Best TV plot holes of all time

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M*A*S*H picture

I Hate a Mystery - S1-E10

Plot hole: Hawkeye calls a number of people into the mess tent over the PA - the ones he allegedly suspects of being behind the thefts he is suspected of himself. Interestingly enough, Ho Jon, later revealed to be the guilty party, is not on Hawkeye's list - yet he shows up uninvited, just to be ensnared by Hawk's clever ploy. Note also that he had no way of knowing what the purpose of the meeting was, so we cannot ascribe to him the motive of wanting to find out how much Hawkeye knew.

Doc

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Suggested correction: Of course Ho-Jon would come to the tent; it makes perfect sense, since he is the "houseboy" of the Swamp and, consequently, a sort of personal assistant to the Swampmen (Hawkeye, Trapper, and Spearchucker). He simply followed Trapper and Spearchucker to the tent after the announcement, probably figuring they might need him in some way.

It's late evening. It's, as far as anyone knows, an official meeting. Ho Jon isn't "standing attendance", he's sitting at the table (which is very convenient for him to hide his hands later). If he WERE standing attendance, it would be the only time in the series he does so in the mess tent instead of the swamp. It would also be the only time he's attending a meeting anyone called. Also he isn't a "house boy" - that would be totally out of character for Hawkeye, see "The Moose" - he's more an adoptee and roommate who makes himself useful. And last but not least: What a convenient coincidence, that just the guy who turns out to be the culprit would turn up uninvited, because he "might be needed" instead of staying the hell away because he is guilty and suspicious of the whole affair! Had - HAD, which he hasn't - Trapper said "Ho Jon, you better come too", you could call it a Deus Ex, but the way it is, it's just a plot hole, to quote Margaret Houlihan, "period, end of sentence."

Doc

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Vigil picture

Show generally

Plot hole: Burke is murdered so that Doward will be sent out to replace him, as both hold the same rate of CPO sonar operator. But there are many CPO sonar operators in the Royal Navy. How can the GRU be so sure that Doward will be the man chosen to replace him?

Necrothesp

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Wentworth Prison picture

The Governor's Pleasure - S3-E1

Plot hole: The governor refuses to open the door for the prisoners when they have Vera hostage, and you can hear her saying "no" "return to your units" over the radio, which Channing had to overrule. Later on in the show somehow Vera doesn't know the governor refused and has to find out from Channing. But Vera was there next to the radio the whole time. They use normal radios without earpieces so there is no way she didn't hear. (00:38:05)

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Days of Our Lives picture

Show generally

Plot hole: After Rex learned that he was not really a DiMera but in fact a Brady, he suddenly became "poor." But a lot of things don't add up. Firstly, after Tony died, there was never a funeral or a will reading shown, but it seems likely that the twins would have been left something. Secondly, Rex graduated from college in the spring of 2003 and is an incredible genius who invented a laser that turns coal into diamonds. So although he might be on his own financially, he should be able to get a pretty good job without much trouble, but there's no indication that he has even tried. But Rex being poor has instead become a significant plot device, because Bonnie does not want him to marry her daughter Mimi as a direct result of it.

DavidK93

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Star Trek: The Next Generation picture

Angel One - S1-E14

Plot hole: Data calculates the time to reach The Neutral Zone in time by assuming maximum warp speed. After the solution, in the last minutes, Picard orders only warp six. With this speed, they won't get there in time. Aren't they in a hurry anymore ? (00:35:30 - 00:42:20)

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Passions picture

Show generally

Plot hole: When both Gwen and Eve were in prison in January of 2005, Ethan was trying to get Theresa (whom Gwen had stabbed in the back) to drop the charge of attempted murder so that Gwen would be able to leave the prison. At the same time, Eve was being charged with three attempted murders, including that of Julian in 2001. But Julian loves Eve, and they have reconciled any differences they had three years ago, so why doesn't he also have the option to drop one charge of attempted murder?

DavidK93

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King of the Hill picture

Returning Japanese (1) - S6-E21

Plot hole: In this episode, Hank meets his paternal half brother. They look alike. However, we saw in an earlier episode that Hank's facial structure takes after his mother, not his father. Since they are paternal half brothers, then the Japanese brother cannot look like Hank since he has a different mother.

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Star Trek picture

The Cage - S1-E1

Plot hole: Pike says he doesn't want women on his bridge, Number One being the one and only exception, and he keeps ordering Colt off it. His apology to Number One indicates that A) he doesn't think of her as female, and B) she's the only exception to his rule. So how does he overlook the very female crew-woman seated at the science station? (00:06:55)

Jean G

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Alias Smith and Jones picture

Shootout at Diablo Station - S2-E11

Plot hole: Well within earshot of the others in the small room, Curry comments to Heyes (purely for the viewers' benefit, since Heyes already knows it) that if Lom Trevors is killed, their amnesty will go with him. This information should have blown their cover, but for some strange (and unbelievable) reason, no one wonders what he's talking about. (00:19:00)

Jean G

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Hogan's Heroes picture

My Favorite Prisoner - S4-E18

Plot hole: In several occasions throughout the story, e.g. S4E18, Hogan attends parties at Stalag 13 wearing an immaculate US dress uniform. Where did he get that? Dress uniforms are not part of the usual kit a bomber crew brings along with them on their missions.

Doc

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Suggested correction: Considering they have a tailor (Newkirk) and are air dropped everything from explosives to penicillin, a Class A dress uniform would hardly be a challenge to make or receive.

stiiggy

Klink: "Hogan, where did you get that uniform?!" - Hogan: "Oh, I had OSS airdrop it together with our latest shipment of explosives and ammunition. We brought it in through our tunnel last night and stored it there."

Doc

I got it from the Red Cross.

stiiggy

Only a few high ranking intelligence officers are aware of Hogan's mission. Hogan's activities would under normal circumstances be considered fraternisation. While it might be true that he could theoretically obtain a class A uniform via the red cross, doing so would brand him as a collaborator and traitor.

Doc

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Supernatural picture

Hook Man - S1-E7

Plot hole: When Sam and Dean realise they need to destroy the hook to stop the Hook Man, they find out that it has been reforged into something else. They state it needs to be set on fire to stop him, but if it was melted down and reforged then it has already been set on fire and the Hook Man shouldn't be latched on to it in the first place.

brianjr0412

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Stargate SG-1 picture

Family - S2-E8

Plot hole: Huge plot error: Apophis and Clorell (Skara) should not have survived the explosion in Season 2, Episode 1 (when they attack Earth with two ships). In "Family" they explain that Apophis and Clorell survived by escaping through the stargate aboard Clorell's ship moments after Daniel Jackson did the same. However, when Daniel Jackson escapes through it, Apophis and Clorell are not even on the right ship, and there is 1 second left on the C4 timer when Daniel escapes. They actually show Daniel Jackson escape, and then cut to Apophis and Clorell still aboard their ship. So apparently, Apophis was able to "ring" from his ship over to Clorell's ship, make it to the stargate room, dial an address, and escape through the stargate all within literally 1 second. Is this guy related to The Flash?

AutofireDev

Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.

Suggested correction: That's not what happened or what was said. Daniel suggested Apophis and Klorel used the rings after he did, not that they used the Stargate after him. In "The Serpent's Lair", we see Apophis and Klorel use the rings BEFORE Daniel uses the Stargate. But we don't actually know how much time is meant to be left on the C-4 when they use the rings. They ended up using the Stargate before Daniel did and they never cut to them on board after Daniel escapes.

Bishop73

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24 (2001)

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Three's Company picture

Handcuffed - S4-E18

Plot hole: Chrissy's policeman cousin informs the roommates that there was a complaint from a neighbor about her husband on his roof watching the girls dance in The Apartment with binoculars. However, when the girls were dancing, the front door was fully closed and the very thick drapes were fully closed so how could such a complaint exist?

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Emergency! picture

The Promise - S3-E11

Plot hole: When Bo Jenson visits Richard Allen, he takes the elevator at the far south end of the ER wing, near the ER nurses' station, straight up to the 6th floor and then turns left to get to Richard's room in the short hallway, by the windows. When Richard jumps out the window and lands on the ledge, we see he's on the south side of Rampart's main building. Considering the actual floor plan of the hospital, this is completely impossible. The ER is located in the south lower wing and only has two floors, so Jensen could not have gone up to the 6th floor from the elevator he took.

Super Grover

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Doctor Who picture

New Earth - S2-E4

Plot hole: Those people created for medical experiments cannot run. In fact they can barely walk, so how come they can climb nearly as fast as Rose? What's more, when you see them climbing, they seem to have little ability to coordinate hand over hand. Even with the delay brought on by the cat-woman-thing, they should not have been able to keep up with her.

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Tru Calling picture

Show generally

Plot hole: Throughout the series, auxiliary characters are always far too willing to give all kinds of information to Tru. Doctors and registrars constantly give her privileged information about patients and students. Tru is often able to retrieve information like addresses and phone numbers from people's service and utility companies, when normally you must verify your own information before they will even talk to you about your account. Of course there can't be an episode if Tru doesn't quickly find the person who asked for her help, even though she doesn't usually know much more than their name, but it's still a bit conspicuous.

DavidK93

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Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers picture

A Friend in Need (3) - S3-E3

Plot hole: Somehow Bulk and Skull know that the Rangers use the phrase "It's Morphin' time" and also reach behind their belts. They're not supposed to know this, unless they know the Rangers' identities (which of course they don't know despite their "efforts").

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