Best TV factual errors of all time

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The Walking Dead picture

Welcome to the Tombs - S3-E16

Factual error: When Rick has given Andrea his revolver to end her life, he leaves the room with the others to leave Andrea and Michonne alone. The next thing you see is Rick, Tyrese and Daryl waiting outside the room. You hear the gun go off and then you hear a tinkle as a shell casing hits the floor (noticeably "lighter" than the sound the revolver would make when dropped). Revolvers do not eject a shell casing.

Orrie-Nay Algoust-Fay

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Peaky Blinders picture

The Noose - S4-E1

Factual error: It's Christmas Eve 1925. Tommy and his son leave a mince pie for 'Santa and Rudolph', but there was no reindeer called Rudolph until the 1930s. The character's author hadn't even graduated by 1925, and only began writing a book about a red-nosed reindeer in 1939.

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Doctor Who picture

The Idiot's Lantern - S2-E10

Factual error: One of the programs on the new television set is Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? In 1953, this quiz show was broadcast on Thursdays. But, it's the eve of the coronation, which makes it Monday the 1st of June. Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? wasn't on that evening.

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Orange Is the New Black picture

Friends in Low Places - S4-E8

Factual error: Tiffany asks a guard where he would go if he could travel back in time. He says he would return to 1999 to attend a Judas Priest concert he missed. He says he wasn't able to get close to Rob Halford. The problem is Rob Halford was not the lead singer of Judas Priest in 1999. Tim 'Ripper' Owens was.

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Hogan's Heroes picture

The Gypsy - S6-E13

Factual error: In this episode, LeBeau pretends to be a psychic gypsy to fool Klink. Gypsies generally didn't fare too well in the Third Reich. Admitting to being of Gypsy origin would probably have earned LeBeau a ride to the concentration camp.

Doc

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Ashes to Ashes picture

Episode #1.8 - S1-E8

Factual error: When the bullion van leaves the yard a 1995 N reg Rover 600 is parked on the left hand side of the road, before Ray drives off in his Granada. In 1982 the Rover 600 was not even on the drawing board.

paulnjsmith

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Homeland picture Homeland mistake picture

The Good Soldier - S1-E6

Factual error: Raceme's girlfriend Morgan is seen in a mugshot taken by Edinburgh Police, Scotland. They are known as Lothian and Borders Police, not as shown "Lothan and Boarders". (00:28:30)

Sinx

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Count Duckula picture

Show generally

Factual error: At the beginning of the intro, the narrator says that the only way to resurrect a vampire is with a sacred rite that can only be performed once a century when the moon is in the eighth house of Aquarius. In Astrology, the eighth house is Scorpio.

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Pokemon picture

The Ninja Poke-Showdown - S1-E32

Factual error: When Venonat uses Stun Spore, Ash tells Bulbasaur to use Whirlwind. Bulbasaur just blows the powder away with his mouth, but he doesn't use the Whirlwind attack. He can't learn Whirlwind in any of the games, and what Whirlwind is supposed to do is to blow the opposing Pokemon away. Ash could have just as easily told Bulbasaur to blow it away, but he instead chose to tell him to use a move that he can't possibly learn. The only Pokemon that can learn Whirlwind are either Flying types or Bug types; i.e., Pokemon with wings (with the exception of Makuhita and Hariyama, which weren't introduced until generation III, and did not exist at the time this episode aired). In The School of Hard Knocks (Season 1, Episode 9), a character mentions information regarding a Pokemon's levels, attacks, and information which is taken straight out of the game, so it's very clear that Bulbasaur should not be able to use Whirlwind. [This is a result of mistranslation. In the original, Japanese version Ash orders Bulbasaur to "blow it away." He didn't say Whirlwind. Still a mistake in the English version.]

Knever

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Combat! picture

The Letter - S5-E7

Factual error: Sgt. Saunders is looking at a color photo of his kid brother in a letter from home. Aside from being prohibitively expensive for the average family to afford, color photos were not common. Also, the wartime rationing of photo chemicals for color film used by civilians would not be available.

Scott215

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Wild Bill picture

Show generally

Factual error: Bill wears four medal ribbons, in order: Diamond Jubilee Medal (awarded to all people with five years' service in a British uniformed service in 2012), Golden Jubilee Medal (the same in 2002), Queen's Police Medal (a very prestigious award, a handful of which are awarded every year to long-serving police officers for exceptional service) and Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (awarded for 20 years' unblemished service in the British police). Not only are these in the wrong order (it should be QPM, Golden Jubilee, Diamond Jubilee, LS&GCM), but he's not entitled to any of them! He's an American who hasn't previously served in the British police. A chief constable's uniform doesn't just come with medal ribbons for the look of it; only those that have been earned may be worn.

Necrothesp

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The Rat Patrol picture

Show generally

Factual error: The tanks, half-tracks and self-propelled guns are modern American vehicles painted in a a bright yellow color rather than a muted desert sand color. The only vehicles which actually did see action in North Africa in WW2 would have been the M-7 Priest Gun Motor Carriage and the M3 half-tracks being used by the Germans in "The Rat Patrol."

Scott215

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Supernatural picture

Devil May Care - S9-E2

Factual error: When Sam and Dean show up at the crime scene to investigate, they are stopped by a woman wearing digital Army ACU's. She introduces herself as Sergeant Miranda Bates, even though she has rank insignia on her cover and her chest that identifies her as a PFC (private first class). (00:14:05)

Micah80

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