10 TV Plotlines You Forgot Were Completely Abandoned
9. Mandy, Ainsley, And Sam's Campaign (The West Wing)
The West Wing abandoned storylines so often that fans actually coined a term for it. When a character suddenly disappeared off the series, it was said that they went to "Mandyville." This is named after Mandy Hampton, White House media relations adviser and main character in the first season. She slowly appears less and less frequently, and by Season 2, she's officially gone with no goodbye whatsoever. Never again is the name Mandy uttered in the series, and even though she was part of Bartlet's presidential campaign, when the show has flashbacks to this time period, Mandy isn't there as if erased Back to the Future style.
There was also Ainsley Hayes, a conservative commentator hired by the White House. By the end of Season 3, Ainsley had also vanished to Mandyville, simply not appearing anymore and with the show not explaining her absence. She does at least return briefly during Season 7 to apply for a job, but nobody mentions where the hell she's been for all these years.
Then of course there's Sam. When Rob Lowe left the series, Sam was going to California for a congressional campaign. Did he win? Did he lose? You'll never know. Even when he pops back in during Season 7, nobody bothers saying what happened in California. Is everyone on this series constantly being flashed with those Men in Black neuralyzers or something?