Best TV factual errors of 2014

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Power picture

Reversal of Fortune - S6-E14

Factual error: Congressman Tate and his brother are on the shooting range. They are wearing high-tech electronic earmuffs that block harmful noise like gunfire while amplifying speech and other low-volume sounds. Although, they are wearing high-tech earmuffs, they both have an ear exposed so they can hear each other talk. (00:13:00)

Snag.1

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Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo Returns picture

The Alchemy Murder Case File 3 - S1-E8

Factual error: The Latin text on the supposedly old tome (which is written with a modern font) displays an alchemist diagram. It is a reproduction of a famous drawing meant to portray the Philosopher Stone in the Sylva Philosophorum, but whoever copied it does not know Latin, because certain words are misspelled ("Merceralia" instead of "Mercurialia", "Humides" instead of "Humidus"). (00:10:10)

Sammo

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1864 picture

Show generally

Factual error: Helmuth von Moltke is addressed and referred to several times as Field Marshal. He wasn't promoted to that rank until 1871. He was a lieutenant-general during the Second Schleswig War in 1864.

Necrothesp

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Manhattan picture

You Always Hurt the One You Love - S1-E1

Factual error: In the opening sequence, Dr Frank Winter is hitting golf balls in the desert while a radio announcer is reading off names of Americans killed in action. One name is identified by the rank of "Lance Corporal," which the US Marine Corps first adopted in 1958, long after the war. Several minutes later, Dr Winter dresses down an Army MP, referring to him as "Sergeant First Class." During WW2, that rank was actually "Technical Sergeant."

Nightguy

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Intelligence picture

Delta Force - S1-E8

Factual error: Chip-augmented federal agent Gabriel Vaughn is chasing a former Delta Force comrade, now suspected of being a hired assassin in Bolivia. He catches up to the man, telling him to freeze because he's standing in a minefield. Vaughn says the field was planted by "Pinochet," which is wrong, since the episode takes place in Bolivia, and General Augusto Pinochet was the military dictator of Chile. Earlier in the episode, Vaughn is asked what happened between him and his former close friend, and he refers to an incident in Fallujah. But flashbacks of the incident show the two men in Afghanistan in 2006. Fallujah is in Iraq. (00:37:00)

Nightguy

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Happy Valley picture

Episode #1.5 - S1-E5

Factual error: Catherine is told she's been recommended for the Queen's Police Medal for Gallantry. This has not been awarded since 1977, when it was replaced by the Queen's Gallantry Medal, which is still awarded.

Necrothesp

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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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