Best TV factual errors of all time

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Star Trek picture

Tomorrow is Yesterday - S1-E20

Factual error: Towards the end of the show the Enterprise is leaving Earth orbit and heading towards the sun. We see the Earth diminish and the moon appear looking exactly as it does from Earth. From this angle we should be seeing the "dark side" of the moon, which looks completely different. (00:40:50)

von

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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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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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M*A*S*H picture

George - S2-E22

Factual error: In surgery Trapper John is singing Frank Sinatra's version of "I got you under my skin". Although it was written in 1936, Sinatra did not release it until 1956, after the Korean War ended. The 1936 version sung by Al Bowlly sounds nothing like the version Trapper John was singing, which was mimicking Sinatra's version.

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Suggested correction: While it hadn't been released on vinyl until 1956, Sinatra had sung the song as early as 1946 on his radio show and during live shows.

Greg Dwyer

The version Frank Sinatra sang on his radio show was similar to the original version used in the movie "Born to Dance" (a movie he references before singing his two songs). He didn't change it to the big band version that Trapper imitates until 1956.

Bishop73

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NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service picture

Yankee White - S1-E1

Factual error: Air Force One landed in Wichita, Kansas. The local coroner claimed Jurisdiction for Wichita County. The city of Wichita, Kansas is in Sedgwick County, in southern Kansas. Wichita County, Kansas is in western Kansas, about 250 miles from the city of Wichita. (00:05:40)

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Suggested correction: I think that the tank in question is actually an M3 Lee.

It is an M-7 Priest, armed with a 105mm howitzer, not an M-3 Lee.

Scott215

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Limitless picture

Page 44 - S1-E4

Factual error: When discussing a recent search of a suspect's home, Hill Harper says "we got his hard drives", but pulls a computer power supply out of a bag. Hard drives are significantly smaller and don't have a bundle of wires coming out the back of them.

Jon Sandys

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Breaking Bad picture

Gliding Over All - S5-E8

Factual error: When going over the logistics of the plan to kill the ten men in prison, Jack tells Walt that killing Osama Bin Laden was less complicated. Breaking Bad takes place over a period of two years, beginning with Walt's birthday in 2008, and ending on his birthday in 2010. Bin Laden wasn't killed until May of 2011. (00:15:23)

Phaneron

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Vikings picture

Burial of the Dead - S1-E6

Factual error: The snakes in the King of England's pit are all constrictors. They do not have venom and are too small to see a human as prey, yet they show a man dying from a bite by one of these snakes.

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Eastenders picture

Show generally

Factual error: When Cindy wanted a hitman to kill Ian she looks in the yellow pages to find one. Surely the police and the makers of the yellow pages would have been alerted if a hitman agency wants to advertise itself in the yellow pages?

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Seinfeld picture

The Little Kicks - S8-E4

Factual error: In the scene where Anna is standing with George beside his father's GTO, Elaine suddenly runs in and pries her away from George. Elaine and Anna get into the cab. As the cab pulls away, the side door is marked as an NYC cab with a taxi license number, etc., but the license plate in the back is a California plate.

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The Pacific picture The Pacific mistake picture

Guadalcanal/Leckie - S1-E1

Factual error: On the map behind the colonel during the first scene, Iceland is labelled as being under Nazi control. This is incorrect, as the British were in control of the country during the whole of the war. (00:05:10)

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JAG (1995)

JAG picture

Washington Holiday - S2-E9

Factual error: In the whole episode, Romania is depicted as a monarchy with the king in a position that allows him to make political decisions. However, Romania ceased to be a monarchy in 1947. By the time depicted in the episode (circa 1997), Romania was a republic and its head of state was the president. Members of the ex-royal family did not hold any positions in the Romanian government and were certainly not authorized to represent Romania in international events.

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Forever Knight picture

Forward into the Past - S2-E4

Factual error: Nick tells fellow vampire Aristotle, "You still owe me for that time at the Battle of Hastings." Nick was brought across in 1228, or so the intro told us every week. The Battle of Hastings, as any British school kid knows, was fought in 1066, over 100 years before Nick's mortal birth. (00:29:30)

Jean G

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Dad's Army picture

Don't Forget the Diver - S4-E2

Factual error: While Capt. Square is looking through his binoculars at what he thinks is Mainwaring's platoon marching with their rifles, a 1960's Bedford lorry drives past on the road behind them.

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Alias Smith and Jones picture

The Man Who Broke the Bank at Red Gap - S2-E17

Factual error: An egotistical, prissy and dishonest lawyer like Mr. Fletcher wouldn't make the mistake of allowing his name to be misspelled on his office door. It reads "Winfred Fletcher." His first name, as it's pronounced throughout the episode, is "Winford." (00:26:50)

Jean G

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Days of Our Lives picture

Show generally

Factual error: When Shawn is talking to Belle over the phone, the Eiffel Tower can be seen outside her window, yet, she's supposed to be in Milan, Italy.

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