Best mystery TV factual errors of all time

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Lovecraft Country picture

Show generally

Factual error: In Massachusetts, Atticus, Leti and George are attacked by the local sheriff and his deputies, who are patrolling the county roads. In Massachusetts, sheriffs run the county jails, but they do not (and did not) handle routine policing, which is the responsibility only of municipal police departments.

Necrothesp

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The Return of Sherlock Holmes picture

The Second Stain - S1-E3

Factual error: Holmes and Watson walks through a colonnade. Clearly visible in the background right over Watson's head is part of a 20th century circular red and white road sign. (00:34:18)

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The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance picture

The Crystal Calls - S1-E9

Factual error: At the end when Skeksis enters the crystal chamber, in the overhead shot you can see 22 arcane symbols around the crystal when there should only be 18, one for each exiled skeksis. (00:45:53)

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Moonlighting picture

The Murder's in the Mail - S1-E6

Factual error: Dead blonde guy is sitting upright in the chair, as Dave/Maddie close in, and Maddie realises he isn't moving. David goes to him and smacks him across the shoulder, to "wake him up" and blonde dead guy, right on cue, instantly slumps over a table at his right side, when the direction that David hit his shoulder, should have sent the dead guy slumping more forward, then at the front edge of the table. Obviously staged for the actor's comfort.

eaglegrad16

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Doom Patrol picture

Puppet Patrol - S1-E3

Factual error: When Jane is putting up the lost poster, the number to call is 1-800-saw-him. However, this is only a 6-digit phone number when it needs to be 7-digits (not including the 1-800 part).

Bishop73

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Los simuladores picture

El joven simulador - S1-E5

Factual error: During the maths exam, Dr. Mariani instructs Lamponne to write two division signs together and then to write 1 divided by 0, two things that are impossible in secondary school maths. (00:41:02)

Big Game

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Vincent picture

Episode One - S2-E1

Factual error: During this episode, Vincent is remanded to prison for suspected murder. At one scene he is seen working on the wing. Remand prisoners are not expected or allowed to carry out work duties in British Prisons.

Jeff Walker

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Resident Alien picture

Family Day - S2-E5

Factual error: The phone number Harry is given has an exchange that starts with "0" (the first 3 digits after the area code). Phone numbers (in the US) can't start with "0" since that's the "operator."

Bishop73

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And Then There Were None picture

Episode #1.1 - S1-E1

Factual error: Unlike Christie's novels, there is no explicit statement of the date - the original novel started on the August 8th, which is compatible with what is shown here; Vera is interviewed and the letters are all posted on August 2nd 1939, which would fit. However, there's a problem when Vera changes seats en route to Soldier's island. A passenger is reading the Daily Express, and the headline is from August 29th of that year. Too much time elapsed and it's the end of the Summer while the chat between Emily and Vera implies otherwise; it's also Tuesday but the doctor comments "It's been a long week" when he apologizes at dinner - the weekend feels a more appropriate time for a party and gathering as shown. (00:06:15)

Sammo

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True Detective picture

Season 1 generally

Factual error: A number of times throughout the season they refer to LSD being found in dead bodies and LSD being matched with other LSD found in other (living or dead) bodies. LSD starts a chain reaction in the brain which requires about an hour to take a noticeable effect. And, by that time, it has completely broken down and no longer exists as LSD in the body - before the person even begins to get high. There is no test for LSD even in the most bombed living individual, let alone a dead body years later.

roy sandefur

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Law & Order: Criminal Intent picture

Show generally

Factual error: When the cops need to arrest a medical professional, they are frequently shown barging into his/her office, exam room, or even operating room. This would never happen in real life and is strictly forbidden, as it is a gross violation of the patient's privacy, and in the case of the OR, could contaminate the sterile environment, thereby jeopardizing patient safety as well.

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The Last Thing He Told Me picture

Protect Her - S1-E1

Factual error: When Jules and Hannah are talking about the financial shenanigans at Owen's firm, Jules says that the owner of Owen's company had fraudulently driven up the price of the stock before the IPO. This is impossible. The IPO is the first time the shares become tradeable.

bnemirow

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Pretty Little Liars picture

A Person of Interest - S1-E19

Factual error: Emily is supposed to meet Paige at a karaoke bar at the intersection of 202 and W. Chester Pike, however this intersection is actually an overpass. 202 crosses over top of West Chester Pike, but never actually intersects it.

Sporty786

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Crossing Jordan picture

There's No Place Like Home - S2-E1

Factual error: This is at the end of the episode, when Jordan takes the key that she found for the 66 Ford and tries it in the ignition it should have been a square key. Round keys were for the doors and trunk. Back then they made two keys - one that opened the car doors and trunk and one that started the ignition. She never even tried the key in the trunk.

Imemine

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The Good Wife picture

Landing - S7-E19

Factual error: The U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers are wearing ties with tie clips. Real officers wear a badge tie tack. (00:01:35)

Snag.1

More The Good Wife factual errors
Surface picture

Episode #1.15 - S1-E15

Factual error: Laura gets in the elevator to find Rich; she tells him on the phone there are 12 lower levels to choose from (that is, 12 basement floors to choose from) - but there are only 6 buttons in total on the control pad. (00:23:15)

David R Turner

More Surface factual errors
More The New Avengers factual errors
The Following picture

Pilot - S1-E1

Factual error: The FBI agent introduces himself and says "Mike Weston - I did my thesis on Joe Carol at the academy." FBI agents are required to have a university degree, but they don't write thesis' at the academy. A person is either in a university or at Quantico getting trained. They are not writing papers at Quantico. They need the degree beforehand to get in. (00:10:30 - 00:11:30)

More The Following factual errors
Magnum, P.I. picture

Birdman of Budapest - S3-E15

Factual error: Higgins frightens the parrot with his peregrine falcon call, and the parrot flies away. The sky is a fairly big place though, and TC's helicopter is far away, so the fact that it'd be sucked in (that's not how helicopters work), maimed and somehow explode in a puff of (clean) feathers that instantly and calmly float down is borderline cartoon slapstick. (00:45:20)

Sammo

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Quantico picture

Kudove - S2-E1

Factual error: The shoulder patch on the U.S. customs and Border Protection officer's uniform is wrong. The real patch doesn't state Dept of Customs and Border Protection and United States Homeland Security in a smaller circle on the patch. The real patch just states U.S. Customs and Border Protection - U.S. Customs and Border Protection is not a department. Also, the officer doesn't have a name tag on over the right pocket. (00:04:00)

Snag.1

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