12:00 Midnight-1:00 A.M. - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: We see Palmer at the start make the decision not to use the word occasion. When he does, the woman who is writing his speech has her hand off the pad or much further up the pad depending on the angle. (00:03:05)
12:00 Midnight-1:00 A.M. - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: When we first see Jack he has his hand up by his mouth and then by his chest. When the camera changes to show Kim, his hand is now lowered. (00:03:30)
12:00 Midnight-1:00 A.M. - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: When Jack is on the phone with his wife as he is entering the CTU building, when you can see him in two different shots, he is holding the phone differently in each shot. (00:09:10)
12:00 Midnight-1:00 A.M. - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: Janet jumps up on a table at the furniture store and is joined by a bloke who proceeds to have a drink from a can of beer. The camera does a quick cut and the drinker's position has completely changed. (00:12:30)
12:00 Midnight-1:00 A.M. - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: When Kim is sitting on the roof of the furniture store she is looking straight ahead. However the camera changes and now she is looking down. (00:18:05)
12:00 Midnight-1:00 A.M. - S1-E1
Continuity mistake: Kim Bauer has a full set of glittery pink disco nails on episode one (midnight) but then these are not visible at all in most episodes. In the 2pm episode her nails look clean/natural in nearly all the shots, apart from during the phone call with Rick where traces of pink glitter can be seen. I know she's had a very rough night but it doesn't explain the amount of damage her nails have sustained.
Chosen answer: Nobody knew, not even the writers, until at least halfway through the season when they were writing the end. They wanted to keep all options open.
Nick N.