Factual error: In the remastered DVD editions, on Doc Baker's wagon, you can see that the canvas wagon cover has a plastic window sewn into it.
Continuity mistake: Grace Snider Edwards was played by two different people with no explanation. Bonnie Bartlett played her all along, but Corinne Camacho played her for one episode only.
Revealing mistake: When Carrie (played by twins) falls down in the opening sequence, it appears that she gets back up and continues running. In reality, after falling, the other twin gets up and continues. If you look closely enough, you can see that when getting up, Carrie is slightly closer towards the camera than when the first twin fell.
Factual error: Aeroplane trails are in the sky throughout several episodes. This wouldn't have been possible in the time the show is set.
Other mistake: Charles can barely get up from his bed because of broken ribs, and it's totally impossible to breathe well, let alone moving sacks of grain. But in the end when the neighbors help with the sacks he's walking OK, as if he hadn't just fallen down from the top of the pile of sacks with broken ribs.
The Raccoon - S1-E10
Character mistake: Charles takes a bowl of water to Jack. Jack steps away from the water, and doesn't drink. Then a couple of scenes later, when Caroline and Charles are in the barn, Mary comes out and says Laura is thirsty. Caroline starts crying and says that Dr. Baker says that it's a sign, but a sign of rabies is actually when the person or animal doesn't want water. At one point, it was called hydrophobia because of the fear of water. (00:38:26)
The Raccoon - S1-E10
Plot hole: The plot gets confusing here. First, Laura and Jack (the dog) are rabidly bitten by Jasper (her pet racoon). The doctor warns they may have rabies from the bite. A second more dangerous raccoon is discovered which eventually left the area. In the end, Charles (discovering there were two raccoons in the barn after finding Jasper remaining), says Laura is going to be OK after all. The main confusion is that Laura would still be in danger from the bite regardless of which untested raccoon bit her.
The Raccoon - S1-E10
Factual error: Laura and Caroline are playing a word association game about beverages and Laura says "orange juice, " which wasn't used by Americans until the 1920s. Any earlier than that, oranges were a luxury not available to farmers in Minnesota.
The Lord is My Shepherd - S1-E13
Continuity mistake: In this episode, in the various scenes showing the church, the bell is gone but in the next episodes it has reappeared again.
Christmas At Plum Creek - S1-E14
Character mistake: When Charles explains to Carrie about Christmas, he mentions 3 kings and 3 wise men. The bible refers to them as Magi or Wise Men and no clear evidence on whether there were just 3, or if they were even kings. Putting aside the number of visitors and what they were called, it's either kings or wise men, but not both.
Revealing mistake: The guys get the pregnant girl and her kids 50 lbs pounds of flour. She goes outside, people are talking about her and she runs. You can see tire tracks in the dirt road.
The Campout - S2-E5
Audio problem: When Laura and Nellie are on the branch going down the rapids they can be heard talking, but their mouths either don't match with what they are saying or don't move at all.
The Campout - S2-E5
Factual error: This episode takes place almost entirely in the mountains. In Minnesota where the show is set, there are no mountains as tall as shown, particularly those that are snow-capped and rocky. The show was shot in California.
Continuity mistake: When Mary and Laura dive into the lake to rescue the puppies they have their shoes on. As they are swimming around looking for them they are barefoot. When the get out of the water their shoes are back on.
Continuity mistake: When Jason and Laura are flying the kite in one scene, there is heavy rain, thunder, and lightning and dark storm clouds shown in the sky, but on the ground showing the kids, the sun is shining on them (note the shadows).
Factual error: As the train is going backwards from the oncoming caboose, the camera pans to the field background and if you watch from right to left, you'll see a white vehicle driving in the background. (00:42:20)
Factual error: Right as Michael Landon boards the train off his horse you can see a radio tower in the background. Radio hadn't been invented when the show was set.
Factual error: On the hill to the right of the kids as they walk away, there appears to be a telephone tower on the hill.
Journey In The Spring (1) - S3-E6
Revealing mistake: When Charles notices that his dad set the house on fire, and he is at his mom's wooden grave site, the wooden grave marker moves when he gets up to save his Pa from the burning house.
Quarantine - S3-E13
Visible crew/equipment: Around 9:15 when the family is sitting at the table talking, in the lower right corner the shadow of a camera person appears below Ma's chair. (00:09:14)
