Best drama TV stupidity of all time

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Kindaichi shônen no jiken bo picture

Young Kidaichi's Murder: File 1 - S2-E1

Stupidity: Kindaichi behaves in a criminally illogical way in this fourth parter episode. The original victim told 4 separate people some sort of keyword for the party, each one linking to another person. Kindaichi after at least the second if not the first victim could and should have asked EVERYONE (he had every opportunity for that) if they received such a 'password' by Tachibana before he died. Instead, he pointlessly follows the trail of breadcrumbs and two if not three people die for nothing.

Sammo

More Kindaichi shônen no jiken bo stupidity
Buffy The Vampire Slayer picture

Teacher's Pet - S1-E4

Stupidity: Xander really has no reason not to believe Buffy when she tells him that Miss French is evil/a giant bug. There is an in-universe explanation of pheromones affecting him, but that's flimsy at best. He's already dealt with vampires and witches and body-swapping, and there has already been a murder around the time Miss French showed up... the fact he doesn't believe Buffy seems very forced and contrived.

TedStixon

More Buffy The Vampire Slayer stupidity
Sons of Anarchy picture

Show generally

Stupidity: Throughout this entire show, there is almost ZERO explanation of how, in such a small town, murder, assault, battery are committed by the club with no mention of HOW they're able to do so. This is with DNA, a barrage of ATF agents (in the beginning), and let's assume a forensics lab in the entire state. Has anyone seen forensic files? I mean come on, in the 80s in cities 100+ larger they were able to solve crimes.

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Suggested correction: The Sons are in cahoots with the local police force, which also helps them stonewall federal investigations into them, such as when Lincoln Potter tried to bring RICO charges against the club.

Phaneron

More Sons of Anarchy stupidity
Columbo picture

Murder by the Book - S1-E2

Stupidity: Why does Jack Cassidy plant the lighter in the office when he could just pretend he has forgotten it? Does not make sense.

More Columbo stupidity
Ray Donovan picture

Rodef - S2-E11

Stupidity: Mickey, and Terry are robbing a marijuana dispensary. They subdue the armed security guard by putting him to sleep and handcuffing and duct taping his mouth with no gloves on. They are touching door handles, door frames, shiny handcuffs, and duct tape which all are excellent sources for leaving behind fingerprints. The sticky side of tape is an excellent source of leaving fingerprints. (00:24:30)

More Ray Donovan stupidity
More Matlock stupidity
Days of Our Lives picture

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Stupidity: On 8/12/04, Hope specifically told everyone that when the coin was thrown into the force field, there would be a bright flash and that they shouldn't look at the forcefield when this was done. But all three times that the coin was thrown at the force field that day and the next, everyone looked right at it the whole time, and then recoiled in pain at the flash that inevitably occurred.

DavidK93

More Days of Our Lives stupidity
Mr. Sunshine picture

Episode #1.7 - S1-E7

Stupidity: When Eugene approaches Tsuda after Tsuda is shot by Ae-sin, Tsuda attempts to shoot him, but after pulling the trigger, he realises there are no bullets in the gun. Seconds later, a group of soldiers run up to him, and he attempts to shoot them, but he can't because the gun is still not loaded. Something he should have known since he only just attempted to shoot Eugene and failed because of it. (00:50:00 - 00:50:30)

Casual Person

More Mr. Sunshine 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
The Wild Wild West picture

The Night of the Firebrand - S3-E2

Stupidity: West is introduced to, then knocked unconscious by Vixen as she hides a club behind her back. A trained Secret Service agent like West would not have let his guard down in this situation, as the entire fort was awash in bad guys.

Scott215

More The Wild Wild West stupidity
Whiskey Cavalier picture

When in Rome - S1-E3

Stupidity: A supposedly covert camera is placed in plain sight on a wall in a crowded room, with a prominent antenna showing, and a blinking blue light. (00:16:55)

toroscan

More Whiskey Cavalier stupidity
Smallville picture

Spirit - S4-E18

Stupidity: When Lois, possessed by Dawn, comes downstairs and says she's going to the prom and Clark is taking her, Clark doesn't think for a moment it could be Dawn. He already knows Dawn can posses others, those people don't act like themselves, Dawn is obsessed with the prom, Lois isn't acting like herself, and Lois is now not only suddenly prom obsessed for no reason, but wants to go with Clark when she said that would never happen.

Bishop73

More Smallville stupidity
Saint Seiya picture

Ayaushi shiryu! Cloth no hakaba - S1-E10

Stupidity: Saori blushes when Seiya opens the door shirtless...but she's seen him shirtless practically all her life, the boys kept training and fighting all the time. He even fought shirtless for the last part of his duel with Shyriu just the day before.

Sammo

More Saint Seiya stupidity
Charmed picture

Saving Private Leo - S4-E17

Stupidity: The brothers are angry at Leo because they say he's responsible for them dying because he chose to save other soldiers instead of them, Leo also blames himself for the same reason and says he should have stayed and gotten them out. But in the flashback it shows Leo helping them and then running off to help other soldiers, after he runs off the brothers are killed just a few seconds later. Even if Leo had chosen to stay with the brother he couldn't have gotten them out in time, the only difference would have been Leo would have died with them, but Leo dies in the same war so he didn't live much longer. Leo's guilt and the brothers' blame don't make any sense at all.

brianjr0412

More Charmed 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
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
Hey Arnold! picture

Girl Trouble / School Dance - S3-E18

Stupidity: Girl Trouble: Helga pulls a nasty prank on Arnold in class by gluing feathers to his bottom. Mr. Simmons sees this, but for whatever reason, does not give Helga detention for it. The next day, Helga spills paint on Arnold, then he throws some on her as revenge. Mr. Simmons sees this and gives Arnold detention even though he was simply fighting back at Helga for pushing him too far. Perhaps Mr. Simmons' brain was on vacation those two days. (00:03:16 - 00:08:42)

zenee

More Hey Arnold! stupidity
The Young and the Restless picture

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Stupidity: S50: Starting in episode 120 Genoa City had a celebratory gala at the GCAC. After the gala everyone that was staying long-term at the Grand Phoenix Hotel is now staying at the GCAC. The GCAC long-term rates must be much better to make everyone move out of the Grand Phoenix.

Snag.1

More The Young and the Restless stupidity
Altered Carbon picture

Nightmare Alley - S2-E3

Stupidity: "Rei" comes into the circle, having been champing at the bit to "turn him into a smear on the floor." She's wielding a sword, Kovacs is unarmed, and she...slices him a bit, instead of a quick killing blow.

Jon Sandys

More Altered Carbon stupidity
Agatha Christie's Poirot picture

The Lost Mine - S2-E3

Stupidity: The policemen in car 7 are able to take pictures and talk to Japp with total ease, with a direct eyeline at such a low distance from the 3 people that is quite amazing they haven't been discovered - everyone was blind and possibly deaf, since they were so close and with the window open, you'd think they could even easily be heard.

Sammo

More Agatha Christie's Poirot stupidity

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