The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory (2007)

97 mistakes in season 1

(13 votes)

The Pork Chop Indeterminacy - S1-E15

Character mistake: In his conversation with Missy Sheldon makes it clear that his superior intelligence is a result of a random, mutated gene. Since Missy isn't similarly intelligent she obviously isn't carrying this mutated gene (which would be a billion to one shot anyway) so her offspring wouldn't inherit it. Sheldon would know this - his offspring would carry the mutated gene for superior intelligence, Missy's would not. Anyone knowing enough about genetics to use the term 'randomly mutated gene' understands enough to know that the mutated gene would only be expressed in a direct line from the carrier - Sheldon. Also bear in mind he has a model of the DNA molecule in his living room - it is obviously an interest.

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Suggested correction: Genes can be dormant. Which allows them to skip generations. Therefor Missy's children could actually get the "mutated" gene. This is especially true since Sheldon and Missy are twins. Also, since the episode is about who out of Leonard, Howard or Raj, Sheldon would allow to "mate" with his sister, there is the added "insurance" of getting any smart genes from any of the 3 Lothario's mentioned above.

If you are going to try to argue with a geneticist about genetics, please use the correct terms. Sheldon is not referring to a recessive gene - there is no such thing as a dormant gene - he is speaking of a randomly mutated gene. Those are the words he used. If he had inherited a homozygous recessive karotype - one recessive gene from each of his parents - then somewhere in his family tree there would similarly gifted people, in which case he would use the correct term - a recessive gene. If Missy is a heterozygotic dominant karotype possessing the recessive gene for super-genius and the dominant for ordinary intelligence then mating her with Howard, Raj or Leonard would be a waste of time as their dominant genius gene would prevent the recessive super-genius gene from being expressed in the phenotype of the resulting child. The child would be highly intelligent but not on Sheldon's standards. It doesn't matter if Sheldon does not know any of this as he refers several times to a randomly mutated gene, not a recessive one. Missy does not carry the super-genius gene. The posting is correct.

Sheldon is prone to magical thinking when necessary to preserve his obsessive need to control his environment. He may have simply ignored the flaw in his reasoning, as even the most intelligent humans do when venturing outside their ares of expertise. He may be interested in the science of genetics, but his Ph.D. in physics doesn't qualify him as an expert in that field.

The Big Bran Hypothesis - S1-E2

Character mistake: In his argument with Leonard regarding Superman's ability to fly, Sheldon states that in Superman 1, Lois Lane is two feet off the ground when Superman catches her as she falls from the helicopter. Not so. Superman catches Lois at least ten stories up. Additionally, both Penny and Sheldon say Superman "swoops down" to save Lois. Penny can be forgiven, but Sheldon would know better: Superman flies UP from ground level to catch Lois. (00:02:30)

MFWills

The Nerdvana Annihilation - S1-E14

Factual error: The time machine in this episode is supposedly the same one used in the H.G. Wells movie, but there are mistakes in the controls that would have been obvious to the characters: 1. When Leonard first gets into the machine he talks about traveling into the past and says something like "I'm setting the date to..." That is the method used to operate the Wayback Machine in the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoon, but not the time machine in the H.G. Wells movie. Rod Taylor could not set the desired date on the controls, he simply used the lever to move forward and backward through time and the date display updated automatically to show the current date. 2. In the movie the default position of the lever was at a 45 degree angle. Pushing the lever forward moved the machine into the future, pulling back on the lever moved the machine into the past. In the TV show the default position of the lever is vertical and Leonard pulls the lever backwards to move forward into the future - opposite of the movie.

The Nerdvana Annihilation - S1-E14

Character mistake: Being the first to play in the "time machine," Leonard says he will set the date for March 10, 1876. Howard says "Good choice. Alexander Graham Bell invents the telephone and calls out for Doctor Watson." Bell's assistant, Thomas A. Watson, was an experienced electrical designer and mechanic, but he did not hold an advanced degree. It is well documented that the first words transmitted over the telephone identified him as Mister Watson.

MFWills

The Peanut Reaction - S1-E16

Revealing mistake: In the scene where Leonard is supposedly playing Halo 3 against somebody in Copenhagen, there is no ethernet cable or wireless adapter connected to the Xbox 360 (one of the originals without wireless inbuilt), which means that there is no way he can be playing online with someone in another country. (00:09:00)

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Suggested correction: No he doesn't, he tips it in sideways.

In which case the handles are still not easily accessible at the top.

Ssiscool

The Tangerine Factor - S1-E17

Continuity mistake: When Penny is squirting chocolate syrup in the ice cream container, she drizzles some on the lip of the carton, causing it to run down the outside. The camera switches to Leonard and then back to Penny, at which point, the chocolate is gone. (00:04:50)

Boobra

The Extract Obliteration - S6-E6

Stephen Hawking: Do you like brain teasers?
Sheldon Cooper: Oh, I love brain teasers.
Stephen Hawking: What do Sheldon Cooper and a black hole have in common? They both suck. Neener, neener.

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The Holographic Excitation - S6-E5

Trivia: In this episode, Sheldon and Amy are trying to decide on couples' themed Halloween costumes. Sheldon is standing in front of the dry erase board. There are 2 columns written on the board. One named "Couples I Like" and the other "Couples You Like." Under the "Couples You Like" column, one of the couples is Blossom and Joey. Blossom is the name of the television character played by Mayim Bialik in the 90s and Joey was one of her brothers.

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Chosen answer: The song is called "Dark as a Dungeon" and was written and first performed by singer-songwriter Merle Travis in 1946. It has been performed by a wide array of artists, including Tennessee Ernie Ford, Harry Belafonte, Dolly Parton, Queens of the Stone Age, Kathy Mattea and Amy Grant. But it was made most famous when it was performed and recorded by Johnny Cash during his concert at Folsom Prison in 1968. According to Wikipedia: "It is a lament about the danger and drudgery of being a coal miner in an Appalachian shaft mine. It has become a rallying song among miners seeking improved working conditions."

Michael Albert

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