The West Wing

NSF Thurmont - S6-E1

Continuity mistake: Leo enters the situation room and is told the "planes are on the deck". He watches a video feed as a plane is launched from the USS Lincoln. The S3-B Viking is seen approaching one camera (single vertical tail fin, wing-mounted engines), then from another angle, we see an F-14 Tomcat lifting off (dual tails and fuselage-mounted engines) and moving away from camera. This is supposed to be live video, and it isn't possible two different jets are launching from the same carrier at the same exact moment, so it can only be a bad choice of stock footage by the show's makers. (00:38:55)

johnrosa

NSF Thurmont - S6-E1

Deliberate mistake: While a nice approximation, the helicopter used as 'Marine One' is significantly different (and much smaller) than the real ones used by the real White House (http://www.minihelicopter.net/Marine1/MarineOne.jpg). (00:38:10)

johnrosa

NSF Thurmont - S6-E1

Continuity mistake: When C.J. and Toby discuss and have a snack in Toby's office while the president waits for Chairman Farad's call, at some point C.J. talks while holding the pack of peanut butter crackers in one hand, and one that she is about to eat in the other. Less than a second and a half later, the camera is back on her, but she is now seen holding a bottle of water that was on the table only seconds before. (00:24:25)

NSF Thurmont - S6-E1

Continuity mistake: When Kate is in Leo's office with the red folder on her lap, the position of her hands changes depending on the camera angle. Viewed from in front both hands are gripping either end of the folder, from behind her hands are clasped together and rested on top of the folder.

pinkwafer

More quotes from The West Wing
More trivia for The West Wing

In Excelsis Deo - S1-E10

Question: This is as good a place to ask as any. In various US TV shows (including this one, and this episode), someone says "I could care less", when they always seem to mean "I couldn't care less", ie. they have no interest in what's going on. Surely if they COULD care less that means they actually care a reasonable amount? Is there any logic to this, or is it just a really annoying innate lack of sense?

Jon Sandys

Chosen answer: A really annoying innate lack of sense. My friends and family say the same thing all the time, and I'm endlessly trying to correct them. I think people just don't know any better and (ironically) couldn't care less that they're speaking incorrectly.

Answer: It's an endlessly annoying dropped negative, and it's been a common colloquialism for far too long. I believe it comes from an original (and now omitted and merely implied) "As if" preceding the statement. "As if I could care less." (Meaning "As if it were possible that I could care even less than I do.") But there's really no way to know.

More questions & answers from The West Wing

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.