively replaces Danny with Ethan, another boy who is the object of all the girls’ affection in their grade, with no explanation. The writers probably thought that any teenage crush would work in this context; there only needed to be one boy for Lizzie and all her peers to obsess over. However, it is a little bit strange when Danny and Ethan both seem to be the most popular guy in the 7th grade, but are completely interchangeable.
5 Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Raunch)
The Big Bang Theory (2007-2019)
Bernadette first appears in season 3 due to Leonard and Howard’s pact that when one of them got a girlfriend they would have her set the other one up with one of her friends. Penny begrudgingly arranges a date for Bernadette and Howard. The other characters and the audience expect that Howard is going to mess it up somehow. However, season 3 features a storyline with Howard deciding to make an effort in the relationship before Bernadette disappears.
Bernadette hasn’t been seen for a few episodes when Howard reveals that they broke up, as an argument for Raj to let him have a very horny female colleague to himself. However, Bernadette returns in season 4, kicking off her storyline with Howard that lasts for the rest of the series. She is also promoted to regular status along with Amy in season 5, although this does not erase her disappearance in season 3.
4 Veronica Duncan (Isabel May)
Young Sheldon (2017-2024)
Veronica is initially introduced as the latest party girl Georgie is interested in dating, prompting him to use Sheldon’s connection to her (he is tutoring her) to secure an evening out. Georgie thinks Veronica is going to sleep with him when she is moved by Mary’s “Heck House” venture and decides she wants to change her life. After this, Veronica cleans up her act and focuses on school and religion, while Georgie repeatedly scrambles to get another chance with her.
Georgie eventually starts dating Jana, prompting some jealousy from Veronica. However, she then disappears as the writers change direction with Georgie’s storyline when he drops out of school and eventually meets Mandy, who will end up having his child. Veronica’s storyline already wasn’t handled particularly well as Georgie is just fantasizing about her while she is dealing with a difficult home life and preparing for her future. However, the last time she is seen, she is working to save for college and has moved in with her grandmother, so at least things are working out for her.
3 Alex Lesman (Billy Burke)
Gilmore Girls (2000-2007)
In season 3 of Gilmore Girls, Lorelai meets businessman Alex through Sookie when Alex and his friend Joe are looking into opening a coffee shop chain. Alex and Lorelai begin dating, having the common experience of being parents (Alex mentions that he has two young daughters and is separated from their mother). Alex is also an outdoorsman and takes Lorelai fishing (despite her disinterest). In general, he is kind and considerate, turning out to be one of Lorelai’s better boyfriends in Gilmore Girls.
Lorelai mentions that she is dating Alex when she runs into Max. However, Alex is never seen again in the show itself. At some point, Lorelai starts her next romantic arc, leaving people to only assume that she and Alex broke up. Their breakup is never clarified on-screen. Alex might have been intended as the start of a more series relationship storyline, especially because he is a father. However, something went wrong, and he was strangely dropped from the show.
2 Tabitha Hayes (Caitlin FitzGerald)
Succession (2018-2023)
Succession already dropped a love interest for Roman with no explanation as he has a wife and children in the pilot, but once the writers decided to pursue a different storyline for him, they completely disappear. Midway through season 1, Roman meets Tabitha after she has a sexual encounter with Tom at his bachelor party. Roman does the most annoying thing possible, which is to bring Tabitha as his date to Tom and Shiv’s wedding.
Roman and Tabitha date for a little while, with her being a recurring character in season 2. However, she disappears after this, most likely getting tired of Roman’s issues. Namely, Roman has no interest in having sex with her and only wants to pursue an inappropriate sexual relationship with Gerri, the general counsel of his family’s company. Tabitha could have carried a more developed individual storyline, but most viewers are probably just happy for her that she escaped the Roy family drama.
1 Coat Check Girl (Jayma Mays)
How I Met Your Mother (2005-2014)
She is cute, friendly, and quirky, actually very similar to the woman Ted does eventually marry.
Early on in How I Met Your Mother, Robin gets Ted and Barney into an exclusive club, leading Ted to the conclusion that clubs suck and him spending the night hanging out with the young woman working the coat check. Their interactions are adorable: They immediately hit it off over minor things, and she gives him her number at the end of the night. She is cute, friendly, and quirky, actually very similar to the woman Ted does eventually marry. Ted has every reason to call this woman and take her on a date…but he doesn’t.
“Coat check girl” appears one more time in How I Met Your Mother almost eight seasons later when Ted imagines what it would be like if she happened to walk into his bar. This character was intentionally written as a one-off encounter, but she stands out more than most of Ted’s love interests as someone who could have made him happy. However, the tradition of How I Met Your Mother is that Ted is distracted by Robin throughout the series, leading to another love interest for him being dropped after one episode.
