Best crime TV stupidity of all time

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Tracker picture

Show generally

Stupidity: When the storage unit guy gives Reemie (lawyer) full access, she enters, then rolls the door down to shut him out before grabbing what she needs, and then acts all surprised and irritated when she discovers she's locked in, having to force her way out. The smart lawyer she’s supposed to be should have closed the door only a bit or shooed the storage guy away.

pgsgrad16

More Tracker stupidity
Blue Bloods picture

The Art of War - S5-E22

Stupidity: Linda suffers a gunshot while in the hospital. The doctor calls for a trauma team that responds immediately to take her to surgery. The next time Linda is shown the trauma team is still taking her to surgery through the hospital hallways, and the whole Reagan family made it to the hospital and in the hallway as Linda is being taken to surgery. The hospital hallways must be long or the trauma team took the long way to surgery to allow the family to be there. (00:03:28 - 00:05:57)

Snag.1

More Blue Bloods stupidity

24 (2001)

24 picture

Day 4: 11:00 P.M.-12:00 A.M. - S4-E17

Stupidity: When the couple is in the plant they call Jack on the cellphone, he instructs them to open the case and separate the book from the activation device. This was stupid, he should have told them to destroy it, since the codes had changed the moment Air Force One crashed, and it would take about 1 hour to make this work. This is explained later on in the show.

More 24 stupidity
The Sopranos picture

Mayham - S6-E3

Stupidity: Paulie and an associate just killed 2 drug dealers or stash house guards, and they are rummaging throughout the apartment touching appliances and other surfaces without any gloves. Paulie was previously arrested and did time so his fingerprints are on file. Paulie also used a knife to stab one of the Colombians without any gloves on, and he just left it in his body. The police would have no problem linking him to this crime within a week after forensics did their sweep. (00:03:00 - 00:04:17)

More The Sopranos stupidity
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation picture

Who Shot Sherlock? - S5-E11

Stupidity: When Brass and Sarah enter the locked storage cellar where the boys are hidden, Greg, a graduated rookie, straggles along behind them when he should have known better to stay put. As anyone could have come along and locked that cellar door behind them, trapping them inside.

eaglegrad16

More CSI: Crime Scene Investigation stupidity
Bones picture

Bodies in the Book - S2-E15

Stupidity: Booth shoots the stalker's door lock...and then kicks the door in anyway. Shooting the lock achieves nothing, it wouldn't have made the door any easier to kick in, it's just him generating paperwork and an issue with his shrink.

Jon Sandys

More Bones stupidity
Prisoner: Cell Block H picture

Season 1 generally

Stupidity: Dr. Greg seems to catch some of the more obvious quirks of inmates attempting to take a large vial or bottle from the cabinet. Yet he doesn't seem to notice when Lizzie grabs a bottle of pills and pockets them from the rolling cart in front of him. (00:20:15 - 00:20:45)

eaglegrad16

More Prisoner: Cell Block H stupidity
Sons of Anarchy picture

Seeds - S1-E2

Stupidity: Half sack is shown digging up a body at the cemetery in broad day light. Very easy for someone to see and report him.

More Sons of Anarchy stupidity
Agatha Christie's Poirot picture

Murder in the Mews - S1-E2

Stupidity: Hard to swallow that a group of vastly experienced policemen smart enough to figure other tricks out (such as the abnormal position of the gun) would be in any doubt about the victim being left or right handed when she is still wearing their watch on the right wrist - and attention is called by Poirot upon that particular detail right from the start.

Sammo

More Agatha Christie's Poirot stupidity
Hawaii Five-0 picture

He Lokomaika'i Ka Manu O Kaiona - S8-E20

Stupidity: After being stripped of their weapons while looking for terrorists in the jungle, Steve and Catherine meet up with Jerry, who has not had his gear taken, but didn't bring a gun because he's only a consultant. Some time later, after they open some coconuts using a small machete Jerry had on him, they hear gunshots, and go over to investigate, finding two dead hunters. They take a pistol of one of the hunters right before encountering the terrorists. So far, so good. But then to fight the terrorists, Steve has Catherine provide cover fire with the handgun while he attacks them unarmed, and hands Jerry a rock when he asks what he's supposed to do. Why doesn't one of them take the machete? You can still see it on Jerry's back.

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

Suggested correction: If you are not trained in fighting with a machete, doing so may well do more harm than good to you. Hard to believe that Superguy Steve isn't, though.

More Hawaii Five-0 stupidity
Mr. Robot picture

405 Method Not Allowed - S4-E5

Stupidity: Elliot and his crew are trying to take down the Dark Army and Whiterose, they are being monitored by them via surveillance vans which Elliot just burned, etc. However, with Elliot and friends trying to be secretive he somehow manages to text Phillip Price on his cell phone about Tyrell. Phones are the easiest to intercept. Whiterose doesn't trust Phillip and plans on killing Elliot once their projects transferred to Africa. (00:07:20)

More Mr. Robot stupidity
Breaking Bad picture

Show generally

Stupidity: Why do they always have to go through that washing machine setup in the laundromat when they have a great functioning elevator to the lab?

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

Suggested correction: Why would Gus go through the process of hiding the lab entrance stairs behind a washing machine but leave access to a freight elevator wide open? The elevator would be just as hidden and probably locked up. Not to mention it would be slower to take than simply walking downstairs.

Bishop73

More Breaking Bad stupidity
Elementary picture

Alma Matters - S4-E10

Stupidity: Lilly says that she is compiling a criminal case against her employer, who recently had another whistleblower killed. Inconceivably, neither Sherlock nor Joan recognizes that this puts Lilly in mortal danger. (00:06:49 - 00:08:45)

Rich Janis

More Elementary stupidity
More Haven stupidity
Adam-12 picture

Log 81: The Long Walk - S1-E14

Stupidity: They are looking for a red convertible. No other description of the car. A red convertible pulls up behind them and passes them. The ragtop roof is up but it's still matches the description. Doesn't faze them in the least.

terry s

More Adam-12 stupidity
The Rockford Files picture

Backlash of the Hunter - S1-E1

Stupidity: Rockford knows almost nothing about the guy who is tailing him except that he noticed him while he was grabbing a bite with his client. Regardless of that, he sends the same client to seduce him, just assuming that he won't be able to recognize her. And it works. Is Lindsay Wagner this hard to forget, that this guy just an hour or two later isn't able to tell it's the same woman his target was meeting?

Sammo

More The Rockford Files stupidity
Better Call Saul picture

Show generally

Stupidity: Despite being a high-profile fugitive who was a local celebrity in his previous life, Saul does very little to alter his physical appearance, settling on just a mustache and glasses. Growing a beard, wearing a hairpiece, and altering his speaking voice around others would have gone a long way in preventing him from being made.

Phaneron

More Better Call Saul stupidity
More Matlock stupidity