Best TV deliberate mistakes of all time

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The Adventures of Tintin picture

The Secret of the Unicorn: Part 1 - S1-E3

Deliberate mistake: After Francis Haddock kills Red Rackham, he lights a fuse to the explosives. The fuse that was lit is only a foot long, yet he is somehow able to climb out the ship without anyone noticing, get into a boat and swim all the way to land before it explodes. At a foot long it would have exploded in 10 - 15 seconds, all of that would taken at least 10 minutes. (00:18:45)

Casual Person

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Ash vs Evil Dead picture

El Jefe - S1-E1

Deliberate mistake: Inside the home that has been infested with Evil, the state police confront a possessed girl who attacks them. After some futile gunfire, the possessed girl is still standing. The female officer goes for her backup gun, which for some reason is a small over-and-under Derringer (meaning she has two shots maximum). She ends up firing the Derringer five times in just a few seconds, with explosive damage and without reloading. Director Sam Raimi probably staged the 5 gunshots on purpose, knowing that a two-round Derringer was a ridiculously-limited piece of firepower. Raimi probably did this as a tongue-in-cheek tribute to Ash's bottomless double-barrelled shotgun from Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness.

Charles Austin Miller

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The Greatest American Hero picture

The Hit Car - S1-E3

Deliberate mistake: When Starlet asks Ralph if he believes that stars can predict his future, Bill tells them to put a dimmer on the googoo eyes because of the killers on their tails, and the two shots facing Bill are flipped. (00:14:40)

Super Grover

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Melrose Place picture

Last Exit to Ohio - S5-E25

Deliberate mistake: The judge grants wheelchair bound Hilda Mars a million dollar settlement for her injuries. Then Sydney confronts her outside and wrestles her up out of the chair in which Hilda fakes a tumble down the steps. That night Hilda's attorney visits Sydney and admits he knows Hilda is a con who got away it instead of calling it out to the judge.

eaglegrad16

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Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story picture

Please Don't Go - S1-E2

Deliberate mistake: When the young kid breaks out of Jeff's apartment, the ladies freak out that he's naked, when he's wearing black underwear. And then shortly after they shriek to police that he was buck naked when he wasn't.

eaglegrad16

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Jonathan Creek picture

The Grinning Man - S4-E7

Deliberate mistake: When Joey and Jonathan get in Joey's car at Metropolis (just before heading to the police station), the car has headrests. When they get to the police station, see Lance Gessler leaving and then follow him, the car no longer has headrests. Obviously removed so as not to obstruct the actors.

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Sharp Objects picture

Ripe - S1-E4

Deliberate mistake: As Chief Vickery, in present time, patrols Wind Gap in his car he passes by the barbershop. From his POV, through the car window, we see four men sitting outside. The same men were also seen in Episode 01, but from young Camille's POV as she and her sister pass by the barbershop in 1992. The show hid a load of easter eggs and signs throughout all episodes. They would hardly make such a mistake. More likely, the repeat was to underline Vickery's backward, stepfordian attitude.

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Suggested correction: Just because they can walk through solid objects doesn't mean they have to. They were used to walking around things in life so just carry on doing so as a reflex action. They often use open doors too, only walking through walls when it's more convenient for them to do so or the doors are closed.

Necrothesp

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Death in Paradise picture

Episode #3.6 - S3-E6

Deliberate mistake: When Fidel pops behind Humphrey with the walking cane, in nonsensical fashion his cane switches hands in the brief moment when the camera moves from behind him to the front of Humph. It has to be deliberate since there is no cut, but Fidel is standing still both times, and Gary Carr must have done a sudden swap that has no reason. (00:28:20)

Sammo

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X-Men '97 picture

To Me, My X-Men - S1-E1

Deliberate mistake: When the news program is discussing Gyrich's assassination attempt on Xavier from the series finale of the original animated series, he's shown to have his classic look of auburn hair and sunglasses. However, when this scene occurred, Gyrich had black hair and was not wearing sunglasses. This was done deliberately to match the character design of the original series prior to the final 6 episodes, when Saban took over and redesigned much of the show's look.

Phaneron

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The Waltons picture

The Carousel - S9-E11

Deliberate mistake: After Elizabeth goes upstairs with the pillowcases for Cindy, in the following shots there are a few long shots of Colonel Brunson's car on the road, and a couple of those shots are flipped - noticeable due to identical trees shown the opposite way. (00:03:55)

Super Grover

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