In the Footsteps of a Killer - S6-E7
Continuity mistake: During the interview at the bar, the quantity of coconut and rum in Tony Garret's glass changes between shots multiple times. Easiest bit to spot it is towards the end when he brags that he could find a dozen witnesses in an hour; as he says that line, the liquor barely covers half of the ice cubes, but after a brief cut on Ardal O'Hanlon, the glass is full enough to cover most of them. (00:26:00)
In the Footsteps of a Killer - S6-E7
Continuity mistake: The forensics team consisting of JP and his DJ cousin has produced the magnified audio of the background noise featured in the taping. Everyone turns then to the whiteboard, but Florence's hand position on her mug does not match in the different shot shots (thumb on or off the rim, mug raised as she drinks, mug in front of her chest). (00:31:20)
Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the episode, Edwina Bousquet scoffs at the apology and gets up. Close-up of Judith Dawson, and you can see for a second in the background the bike with Danny John-Jules entering the premises. But there is no sound effect for it and in the next cuts he's nowhere to be seen; he arrives only later. (00:00:25)
Continuity mistake: Catherine is chatting with the not-so-bad candidate, who offers his support. She says "I'd like that" with a bit of her scarf that goes in front of her shoulder, unlike the previous shot. (00:01:45)
Continuity mistake: DI Jack Mooney arrives on the scene of the crime. He is walking with his left hand on his chest in the first shot, but viewed from the side, his arm hangs low. (00:05:25)
Continuity mistake: Fire exit scene. Everyone turns around surprised by Jack's appearance in the opposite direction. Florence turns twice, though. (00:07:20)
Continuity mistake: After Judith Dawson's first testimony, Jack thanks her; Florence is just pretending to write and stops, but in the next shot she is back at it, scribbling her pad with the pen. At the end of this new shot, she stops writing, but is writing again in the next, all while DI Jack Mooney talks in continuity. (00:08:55)
Continuity mistake: Back at the station, Jack picks Peter Baxter's profile off Florence's pile. Action happens in two shots, and the marker in his hand does a 180°; black cap up/black cap down. The mistake happens again later, with Catherine's picture. (00:10:50)
Continuity mistake: Jack receives the photos of both Reverend Matthew Dawson and his wife; during the sequence, the black marker switches hand from right to left, to right again, and is pointing sometimes up, sometimes down. (00:11:20)
Continuity mistake: When Florence "Ehh!"s and "Shh-shh!"s Dwayne, she does it with one hand, which becomes two at the next shot. (00:13:00)
Continuity mistake: Dwayne is staring at the boards after his superiors have gone to the church function. He says "JP..." and his younger coworker has his pen on the paper, but at the cut the pen hand is scratching his nose. (00:34:00)
Continuity mistake: Dwayne's bushy cover has been blown, so he nonchalantly walks out and greets the stern-looking Audrey. He opens his arms when he says her name, but in the reverse shot he repeats the movement, as he was still pretending to scribble on his pad. (00:14:00)
Continuity mistake: DI Jack Mooney is looking at the coroner report on the PC screen. He changes his stance and is initially hunched over and then straight, but the person in the foreground is keeping the exact same posture every time the camera cuts to Dwayne. (00:25:35)
Continuity mistake: After the obligatory ultimatum visit by the Commissioner, Jack asks Florence for good news. When she chirps that she -really - found something, her hands drop in the close-up, but are holding the headphones steady and up in the next shot. (00:32:25)
Continuity mistake: After the chat with the hotel manager, Jack and Florence are in Stephen's room. The level of drink in Stephen Marston's cocktail glass changes between shots - it's half full when Jack is straining to sit down, and is back up right at the cut. (00:35:25)
Continuity mistake: Officer Dwayne Myers pulls the shades from the sock; he is holding them in a different way between shot and reverse (fingers on the lens vs fingers on the hinge). (00:12:00)
Continuity mistake: Office scene with the poison being revealed. Dwayne in his snazzy detective suit interjects that you have to know the right, or wrong people to get a hold of it. In the wider shot (whole room in frame) Danny John-Jules' left hand covers the cuff of his blue shirt, while in the closer angle the shirt is perfectly visible. (00:13:50)
Continuity mistake: After mentioning the Dutch poker player, JP waves around the calling card of the taxi driver. He holds it vertically when seen from behind, horizontally in the front shot. (00:27:50)
Continuity mistake: During the questioning of "professor" Eugene Sutton, his hand is flat on the table in front views, with the side down in the reverse angle. (00:34:00)
Continuity mistake: During the denouement, the natural light on the poker table changes continuously between shots. (00:41:45)
Answer: There's probably no particular reason. Sets and props on long-running TV shows often change as needed and for various reasons throughout a series run.
raywest ★