Best TV factual errors of all time

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CSI: Miami picture

Show generally

Factual error: Calleigh Duquesne frequently wears completely inappropriate clothing throughout the whole series. She often wears blouses that are so low cut that the neckline is below the lower curve of her breasts. No officer of the court in the US would be allowed to dress this way. There is no grey area here, and this is not a character mistake - first time a CSI turned up at work dressed like that, she'd be sent home to change. Second time, she'd be on suspension until she agreed to change her dress standards. Also (and this regularly happens in CSI: NY as well) she is regularly wearing high heels - also a certain no-no for as CSI. Incidentally, male CSIs have equally strict dress standards.

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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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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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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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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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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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Hell on Wheels picture

Derailed - S1-E8

Factual error: When the whore is talking to Lily, she says "The first thing she should do (in her new tent) is to get the carpenter to lay some boards, or she will be saying hello to Mr. Trench Foot", referring to the medical issue related to feet in wet and unsanitary conditions. This disease of the feet was not referred to as this until World War One. (00:23:10)

ExpatScott

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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

More Combat! factual errors
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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SEAL Team picture

Fracture - S2-E1

Factual error: The briefer on the oil platform mission says the platform is 12 stories, and 80 million square feet. Doing the math, that makes it half a mile per side if completely square. It is nowhere near that size as shown. The largest oil rig in the world - Berkut in Russia's Far East - has a combined deck area of only 342,000 square feet. (00:13:35)

toroscan

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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

More Supernatural factual errors
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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