West Wing chief of staff Leo Thomas McGarry died of a (TV) heart attack in spring 2006. But he’s alive on Twitter, opining — sometimes acidly — about the Iowa straw poll and other wonky issues.

He’s not the only specter from a dearly departed show. People from 24, The Wire, and others also send 140-character messages from beyond — some attracting followers in the tens of thousands. West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin says he understands the devotion: “Characters from TV shows become like friends. They were broadcast into our living rooms, and we got used to hanging out with them. If Cheers had been born during the digital age, there’d be virtual bars everywhere, where people tweeted ‘Norm!’ every time @Norm tweeted ‘Hey, everybody.’” Here are a few of our favorite ghost tweets.