Best crime TV factual errors of all time

Please vote as you browse around to help the best rise to the top.

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

More The Pembrokeshire Murders factual errors
Trigger Point picture

Show generally

Factual error: Detective Superintendent Hamilton has red fabric within the crowns on her rank insignia. This would be correct for most British police forces, but the Metropolitan Police uses blue fabric instead.

Necrothesp

More Trigger Point factual errors
Rookie Blue picture

The Girlfriend Experience - S3-E8

Factual error: The group set up a sting for prostitution/solicitation, even though it isn't illegal in Canada. The unnamed city they patrol is Canadian, established in the "sister cities" they name, plus often referring to Rochester and New York as "across the border. As for prostitution, the only two times its illegal for adults in Canada is public solicitation (street walking) which doesn't apply for websites, or in running bawdy (cat) houses, neither of which apply here.

More Rookie Blue factual errors
Law & Order: Criminal Intent picture

Show generally

Factual error: When the cops need to arrest a medical professional, they are frequently shown barging into his/her office, exam room, or even operating room. This would never happen in real life and is strictly forbidden, as it is a gross violation of the patient's privacy, and in the case of the OR, could contaminate the sterile environment, thereby jeopardizing patient safety as well.

More Law & Order: Criminal Intent factual errors
Little Boy Blue picture

Show generally

Factual error: ACC Pat Gallan wears the ribbon of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. The medal was issued in 2012. Her medals would be correct for 2017 when the series was made, but not 2007 when it is set.

Necrothesp

More Little Boy Blue factual errors
The Outlaws picture

Episode #3.2 - S3-E2

Factual error: The navigation software "What3Words" is featured. Apparently the words "flop, sponge, knee" point to a storage facility in London. In reality, they actually point to somewhere near the city of McGrath, Alaska. "Hunch, bumpy, strut" are also mentioned, which actually point to somewhere near Paraburdoo, a town in Western Australia, definitely not a forest in London as depicted in the episode.

THGhost

More The Outlaws factual errors
Richard Diamond, Private Detective picture

The Hoodlum - S4-E1

Factual error: Diamond's car phone, quite a rarity in the 1950s, attracts a lot of attention. But the car should have a huge antenna attached to make the gadget work (it doesn't), and Diamond would not be getting direct calls - they'd have to go through a mobile operator first.

Jean G

More Richard Diamond, Private Detective factual errors
More Wicked City factual errors
The Beast picture

Mercy - S1-E8

Factual error: At the beginning of the episode, Patrick Swayze is looking at photos of two Iraq veterans who have been murdered. He identifies one as a Marine Lance Corporal and the other as an Army PFC, but both pictures show men in U.S. Army uniforms. A bit later, his partner, who is supposed to be a Marine vet, refers to his decision not to "re-up," using the Army term for re-enlistment, rather than "ship over," as it's referred to in the Navy and Marines.

More The Beast factual errors
Waco picture

Day 51 - S1-E6

Factual error: The gun used to kill Koresh is a Beretta M9A1 (92A1). These were not produced until 2006. The correct pistol would have been a Beretta 92. (00:43:15)

More Waco factual errors
Elementary picture

One Watson, One Holmes - S3-E19

Factual error: In the scene in the hospital, the guy who drove his motorbike into a van has an IV canula in his right hand, but the IV pole and the IV bag are on the left side of the bed, which means the IV line has to be long enough to go up to the bedhead, then behind the bedhead and then up to the bag, leaving no way to check for air bubbles.

kh1616

More Elementary factual errors
Sons of Anarchy picture

Huang Wu - S6-E10

Factual error: When Tara goes into her office there's dried blood on the carpet from her faked miscarriage. Considering it's a bio hazard that happened days ago it would've been cleaned up and sanitized since it's a hospital.

Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.

Suggested correction: The blood is on carpet which is very difficult to clean as it's such an absorbent material. The carpet will keep the stain, but as long as it has been thoroughly sanitised there is no issue here. Yes, the carpet could have been replaced, but hospitals don't generally keep spare carpets laying about. Plus the fact that her office isn't a treatment area, there isn't much of a hazard anyway.

Doctor's office with a blood stain on the carpet? Highly unlikely.

Amy Emerick Tice

Highly unlikely doesn't make it a mistake.

More Sons of Anarchy factual errors
Happy Valley picture

Episode #1.5 - S1-E5

Factual error: Catherine is told she's been recommended for the Queen's Police Medal for Gallantry. This has not been awarded since 1977, when it was replaced by the Queen's Gallantry Medal, which is still awarded.

Necrothesp

More Happy Valley factual errors
Aquarius picture

Revolution 1 - S2-E4

Factual error: Hodiak is having breakfast at a dinner. There is a sign for breakfast with a price of $4.95. In 1967 the price for breakfast would have been around $1.25 or less. Minimum wage was $1.60 an hour and the price of a big Mac, for example, was $0.50 and fries $0.10. So a $4.95 price for breakfast is just ridiculous.

ppdixx

More Aquarius factual errors
More American Crime Story factual errors
Luther picture

Show generally

Factual error: Throughout the series and credits, the ranks of Detective Superintendent and Detective Chief Superintendent are abbreviated as DSU and DCSU instead of the correct DSI and DCS.

Necrothesp

More Luther factual errors
Justified picture

Fire in the Hole - S1-E1

Factual error: When Walter Goggins fires a LAW at the church from next to the vehicle, the back-blast from the rocket would have shattered the car's windows, and flying glass fragments would likely have injured the occupant. The show depicts neither outcome.

More Justified factual errors
Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda picture

Run for Your Life - S3-E4

Factual error: When the tracking dog finds a gun in some bushes, Kenda, who is narrating, says that the gun was a Ruger Mark I, which is a semiautomatic target pistol; but the gun shown in the reenactment is a snub-nose .38 Special revolver.

mdwalker

More Homicide Hunter: Lt. Joe Kenda factual errors
Next picture

FILE #1 - S1-E1

Factual error: Paul tells Shea that he has a condition called Sporadic Fatal Insomnia. Later, Shea finds a fork in a bag labelled Abby. Paul explains that Abby is his daughter, and he wants to test her DNA, because she has a 50-50 chance of contracting the disease. This is false. Sporadic Fatal Insomnia is not hereditary. Fatal Familial Insomnia is genetic and is the inherited form.

toroscan

More Next factual errors
More So Help Me Todd factual errors

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.