7 The Big Bang Theory Characters That Disappeared

The Big Bang Theory has a pretty large main cast, making it difficult to let side characters shine. Despite the adversity, however, more than a few characters power through. Barry Kripke is a thorn in the group’s side for most of the show’s run, while Stewart Bloom goes from comic book owner to dear friend. In fact, Stewart is such a big deal that he’s getting his own spinoff series that also features other notable The Big Bang Theory side characters, including his girlfriend, Denise, and Bert Kibbler. Not every character is as lucky as that group, though, with some failing to stick around despite major roles at one point.

Going through The Big Bang Theory‘s entire 12-season run will reveal plenty of faces that just sort of fall off the map. Not every disappearance makes sense, either, as the sitcom fails to write off characters time and time again.

1) Leslie Winkle

It’s no secret that Leonard Hofstadter struggles to connect with women early in The Big Bang Theory. He pines after Penny, but when that falls through, he starts a relationship with Leslie Winkle, a fellow physicist at Caltech. It doesn’t take her long to turn toxic, though, and after she dates Howard for a bit, her role in the series diminishes. She returns for one episode in Season 9, but The Big Bang Theory fails to explain why the guys don’t see her at work anymore.

2) Issabella

Like Leonard, Rajesh Koothrappali doesn’t have the best luck with women. His luck seems to turn around in Season 10 when he meets Issabella, a maintenance worker at Caltech. Despite coming from different worlds, they find common ground and appear to be on their way to dating. However, after her initial appearance, she never returns, with the show revealing that she breaks up with Raj at some point but providing no details.

3) Priya Koothrappali

It feels difficult to introduce a sibling of one of the main characters and forget about them, but The Big Bang Theory pulls it off. Priya Koothrappali, Raj’s sister, sees Leonard in secret because her brother disapproves, and they seem to have a good thing going. But Priya eventually gets tired of keeping up the secret and never returns, leaving Leonard heartbroken.

4) Mrs. Koothrappali

Another member of Raj’s family, his mother, Mrs. Koothrappali, also exits the show without much of an explanation. She appears in all of Raj’s video calls back home in the early seasons before it comes out that his parents are getting a divorce. While Raj’s dad continues to answer the phone, his mom goes and lives her best life off-screen.

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5) Alex Jensen

Sheldon Cooper has a lot on his plate, so he enjoys outsourcing some of his duties to other people, including his assistant, Alex Jensen. She appears in several episodes in Season 6 and causes a bit of a mess by repeatedly coming onto Leonard. Alex eventually moves on and focuses on her work, which involves picking out gifts for Sheldon’s girlfriend, Amy Farrah Fowler. Sheldon must grow tired of her at some point, though, because she just disappears without a trace.

6) Josh Wolowitz

Howard Wolowitz struggles with the fact that his father isn’t in his life throughout The Big Bang Theory. However, he gets a gift in the form of a half-brother in Season 8. Josh Wolowitz and Howard bond over their love for magic and hope to continue to grow their relationship. Howard may keep his promise off-screen, but the show never mentions Josh again.

7) Eric Gablehauser

In the first couple of seasons of The Big Bang Theory, when the show really focuses on the gang’s work, they run into trouble when Eric Gablehauser, the head of the physics department at Caltech, catches wind of their antics. Gablehauser singles out Sheldon more than anyone, even going as far as to fire his employee after an especially heated argument. While they sort of patch things up, Gablehauser seemingly leaves his post because he isn’t seen around the university after Season 2.

The Big Bang Theory is streaming on Max.

Did you notice when these characters left The Big Bang Theory? Who else do you think belongs on this list? Let us know in the comments below!