The West Wing

The Stormy Present - S5-E10

Continuity mistake: Leo and his daughter could not go to the theater because the former president had passed away. Later, when his daughter tells Leo that her mother is getting married, he says that he is only sorry he couldn't spend more time with his daughter, who thought they would have a good time the other night at the theater, but that they had a problem with the Middle East. It doesn't make sense, they didn't go to the theater because the former president passed away, not because of problems with the Middle East.

Eduardo Sánchez Rodríguez

Abu el Banat - S5-E9

Continuity mistake: When the president is in the oval office with the first lady and they are called by Charlie to receive their daughter Liz, the office does not have a Christmas tree, however, in the next scene when he leaves his grandson to go with Leo and C.J. to the office, the Christmas tree is already set up.

Eduardo Sánchez Rodríguez

7A WF 83429 - S5-E1

Continuity mistake: When Margaret walks into Leo's office and he sleeps, the screen says it's the sixteenth hour of Zoey's kidnapping. Leo asks Margaret what time it is and she says it's almost 5:00. At the beginning of the episode when Abby and the president talk at the residence, the president says it's 6:30, and the screen says it's the eighth hour of the kidnapping, then if we move another eight hours until we get to the sixteenth hour of the kidnapping, it would be 2:30, not 5:00.

Eduardo Sánchez Rodríguez

The U.S. Poet Laureate - S3-E17

Character mistake: Jed Bartlett is talking to Leo and Hoynes. He says 'Calvary' instead of 'Cavalry' in the line "Tell Josh that General Pulaski was a Polish Brigadier General who vanquished the Russian and Prussian military then came to the colonies and commanded our cavalry during the American revolution."

dxhutch

In This White House - S2-E4

Continuity mistake: At the beginning of the episode, while CJ is talking to Sam about getting lost on the way to work, the fishbowl gets turned around mid conversation - the elephant in the fishbowl suddenly faces the other way.

Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.

Suggested correction: Although Mercator was born in Rupelmonde, it was during a visit his parents were making to the town. His family was ethnically German, as they came from Gangelt in the Holy Roman Empire. This is also where Mercator spent much of his adult life (specifically in the German city of Duisburg). Calling him German is technically correct.

Dead Irish Writers - S3-E16

Factual error: Lord John Marbury says he is "the Earl of Croy, Marquess of Needham and Dolby and Baronet of Brycey." His title according to the British peerage rules would be "The Earl of Croy" and he would be called Lord Croy in conversation. Lord John Marbury would be what one of his younger sons also named John would be called.

365 Days - S6-E12

Factual error: When Will comes to Leo's office at the scheduled time of 6PM, the sun is shining brightly through Leo's window. Since this is the day after the State of The Union address which is mid-January, it would already be dark in DC.

bnemirow

The Crackpots and These Women - S1-E5

Other mistake: When the President and his staff stop preparing for his upcoming press conference they decide to meet again "this afternoon" implying that it is still morning. In the very next scene Sam meets with the representative from United States Space Command he tells Sam that at 6:35 AM local time UFO's were detected over Hawaii. That's not possible. Hawaii is 6 hours behind Washington D.C. If it were noon in Washington, it would only be 6 AM in Hawaii, 35 minutes before the time the gentlemen mentioned.

Take Out the Trash Day - S1-E13

Continuity mistake: This episode takes place in early 2000. 7 or 8 months before the midterm. When Bartlet tells C.J. to drawer the sex education report until after the midterm she exclaims, "next year?"

Take Out the Trash Day - S1-E13

Continuity mistake: This episode takes place in February or March of 2000. Josh and Donna have worked in the White House for 13-14 months, but in the beginning of the episode Donna is asking Josh what 'take out of the trash day' is, when she has been working in the White House for many, many Fridays.

The Birnam Wood - S6-E2

Other mistake: During the peace talks between the Arabs and Israelis CJ tells the press that the group had Maryland Crab Cake for lunch. Jews would not eat crab and some Muslims also would not.

18th and Potomac - S2-E21

Character mistake: While in the Situation Room Leo says twice "we need the calvary." According to Webster, calvary is a proper noun that refers to the hillside on which Jesus was crucified. Cavalry is a group of highly mobile army troops. Leo meant to say "cavalry" but mispronounced it. The subtitle is correct with the spelling "cavalry." Leo would definitely know better. (00:19:00)

Dr. Thomas

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

Pilot - S1-E1

Question: I don't really understand Josh's comment to Mary Marsh on TV ("Lady, the god you pray to is too busy being indicted for tax fraud."). Could someone please explain it to me?

Answer: It's in reference to the many televangelists and revival ministers usually associated with the right-wing that have been convicted of tax fraud (Jim Bakker and Tamy Faye being a more famous set). Occasionally, the more unscrupulous ministers have bilked millions from believers all in the name of God.

Nikki

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.