Chuck Cunningham Syndrome

The phenomenon that happens on TV shows is called Chuck Cunningham Syndrome. It was a term that was coined after the Happy Days'' character Chuck Cunningham. He disappears after the second season and is never seen again. Its a term in which a character leaves a show without explanation. This syndrome not only happened on Happy Days'' but on other shows as well. Besides the disappearance of Judy, there were other forms of Chuck Cunningham Syndrome that happened on Family Matters.'' Here they are:

1. Eddie's best friend Rodney Beckett disappears after season 2 with no explanation.

2. Willie Fufner disappears after season 2. Larenz Tate actually went to star on the CBS series The Royal Family'' but it was canceled due to the death of Redd Foxx.

3. Waldo Faldo then becomes friends with Eddie. He becomes popular that he becomes a regular cast member until he was dropped from the show with no explanation.

4. Lt. Murtagh is dropped from the show with no explanation.

Judy Winslow was never popular and the writers chose not to develop her character.

Another example of this syndrome occurred on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air'' when Nia Long played Will's girlfriend. When the show returned for it's last season her role was dropped.

5. Ebonie Smith the actress who played Penny disappeared after the first season for no explanation.

6. Joseph Julius Wright played Richie in the first season and then he mysteriously grew into a 4 year old in season 2 by Bryton McClure.

CCS did not occur with just Judy Winslow.

Re: 2911

Comment 2911 claims that several characters of Family Matters dissapeared without explanation. However, these cases are different from the dissapearance of Judy Winslow. Judy Winslow is the daughter of the family focused on. A character like that needs explanation for a dissapearance.
1. Rodney Beckett was a friend of Eddie during the first season. It is possible that Rodney moved to a different city or transferred to a different school or that Eddie and Rodney simply lost touch with each other and spent more time with different friends.

2. Willie Fufner could have also changed schools. Also, we was only seen in the hallways at schools, not in the Winslow home. It is rare to see scenes from the school in an episode, and even when we do, the scene usually only focuses on a few students, so it is understandable for Willie to have dissapeared without explanation.

3. I recall an episode where Maxine said that said Waldo Faldo moved to Russia.

4. Carl has been promoted throughout the series, so it would make sense for him to work with different partners in the series. So it makes sense for Lt. Murtaugh to dissapear.

5. It is acceptable for Penny to have dissapeared without explanation. She was in junior high when she was in the series, so she could have ended up going to different high schools as Laura.

6. The fact that Richie's aging was accelerated is a different nitpick.