From the long list of amazing television series in the 21st century., The West Wing is widely considered near the top of that list for its clever dialogue and emotionally resonant stories. The series from Aaron Sorkin was lauded for being able to showcase the vast complexities of the American political system through character-driven arcs.
That said, the series is not flawless, and some characters did not receive the seminal treatment that others did. There are many great characters in The West Wing who were written out or abandoned, and though some did eventually return in the end, others vanished with no explanation were never heard from or even mentioned again.
Mandy Hampton
Mandy is the paradigm of disappeared The West Wing characters, so much so that the trope of disappearing TV characters – they go to "Mandyville" – is named after her. Moira Kelly starred only in the first season as Mandy Hampton, a political consultant for President Bartlett. Her recruitment to work for the Bartlett administration is an important storyline at the beginning of the series, but when season two arrives, she is nowhere to be seen.
In fact, she is never even referenced again over the subsequent six seasons. It was possibly intended to have her and Josh enter a romantic relationship but Sorkin decided the character just wasn’t the right fit for the series. She likely would’ve received the same treatment from Josh as he gave to Amy and Donna over the years, so it might’ve been for her own benefit she didn’t return.
Sam Seaborn
While Mandyville is home to several supporting characters, one foundational main character is also a resident. Rob Lowe was part of the main cast for the first four seasons, playing Sam Seaborn, but he left as the character became less and less important. He got better treatment in explaining how he would leave, but there were some cracks in the logic and execution.
Sam unexpectedly launched a campaign for Congress in California and it was heavily implied he would lose and thus return to the White House. However, that didn’t happen. He was replaced by Joshua Malina’s Will Bailey and not heard from again until the very end of the series when he was recruited to become Deputy White House Chief of Staff for President Santos. It’s not strange that Sam left, but it was weird his existence wasn’t acknowledged for years.
Ainsley Hayes
Unfortunately, it seems that the entire White House Counsel's office are all residents of Mandyville. Ainsley Hayes, played by Emily Proctor, was an exciting addition to the series in season two, and it seemed like she could be there to stay. She was incredibly charismatic and charming, and as a conservative in the White House, she would’ve enhanced the political discourse – plus she had a good connection with Sam. Nevertheless, she vanished in season three.
Like Sam, Ainsley too returned briefly in the final season, this time taking up the position of White House Counsel for the Santos administration. She was also barely referenced following her departure, which wasn't explained. However, this all was likely due to Proctor getting cast as a main cast member on CSI: Miami. Had she stayed, she could've evolved beyond the poor treatment she initially received, which hasn't aged all that well.
Oliver Babbish
Serving as the main White House Counsel for the series was Oliver Platt as Oliver Babish. He was the fifth person to serve in that role under President Bartlett. Although he dropped off the map in Season three, it was still implied that he retained his position until the end of the Bartlett administration – and it was also implied that he became the Attorney General for President Santos.
There were plenty of legal issues in later seasons that could’ve used his sharp wit and relentless diligence. The White House Counsel’s office was naturally referenced here and there, but he was never featured. This was likely due to Platt’s busy schedule on different tv shows and films. Regardless of his limited appearances and later disappearance, he still received an Emmy nomination for the role.
Joe Quincy
Following Ainsley as Associate White House Counsel was a fellow Republican, Joe Quincy. He was played by Friends’ Matthew Perry in a complete departure from the hilarious Chandler Bing, though Joe had some good comedic bits in The West Wing. Like Ainsley, Joe is a great addition to the established cast, and he could’ve lasted long past his three-episode run.
His introduction was quite fun as Josh sussed out that he is a Republican applying to work for a Democratic president. Joe was integral in revealing Vice President John Hoynes’ extra-marital affairs. Therefore, after digging up that secret, maybe he determined working there might not be the best fit, and thus he was gone quickly and never heard from again.
Jordon Kendall
After President Bartlett revealed to the American public that he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, his Chief of Staff, Leo McGarry was under extreme fire by political opponents for keeping the secret. He hired Jordon Kendall, played by Joanna Gleason, as his lawyer. She helped counsel him for a time, though he still ended up acting largely as he normally would.
She was highly capable and intelligent, there to do a job, but along the way, Leo’s charisma and confidence worm their way into her heart. They struck up a nice romantic relationship over the two seasons she appeared, but she eventually disappeared.
Cliff Calley
Although the show largely showcased a liberal point-of-view and painted conservatives as antagonists, some of the best characters in The West Wing come from that sphere. Look at Ainsley and Joe, for example – or Arnold Vinick, played by Alan Alda, who is a great senator and could’ve made a good president. Another such character is Cliff Calley.
Cliff was first introduced in season three, played by Mark Feuerstein, and had a brief connection with Donna Moss, while he also investigates her. Unlike his colleagues, he was shown to be compassionate and fair, not letting party ambitions dictate his job. He did return in season six and was even hired as White House Deputy Chief of Staff by CJ Craig. The election plot in the final season was the main focus so he did not feature in any White House segments.
Cathy
There was a consistent rotation of White House staffers throughout The West Wing, but some were more consistent like Carol, CJ’s assistant, or Bonnie, Toby’s assistant. Cathy, Sam’s assistant, did not last as long. Like Mandy, she only appeared in season one. She was around in the background for several episodes, but never got major focus.
Had she stayed on the show she likely would’ve figured in the same way as her fellow assistants. Suzy Nakamura, who played Cathy, has since gone on to plenty of other work, popping up in many different films and tv shows. Currently, she’s part of the casts for Avenue 5 on HBO, and Dead to Me and Inside Job, both on Netflix.
Gina Toscano
Each of President Bartlett’s daughters got their time in the spotlight in The West Wing, but no one more than Zoe Bartlett, played by The Handmaid's Tales’ Elizabeth Moss. A lot of her story involved her relationship with Charlie Kelly, but her most impactful arc was when she was kidnapped in season four. Along with her for that ride was Jorja Fox as Gina Toscano, one of Zoey’s Secret Service agents.
Ahead of the dramatic kidnapping, it looked like she could’ve been a consistent recurring character. However, following her failure to protect Zoey, it’s no wonder she didn’t reappear – though it would’ve been nice to at least learn what happened to her.
Lionel Tribbey
There are plenty of great one-episode characters from The West Wing, but at the top of the list for many fans would surely be John Larroquette as Lionel Tribbey, the White House Counsel. He is incredibly funny from the first moment he rages into Leo’s office with the cricket bat.
Despite his outspoken and brash nature, he is still very respected as a legal mind, and compared to his colleagues in the Bartlett administration, he is far more progressive in favor of affirmative action and public education. This was likely always intended as a single-episode appearance, and Larroquette certainly took advantage of it and left an impact and big shoes to fill.