Best crime TV factual errors of all time

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New Tricks picture

The Fourth Man - S7-E10

Factual error: At the car auction the Jaguar that the UCOS team are buying is described by the auctioneer as a 1967 model, but it is a C reg, which dates it to 1965.

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Rillington Place picture

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Factual error: With two exceptions, all the policemen shown in both 1949 and 1953 are wearing the old-fashioned tunics with high, closed collars. The Metropolitan Police adopted the more modern open-necked tunic with collar and tie in 1948, and this is shown worn by the policeman who visits Christie and by the officer who arrests him.

Necrothesp

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The ABC Murders picture

Episode #1.1 - S1-E1

Factual error: This is set in 1933. When the killer comes back to his lodgings in episode 1, Lily on the stairs is humming "Somewhere over the rainbow", which was written for The Wizard of Oz in 1939. She also happens to wear bright red shoes, which feels like yet another Wizard of Oz reference. Interesting enough, the subtitles say that she is humming a different song, "Night and day" which she openly sings throughout the series and was already a hit in 1932. (00:44:10)

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Unforgotten picture

Episode #1.1 - S1-E1

Factual error: When reviewing the phone numbers in the 1970s diary, they start '01' which was a change to UK numbers only brought in 1995.

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Matlock picture

The Madam - S5-E3

Factual error: Radio talk show host David Campbell works at "WRQE 480 AM." There is no such frequency. The AM radio dial begins at 530.

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Narcos picture

La Gran Mentira - S1-E8

Factual error: When the news reporter Valeria comes to Pablo to say that Pacho did it, she arrives in an E39 BMW 5 series from 1995. Gustavo was killed in 1990.

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The Fugitive picture

Wife Killer - S3-E17

Factual error: The Baker City Herald's office door misspells the word "personnel" with a sign reading, "Authorized Personel Only." Pretty poor editing for a newspaper office. (00:29:25)

Jean G

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Life on Mars picture

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Factual error: In the penultimate episode of series 2, the date is given as July 1973, but in an earlier episode when the police were raiding the drug dealer's house, Cozy Powell's record "Dance with the Devil" can be heard. This was a Christmas time hit in 1973.

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Diagnosis Murder picture

Murder at BBQ Bob's - S7-E20

Factual error: Early in the show, 3 Marine officers are being questioned about the death of a 4th. All 3 are wearing the Marine insignia on their jacket lapels reversed. [The anchors should point IN, not out] That mistake is corrected for some characters later in the episode, however at least two of the officers are seen later without their jackets, and their shirts do not have military creases - 2 in the front, 3 in the back - standard for a Marine blouse.

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Batman picture

The Clock King Gets Crowned (2) - S2-E12

Factual error: Trapped in the overturned hourglass, Batman and Robin lie flat and begin furiously digging in the sand, making the hourglass roll out the door. But to cause such rapid movement, they'd need to be applying their weight against one of the glass sides (like a hamster in a ball). Just digging in the sand wouldn't get them anywhere, at least not that quickly. (00:04:15)

Jean G

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The Six Million Dollar Man picture

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Factual error: There is no physical way that Steve Austin could perform most of his superhuman feats of strength in the ABC television series, due to the fact that they simply replaced his arm and legs, but didn't rebuild or reinforce the rest of his skeleton and muscles to handle the physical loads. Interestingly, author Martin Caidin (creator of Steve Austin in his novel, "Cyborg") actually did describe an incredibly complex whole-body rebuild that included vertebral reinforcement and ribcage and pelvis replacement, which was far more scientifically-accurate than the subsequent ABC television interpretation. ABC only accepted the series on the condition that it was less technical for their audience.

Charles Miller

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Before We Die picture

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Factual error: Superintendent Kane wears the insignia and uniform only worn by the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, not only six ranks above the rank he is supposed to be, but in an entirely different police force.

Necrothesp

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Without A Trace picture

Upstairs Downstairs - S3-E4

Factual error: After the two women found out the guy was dead, there is a truck with the writing "K-9 Unit" on the front, but it is not backwards as it should be.

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Remington Steele picture

To Stop a Steele - S1-E15

Factual error: Jeweler Albert Harrad calls Laura from his desk phone, but only punches six buttons before getting hold of her office. All U.S. phone numbers have seven digits: six wouldn't have connected him to anything. (00:37:30)

Jean G

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Time Trax picture

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Factual error: "Treasure of the Ages": Haskell finds a jeweled cross that's supposedly from a shipwreck hundreds of years old. Only the relic he pulls from the sand is spotless: not a barnacle, rust spot or touch of encrustation on it. After centuries at the bottom of the ocean? Wouldn't happen. (00:02:00)

Jean G

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The Rookie picture

Greenlight - S1-E16

Factual error: Captain Anderson pulls a suspect underwater and shoots him. There's a bright, yellow flash under the water. In reality, this wouldn't happen, only a large amount of bubbles would appear, but no flash.

Matdan97

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