Best mystery TV revealing mistakes of all time

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Waking the Dead picture

End Game (1) - S8-E7

Revealing mistake: Boyd has a video-conversation with Linda on the phone she sent him. On top of the screen you can see how long the video will last (1 minute and 3 seconds), showing it's a pre-recorded video, not an actual live conversation.

littlestar

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Law & Order picture Law & Order mistake picture

Patient Zero - S14-E3

Revealing mistake: When Briscoe and Green investigate the auto yard with the stolen, blue SUV, Briscoe handcuffs the owner. When he cuffs him, he turns him, showing his back and his hands behind his back. You can see the actor isn't cuffed, just holding the handcuffs as he walks. (00:06:35)

Matdan97

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Cold Case picture

Offender - S4-E19

Revealing mistake: When Mr. Hathaway contacts Scotty as they dig up his son's bicycle, a shot of Hathaway shows Los Angeles' US Bank Tower in the background. The series is set in Philadelphia.

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Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries picture

The Green Mill Murder - S1-E3

Revealing mistake: When the band in the nightclub performs the made up song "Mr. Music Man", the suave Mr. Stone, the musician Miss Fisher ends up dancing with, is doing one heck of an hilariously incompetent job at faking to play an instrument, basically playing air-banjo strumming about 3 inches above where the chords are, and wildly off tempo. In the closing bit of the song (as the singer sings "To sin") he even moves his hand at the side of the strings and not above them. (00:03:30)

Sammo

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The Sixth Sense picture

With This Ring, I Thee Kill! - S1-E7

Revealing mistake: In the hospital, a male nurse stands by as Rhodes talks to the patient, keeping an eye on all the beeping vital-signs monitors. But there's nothing attached to the man in the bed - no wires, no leads, not even an IV.

Jean G

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Haven picture

Fear & Loathing - S2-E2

Revealing mistake: When Nathan and Audrey are sitting at the table in The Grey Gull, the extra in the background can be seen bringing a loaded fork inches short of his mouth then fake chewing. This happens a few times before cutting to the ending credits. (00:40:05 - 00:40:55)

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The Last Thing He Told Me picture

When We Were Young - S1-E6

Revealing mistake: Hannah sits in a conference room and pulls a landline phone towards her to dial her friend, asking about the will Owen left. The phone however isn't in any way connected, hence no call could have taken place.

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Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency picture

Show generally

Revealing mistake: Mr Knight shoots Suzie Boreton - after the muzzle flashes and sounds stop the bolt of his MK14 EBR continues to move back and forth as if it's still firing. (00:30:30)

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Broadchurch picture

Episode #1.4 - S1-E4

Revealing mistake: The tabloid story with the plight of the Latimers just came out, and various characters are looking at it. In the bit when David Tennant tosses on the desk his copy of the Herald, the second paragraph of the second column goes "Sitting in the family home, surrounded by pictures and mementos of Danny" etc. It is the same text that was at the very beginning of the article when the store owner was looking at it. The newspaper is a prop with the same text in a loop. (00:35:00 - 00:36:30)

Sammo

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Stranger Things picture

Chapter One: MADMAX - S2-E1

Revealing mistake: When Bob and Joyce have lunch, Bob pops open a can of soda (which is period appropriate). The scene cuts to Joyce, then back to Bob. It is clear from how he is holding the can, and how he pretends to drink from it, that his newly opened soda is actually empty.

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The New Avengers picture The New Avengers mistake picture

Obsession - S2-E5

Revealing mistake: Our heroes arrive at an RAF base. Purdey hears a loud aircraft noise and looks up to the sky - cut to shot of a fighter jet. For a few frames after the cut, a caption that reads "The Engineer in the RAF" is just visible. It would seem they 'borrowed' some material from an RAF training film. (Indeed, a later shot of shells exploding was obviously taken from a videotaped TV programme, judging by the 'lag' effect caused by the tube camera that would've been used).

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JAG (1995)

JAG picture

Trinity - S2-E6

Revealing mistake: As Harm & Mac are returning to the US, we are told they are flying out of London Heathrow. But the stock footage of an airport used is actually London Gatwick, identified by its distinctive control tower, and not Heathrow.

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