24 TV Characters Who Lost Their Memory — Including Fox’s ‘Doc’
Amnesia isn’t just the domain of soap operas. Many other TV shows have wiped their characters’ memories for the drama of it all — and, less commonly, for comedic set-ups!
Fox’s Doc falls squarely into the first category. In that upcoming series, Molly Parker will play a surgeon who has no recollection of patients she’s treated, colleagues she’s crossed, the soulmate she divorced, the man she now loves, and the tragedy that caused her to push everyone away.
Doc — based on the Italian TV series Doc – Nelle tue mani and detailed more below — is set to debut during the 2024–2025 season. While you wait for that premiere, though, take a look at these other characters who lost their memories…
Sydney Bristow, Alias
After being left for dead in this ABC spy drama’s Season 2 finale, Jennifer Garner’s CIA agent wakes up two years later, unable to recall the intervening time… and startled to discover her boyfriend is engaged to another woman.
Victoria Skillane, Black Mirror
In this anthology series’ second-season installment “White Bear,” Victoria (Lenora Crichlow) relives the same terrorizing day and has her memory purged each time as the punishment for a heinous crime.
Jane Doe, Blindspot
This NBC action drama starts with Jaimie Alexander’s Jane Doe emerging naked and covered in tattoos in Times Square — with zero clue about who she is or how she got there.
One, Two, Three, Four, Five & Six, Dark Matter
At the start of this Syfy series — based on the graphic novel of the same name by Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie — a six-strong space crew comes out of stasis with no memory of the lives they led before boarding the starship Raza.
Dr. Amy Elias, Doc
Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Turner
Minneapolis surgeon Amy Elias (Parker, shown here), the protagonist of this upcoming Fox series, will have to rely on her estranged, 17-year-old daughter to guide her through all the events, relationships, and people she can’t remember.
Echo, Dollhouse
As one of the “Actives” of this Fox sci-fi series, Echo (Eliza Dushku) routinely has her personality and memories erased and reprogrammed to suit the various needs and desires of her employer’s wealthy clients.
Michelle Tanner, Full House
In the two-part series finale of this ABC sitcom, Michelle (Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) suffers amnesia after being thrown from a horse… but she soon recovers her memories and recognizes her family members again, just in time for the curtain call.
Bran Stark, Game of Thrones
Helen Sloan/HBO
Speaking of brain injuries, young Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright) couldn’t recall the fall that led to this amnesia, not remembering that it was Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) who pushed him from a tower to cover up his own incestuous relationship with Cersei (Lena Headey) in this HBO series.
Heidi & Jackie, Homecoming
Both seasons of this Prime Video drama followed a character — Heidi (Julia Roberts) in Season 1 and Jackie (Janelle Monáe) in Season 2 — whose memory gaps can be traced back to a mysterious organization called the Geist Group.
John Doe, John Doe
“I woke up on an island off the coast of Seattle. I didn’t know how I got there… or who I was,” Dominic Purcell’s character said in the intro of this Fox sci-fi series. “And while my gifts provided answers for others, I still search for my own.”
Samantha, Samantha Who?
A case of retrograde amnesia post-hit-and-run gave Christina Applegate’s character a second chance at being a good person — and to ditch the grating “Old Sam” in favor of the gracious “New Sam” — in this ABC sitcom.
Mark, Helly, Dylan & Irving, Severance
The core four office drones of Lumon Industries’ Macrodata Refinement division in this Apple TV+ drama are “severed,” such that their workplace selves (known as “innies”) know nothing of their off-hours selves (“outies”) and vice versa.
Dean Winchester & Castiel, Supernatural
Both Jensen Ackles’ character and Misha Collins’ lost their memories at various points in this CW drama. In Season 7’s “The Born-Again Identity,” Dean finds Castiel living as a faith healer with no knowledge of his misdeeds. And in Season 12’s “Regarding Dean,” a witch’s spell robs Dean of his own memories.
Sophie, Surface
In this Apple TV+ psychological thriller, Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays a woman trying to piece her life back together after a traumatic head injury made her memories — and her secrets — disappear.
