Best crime TV factual errors of all time

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Sister Boniface Mysteries picture

Show generally

Factual error: The police car used in this programme, which is set in the early 1960s, is an Austin 1100 Mark 2. However, the Austin 1100 Mark 2 did not start production until 1967.

eric 64

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The Good Fight picture

The Gang Goes to War - S4-E5

Factual error: A general court-martial is being held. A general court-martial, the highest level of military court, consists of a trial counsel, defense counsel, a military judge, and a panel that must have at least five officers. An enlisted accused can request a panel composed of at least one-third enlisted personnel. In this TV show episode there were only two officers and five enlisted personnel on the panel. (00:40:50)

toroscan

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The Rockford Files picture

The Countess - S1-E4

Factual error: Two cops (the bowtie guy that cuffs Rockford and the one that watches him being taken away from his trailer) report to HQ saying that the protagonist is a suspect for a 157, to which Rockford reacts saying he did not murder anyone (and it is in fact what he is accused of). But homicide is in CA police code 187, not 157. A 157 is an entirely different felony. (00:21:00)

Sammo

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Babylon Berlin picture

Episode #4.9 - S4-E9

Factual error: Renate escapes from the prison in a Morris Ten Four, with the badge visible on the bonnet. However, this designation was not introduced until 1935 and the episode is set in 1931.

Necrothesp

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Vincent picture

Episode One - S2-E1

Factual error: During this episode, Vincent is remanded to prison for suspected murder. At one scene he is seen working on the wing. Remand prisoners are not expected or allowed to carry out work duties in British Prisons.

Jeff Walker

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Tin Star picture

All Roads - S3-E5

Factual error: When Detective Inspector Sara Lunt's photograph in uniform is shown on the TV news she is wearing a double row of silver lace below her hat badge. Only chief constables wear this insignia, well above the rank of inspector.

Necrothesp

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And Then There Were None picture

Episode #1.1 - S1-E1

Factual error: Unlike Christie's novels, there is no explicit statement of the date - the original novel started on the August 8th, which is compatible with what is shown here; Vera is interviewed and the letters are all posted on August 2nd 1939, which would fit. However, there's a problem when Vera changes seats en route to Soldier's island. A passenger is reading the Daily Express, and the headline is from August 29th of that year. Too much time elapsed and it's the end of the Summer while the chat between Emily and Vera implies otherwise; it's also Tuesday but the doctor comments "It's been a long week" when he apologizes at dinner - the weekend feels a more appropriate time for a party and gathering as shown. (00:06:15)

Sammo

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American Crime Story picture

Alone - S2-E9

Factual error: You can see the Unicredit Tower on the Milan skyline - the episode should be set in 1997 but the unicredit tower was built in 2012. (00:31:00)

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Wu Assassins picture

Misspent Youth - S1-E2

Factual error: Kai checks out his phone repeatedly and the date indicated is "Wed, Aug 22." Just a scene after, Jenny is shown with an August 2019 calendar in the background. August 22 2019 was a Thursday, not a Wednesday. (00:06:00)

Sammo

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Reacher picture

In a Tree - S1-E4

Factual error: When Reacher talks on the phone with Secret Service agent Molly Beth Gordon, she is using a Huawei phone, which has been banned from all agencies since 2019.

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Death in Paradise picture

Episode #3.2 - S3-E2

Factual error: When Camille shows the emails to Humphrey, the last one in the list is dated Tue 15/01/2014, which was a Wednesday. It should also be noted that the list does not appear to be sorted by any criteria that would work on Outlook Express. (00:22:00)

Sammo

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Dirk Gently picture

Pilot - S1-E1

Factual error: When Susan is sorting Ruth's things, she finds Gordon's iPhone wrapped in a newspaper from 1994 with her voice-mail to him and realizes he went back in time, where Ruth killed him and took the phone from his corpse. Even if the phone had been turned off, after 16 years idle, the battery would have died long ago, but we see the phone is on with her message waiting. (00:55:50 - 00:56:45)

Captain Defenestrator

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Power picture

Reversal of Fortune - S6-E14

Factual error: Congressman Tate and his brother are on the shooting range. They are wearing high-tech electronic earmuffs that block harmful noise like gunfire while amplifying speech and other low-volume sounds. Although, they are wearing high-tech earmuffs, they both have an ear exposed so they can hear each other talk. (00:13:00)

Snag.1

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The Pembrokeshire Murders picture

Show generally

Factual error: The Chief Constable of Dyfed-Powys Police is depicted as a mixed-race woman named Tyler. At the time, the chief constable was actually Terry Grange, a white man. The only woman to ever head the force, temporarily in 2012 (after the period covered by the series), was Jackie Roberts, who is also white. This is a factual series covering real events, not a work of fiction.

Necrothesp

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City on a Hill picture

The Deaf Sage of Pompeii - S1-E9

Factual error: This show takes place in 1992. The officer sitting down has a Glock generation 3 handgun with the finger grooves on the frame in her holster. This is the third generation of Glock, which wasn't available until 1998. (00:51:50)

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The Following picture

Pilot - S1-E1

Factual error: The FBI agent introduces himself and says "Mike Weston - I did my thesis on Joe Carol at the academy." FBI agents are required to have a university degree, but they don't write thesis' at the academy. A person is either in a university or at Quantico getting trained. They are not writing papers at Quantico. They need the degree beforehand to get in. (00:10:30 - 00:11:30)

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True Detective picture

Season 1 generally

Factual error: A number of times throughout the season they refer to LSD being found in dead bodies and LSD being matched with other LSD found in other (living or dead) bodies. LSD starts a chain reaction in the brain which requires about an hour to take a noticeable effect. And, by that time, it has completely broken down and no longer exists as LSD in the body - before the person even begins to get high. There is no test for LSD even in the most bombed living individual, let alone a dead body years later.

roy sandefur

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