The System - S3-E15
Continuity mistake: Phelps takes the tape from the recorder's right-hand spindle. When he opens the acid vat, we can see the tape he just removed back on the recorder - but on the left spindle. The tape he then drops into the acid doesn't remotely resemble the one he pulled, and when he drops it, the recorder's left spindle, where the full tape was in the last shot and where the empty reel should be, now has nothing on it at all. (00:02:50)
The Legacy - S1-E15
Continuity mistake: Toward the end of the episode, Rollin gets into a fight. His mouth gets bloody on the right side, which swaps to the left, then back.
The Elixir - S3-E7
Continuity mistake: When Willie reassembles the electrical socket he puts it in with the ground on the top. Then they show Barney putting his socket together and switchback to Willie, but when the scene shows him putting in the plug it is on the bottom.
Death Squad - S4-E24
Continuity mistake: After Jocarro douses Paris with a pitcher of water, the front of Paris' uniform is either soaking wet or entirely dry every time the angle changes from close-up to master shot. (00:33:15)
Continuity mistake: When Rollin confronts Wesley about the supposedly shaved dice, the two are inches from each other. When the shot cuts to a wider angle, they're several feet apart. (00:08:35)
Continuity mistake: During the prison corridor scene, Cinnamon is crying over her "dead" husband, and her hair changes from frazzled to neatly combed and back as the angles shift between full shot and close-up. (00:39:15)
Continuity mistake: While the team discusses whether they might already be infected with the plague, the items on the desk change positions between takes. (00:25:30)
Odds on Evil - S1-E6
Continuity mistake: When he's talking to the arms dealer, Barney's right hand is free and gesturing until the shot cuts: then he's suddenly holding his drink in that hand. (00:12:20)
Continuity mistake: When Rollin and another prisoner escape, Willie picks them up and they get into the back seat. Later when Willie is driving in at least two shots they're missing from the back seat.
Continuity mistake: Pat Hingle attempts to paint yellow on Steven Hill's canvas, which shows up green (as intended in the show), but seconds later the two green marks are gone.
Continuity mistake: While Barbara Bain is opening the puzzle box, Martin Landau is removing pieces of his disguise. First, he has a handkerchief in his right hand. Next, the handkerchief is gone and he is peeling off his left leather pocket, and the left leather lapel is already gone. Next, he removes his mustache with a handkerchief. Then, while removing the left leather lapel, the left pocket is back in place. (00:39:45 - 00:41:25)
Continuity mistake: Because episodes were not aired in production order, both Lynda Day George (whose character is said to be on a prolonged assignment in Europe) and Greg Morris' mustache appear, disappear and re-appear throughout the seventh season.
Continuity mistake: Channing turns off the tape recorder. But in the next shot, as he walks away, we can see the recorder's reels still turning. (00:18:00)
Continuity mistake: Everyone in the rescue party is covered in dust and grime after crawling through the cave. But when they emerge, their white shirts are completely clean and spotless. (00:45:30)
Continuity mistake: When Cinammon is in the gallery and turns around after seeing The Seal to follow Taggart, we can see that her jacket is different from behind.
Continuity mistake: When Mr Phelps finishes choosing the mission candidates he closes the bag and puts it on the table. When they show us the bag with the IMF typing on it, it is now open again.
The Ransom - S1-E8
Continuity mistake: When the doctor tells the agent he has to step behind the shield while they take the pictures, you can see that Augie's chest strap has already been secured. The very next camera shot shows Cinnamin (as a nurse) just starting to secure his ankle area with the straps, and you can see the chest has not been secured yet. A second mistake in the same timeframe shows Augie's unconscious head turned to his left. When she starts to secure his ankles, you can see his chin pointing straight up.
Continuity mistake: When Dan comes from the tunnel and through the rope to the prison room door, first we see that the door lock is on the left, but then when Dan tries to open it, it is on the right.
Continuity mistake: The shots of the tape recorder giving Phelps his assignment don't match. Each time the camera angle changes, the tape reels are spinning at different speeds and in opposite directions.
Continuity mistake: During Phelps' mission briefing, the amount of tape on the left-hand reel, which should be diminishing as the assignment is read to him, increases instead. (00:01:45)
Answer: We don't know what would happen because the show never addressed this issue. Any answer would be speculation. This is a TV show, and the plot is structured so that only IMF team will retrieve the secret message.
raywest ★