Best history TV mistakes of all time

Please vote as you browse around to help the best rise to the top.

Poldark picture

Episode #5.7 - S5-E7

Other mistake: Two actors are standing on an ancient muddy track which shows the tyre prints of a modern vehicle, made probably by the 4WD camera car. (00:09:00 - 00:10:00)

Conrad

More Poldark mistakes
More 'Allo 'Allo! mistakes
The Sinking of the Laconia picture

Show generally

Factual error: The Merchant Navy rank insignia is very poorly researched. Each officer seems to have a different style of insignia, despite working for the same company and they incorrectly wear rank insignia on the shoulders of their blue uniforms as well as the cuffs. The main character, Junior Third Officer Mortimer, wears a bizarre mix of insignia, apparently consisting of a Royal Navy petty officer's sleeve badge, a Royal Navy chief petty officer's cuff buttons, and a rank badge of three inverted chevrons on his shoulder boards that doesn't seem to resemble anything from reality. In reality, he should simply wear a single cuff ring (or shoulder bar in white uniform).

Necrothesp

More The Sinking of the Laconia mistakes
The Terror picture

Show generally

Factual error: Sir John Franklin, Francis Crozier and James Fitzjames all wear a crown over an anchor on their epaulettes, the rank badge for a captain with over three years in rank. This is correct for Franklin and Crozier, but Fitzjames only held the rank of commander, and should therefore only be wearing an anchor on his epaulettes.

Necrothesp

More The Terror mistakes
More George & Tammy mistakes
I, Claudius picture

Show generally

Revealing mistake: The set where Augustus visits Agrippa on Lesbos for reconciliation is the same set where Augustus already was before - he was there earlier, reading the news of Marcellus' death while he was away from Rome to visit the Eastern provinces. But as stated, he had not visited Lesbos at all, because he and Agrippa had temporarily fallen out. (00:39:30 - 00:41:30)

Spiny Norman

More I, Claudius mistakes

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.