History Main / EstrangedSoapFamily

** Even though the writers had been so stupid about Maria's parents who had been written out and forgotten, that when Maria's husband Liam was murdered, and they turned up for his funeral, there was a heap of angsting about the fact that they'd never even met Liam, and Maria's mother was heaped with blame for the fact that she insisted she and her husband go on a cruise instead of attending Maria's wedding. (The current Coro writers don't like mothers.)

* When Dr. Mark Greene died on ''Series/{{ER}}"", a number of former actors from the show turned up for his funeral, including Dr. Benton and Dr. Finch. Notably absent were arguably his two closest friends, Doug Ross and Carol Hathaway.

* ''Series/Cheers'': A season 2 episode establishes Carla has a little sister, but despite a few appearances from Carla's family, her sister never reappears or is even ''mentioned'' ever again, despite being played by the same actress as Carla.

* ''Series/Charmed1998'' has an odd example. After Prue is {{Mc Lean}}ed, she never shows up again. Granted, ''death'' is usually a pretty good excuse for that, but in this show, ghosts are easy to summon--the sisters' dead mom and grandma are recurring characters, and even gain the ability to turn corporeal ([[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands somehow]]). Originally it was explained that Prue wasn't allowed to come so soon, to give Piper and Phoebe time to accept her death...but then years pass, and summoning Prue is never even mentioned. [[SequelInAnotherMedium The comic continuation]] eventually makes a story arc that brings Prue back, explaining that her soul hadn't been in the afterlife anyway.

* On ''Series/{{Degrassi}}'', Spinner had a sister named Kendra in the early seasons, but she vanished after season 3 and didn't even come to her brother's wedding.

* On ''Series/{{Degrassi}}'', Spinner had a sister named Kendra in the early seasons, but she [[BrotherChuck vanished]] after season 3 and didn't even come to her brother's wedding.

* ''Series/Charmed1998'' has an odd example. After Prue is {{Mc Lean}}ed, she never shows up again. Granted, ''death'' is usually a pretty good excuse for that, but in this show, ghosts are easy to summon--the sisters' dead mom and grandma are recurring characters, and even gain the ability to turn corporeal ([[NewPowersAsThePlotDemands somehow]]). Originally it was explained that Prue wasn't allowed to come so soon, to give Piper and Phoebe time to accept her death...but then years pass, and summoning Prue is never even mentioned. [[Comicbook/{{Charmed}} The comic continuation]] eventually makes a story arc that brings Prue back, explaining that her soul hadn't been in the afterlife anyway.

** Neither of Dorothy's children (Michael and Kate) or her sister Gloria appeared at her wedding on the final episode of ''Series/TheGoldenGirls''. They also didn't show up when she and her ex-husband Stan tried to remarry in season 6, or at their uncle/brother Phil's funeral. Dorothy and Phil's younger sister Gloria is also conspicuously absent from said funeral.

* On ''Series/WhenCallsTheHeart'', Brooke Shields guest stars as Jack's mother Charlotte in Season 3. However, the character never returns - not for her son's wedding, the birth of his child or even his funeral.

** Neither of Dorothy's children (Michael and Kate) or her sister Gloria appeared at her wedding on the final episode of ''Series/TheGoldenGirls''. They also didn't show up when she and her ex-husband Stan tried to remarry in season 6, or at their uncle/brother Phil's funeral.

** Surprisingly averted when Blanche's long-absent sister Virginia (last seen in season 1[[note]]and in a rarity for this show, even played by the same actress[[/note]]) reappears for Big Daddy's funeral, but neither of their other two siblings -- sister Charmaine and brother Clayton -- are seen, and nor are any of Blanche's children seen attending their grandfather's funeral.

** Surprisingly averted when Blanche's long-absent sister Virginia (last seen in season 1) reappears for Big Daddy's funeral, but neither of their other two siblings -- sister Charmaine and brother Clayton -- are seen, and nor are any of Blanche's children seen attending their grandfather's funeral.

** Surprisingly averted when Blanche's long-absent sister Virginia (last seen in season 1) reappears for Big Daddy's funeral, but neither of their other two siblings -- sister Charmaine and brother Clayton -- are seen, and neither are any of Blanche's children seen attending their grandfather's funeral.

** Surprisingly averted when Blanche's long-absent sister Virginia (last seen is season 1) reappears for Big Daddy's funeral, but neither of their other two siblings -- sister Charmaine and brother Clayton -- are seen, and neither are any of Blanche's children seen attending their grandfather's funeral.