Criminal Minds (2005) - 8 mistakes in series 1

Continuity: In the scene when the investigators at the police station realize who the killer is, the deputy enters and says that a revolver is missing. However, when Cory pulls out the weapon in the woods, he is holding a semi-automatic pistol. The deputy would know the difference between the two, but still uses the wrong term (a revolver may be referred to as a pistol, but an automatic like Cory had stolen can never be called a "revolver", as the chamber does not revolve).

Revealing: When Hotch and Spencer are interrogating Eddie, Spencer shows him the three photos of the people he has killed. Eddie makes a gesture as if to speak and points at Spencer, at which point we see a shot of Spencer and he very obviously glances into the camera.

Deliberate "mistake": Previous episodes of the series have established that the series takes place in present day, well into the 2000's. The models of cell phones and cars used, references to the 9/11 attacks, etc. In this episode, both Jacob and Sarah Jean are shown to be executed in the electric chair. The problem is; Florida has not used the electric chair for executions since July 8, 1999. Ever since, the state has used lethal injection for capital punishment.

Factual error: In the initial meeting at FBI headquarters, the agents mention the Zodiac killer. Gideon says about him "Yeah, and he killed for 30 years without being caught". In actuality, the Zodiac's known victims were killed between 1966 and 1970. In letters to the public, Zodiac claimed responsibility for several other murders (most of which were solved without being attributed to Zodiac), but no later than 1974. Gideon's statement was off by at least 18 years.

Continuity: At the end when the FBI is going to the apartment where the killer is holding the hostages, Gideon puts on a bulletproof vest while standing next to the car talking to the cop and a second later while he's walking toward the building he puts the vest on again.

Continuity: When Reid and Lila are in the pool, kissing, he explains how it is wrong that they are out in the open, and in a pool. Lila then kisses him again, and the paparazzo in the bushes takes pictures. In the first shot of this kiss, a close-up of Reid and Lila, her arms are down by her sides, but when seen through the camera, her arms are suddenly around his neck. Back to a close-up, and her arms are once again down in the water.

Visible crew/equipment: There is a crew member crouching behind the plant during the scene when Reid is searching the house for Maggie. When Maggie just enters the shot, you can see the crew member.

Factual error: In this episode Gideon mentions Andrei Chikatilo, and says that he lived in Ukraine (and that this is why he remained uncaught for so long). While Chikatilo was born in Ukraine, he lived in Russia for most of his life, and all of his murders happened here. An expert like Gideon should not make this kind of mistake.