The Big Bang Theory

The Big Bang Theory (2007)

67 corrections since 9 Jan '17, 00:00

(13 votes)

Correction: This "mistake" relies on a single person acting in precisely the same way that someone else expects them to 100% of the time. People act inconsistently all the time, often totally at odds with their professed beliefs. This "mistake" is only valid if Sheldon's mother was seen forbidding him to dress as a zombie, and that did not happen.

Correction: How do you know she knew? She might have been out of town, busy that night, and so on and so on. Sheldon is hyperintelligent - he wouldn't put on his costume in front of her.

Sheldon is incapable of deception. And guessing where his mother was at the time is too much of a stretch.

MovieFan612

What deception? He didn't tell his mother about a costume he wore, and she didn't find out independently. There is no mistake here.

Correction: Sorry, but this is completely incorrect. I had inflatable decorations back in the 90s, and there were absolutely inflatable lawn decorations in the 80s. You can still buy some inflatable 80s decoration secondhand on sites like eBay. "Modern" inflatables like balloons date back 200 years, and the air-inflation process had been used prior to that even. I can only presume you're referring to the more current in-vogue inflatables that use fans... but even those existed before 2001, albeit they weren't as widely used. (Ex. The StarLab inflatable planetarium that many schoolchildren still experience to this day uses the same basic fan system and was invented in the 1970's.)

TedStixon

I researched my answer. Can you provide more info on yours?

MovieFan612

How could you have possibly done research on inflatables and come to the conclusion that inflatable decorations were invented in 2001? My info is that I literally owned some, and you can still find plenty second-hand online. Go to Etsy and search "vintage inflatable" and there are currently multiple inflatable decorations that date from the 80s and earlier that people are selling secondhand.

TedStixon

Correction: He says he had an inflatable Santa Claus, but nothing to suggest it was an "air blown" version that you seem to be talking about.

Bishop73

Inflatable means you blow air into it.

MovieFan612

Yes, but it doesn't mean to blow air into constantly with a portable fan. That's why kids before 2001 had beach balls and other inflatable pool toys. What you seem to be describing or alluding to are called "Gemmy Airblown Inflatables," introduced in 2001.

Bishop73

Very true, Bishop. And even then... the technology Gemmy Airblown Inflatables use existed long before 2001. As I said in my response, it's the same basic tech used for things like inflatable planetariums. I'm confused as to what MovieFan612 is getting at. They seem to be indicating that inflatable decorations in general didn't exist before 2001... which is just factually wrong.

TedStixon

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Suggested correction: If he was acting normally (for Sheldon), he wouldn't. However, Sheldon isn't acting as he normally would due to lack of sleep, and his obsession with solving a problem.

Andy Benham

The severity of his phobia would not be minimized by lack of sleep.

MovieFan612

Sheldon's mind is distracted by the problem he is trying to solve. He grabs other people's food, he allows Raj to touch his food, he handles dirty cutlery at the cheesecake factory, All characteristics that would be present if he was acting normally. The fact that he is in the ball pit is simply an extension.

Ssiscool

Severe sleep deprivation could certainly affect how Sheldon reacts to phobias. The brain requires sleep to function and with a severe lack of sleep, the brain is no longer able to send the signals that alert Sheldon to his fear of germs.

immortal eskimo

Correction: The figure he's holding is a genuine Star Trek figure in the correct packaging. It was produced by Playmates Toys and marketed in the Star Trek The Next Generation packaging as "Lieutenant Commander Geordie LaForge Movie Uniform"

Correction: The figure in the episode is specifically a 'movie uniform' outfit, as labeled on the packaging. Many of these made their way into the standard 'Next Generation' line of figures. This is not an error.

The Benefactor Factor - S4-E15

Continuity mistake: When Sheldon and Leonard are in the kitchen discussing Leonard's upcoming night out with Mrs. Latham, there's a plastic bottle of orange juice on the table that keeps disappearing and reappearing as the camera switches between Sheldon and Leonard.

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Suggested correction: The bottle is there every time, a few times because of the camera angle it is hidden by Sheldon.

Bowling255

The bottle of OJ is right next to a container of Coffee Mate, both items always visible when the bottle of OJ is present. When the OJ is not present, only the Coffee Mate is there, near enough the center of the table to not possibly be blocked out by either Sheldon nor Leonard.

No it is not right next to the coffee Mate, there is some distance with a phone in between. You can sometimes see the bottle behind Sheldon when he moves.

Bowling255

The Zazzy Substitution - S4-E3

Corrected entry: The proposition that danishes wouldn't exist if Copenhagen were flooded is wrong, because "danishes" were created by Austrian bakers. They are called danish in English-speaking countries because they're very popular in Denmark. The Danish word for this pastry is wienerbrød, which translates to "Viennese bread."

Tanngrisnir

Correction: The origin of the Danish pastry is often ascribed to a strike amongst bakery workers in Denmark in 1850. The strike caused bakery owners to hire workers from abroad, among them several Austrian bakers, who brought along new baking traditions and pastry recipes.

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Suggested correction: The space toilet was something Howard designed that NASA installed back in season 2. His mission to the ISS in season 5 was always about his telescope. In episode 5, "The Russian Rocket Reaction", Howard says NASA picked his team's design for the deep field space telescope that's going on the International Space Station in the spring.

Bishop73

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Suggested correction: While her brother was the only one that came to the wedding she mentions her many other times and never said she only had a brother. She mentions her father dancing with her and her water breaking at her wedding. She asks her dad about Randall and Lisa. She also mentions her sister "accidentally" shot her husband. So while the brother is more prominent the sister is mentioned throughout.

The Zarnecki Incursion - S4-E19

Character mistake: As they drive to Todd Zarnecki's to confront him, Sheldon says, "I almost feel sorry for the poor fool, sitting in his split-level suburban ranch..." Architecturally, split-level (technically three levels joined by half flights of stairs) and ranch (single level) are separate and distinct designs. There is no "fusion" of the two. I can't help but think Sheldon would have corrected anyone who said the same thing.

MFWills

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Suggested correction: Actually the term "split level ranch" is used to describe a house that has one full floor above ground and a partial lower level, vs the traditional split level house which has a full floor above ground, a second partial floor and a partial lower level.

immortal eskimo

Show generally

Factual error: The main apartment in the show is located in Pasadena, Calif. When looking out the window in the background, mountains are shown in the distance and far away. In reality, Pasadena lies right underneath the long mountain range so the mountains would be up close, not far away.

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Suggested correction: Not true. I lived in Pasadena for years and in some areas, the mountains do look further away. The view from the San Pasqual apartments, you can barely see the mountains.

immortal eskimo

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Suggested correction: I can only assume you have never played on a RP server? ERP is a big thing, some players even make gold from it.

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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

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Suggested correction: That type of sling is the best for preventing movement of the shoulder joint. It is the proper one.

LorgSkyegon

Correction: After Amy says "How could you leave like that without saying goodbye and then call Leonard instead of me", and the shot changes to Sheldon looking at Leonard and then back to the three of them, it can be seen in the background that at the turn, the tarmac quality actually changes. Thus it is originally there and the footage is continuous.

Correction: The symbol is there the entire time. It's just very difficult to see.

Greg Dwyer

Correction: Penny says "I've been trying to get in for months."

The Beta Test Initiation - S5-E14

Character mistake: Sheldon says (during Fun With Flags) "But like the flag over Fort Sumter, I'm still here." The Sumter flag was lowered when the fort surrendered to the Confederates. The flag over Fort McHenry was never taken down despite the British bombardment and inspired Francis Scott Key to write the National Anthem about it. Whouldn't a vexologist know that?

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Suggested correction: Sheldon is referring to the actual Fort Sumter flag, which still exists and is on display at the Fort Sumter museum.

LorgSkyegon

Sheldon is not referring the actual flag (especially since if the actual flag is in a museum it's not still over Fort Sumter). Sheldon is referencing the line from The Star-Spangled Banner "our flag was still there." Key wrote The Star-Spangled Banner after seeing the flag over Fort McHenry was still there. The writers simply made a mistake and Sheldon the character would know which flag inspired the line. Incidentally, the actual Fort McHenry flag also still exists.

Bishop73

Correction: Technically, when you use a network for the first time, there are many steps involved like creating a VPN, matching IP addresses, etc, hence the delay. Once you have connected and used it at least once, the go-betweens don't exist, hence there is no delay.

The delay wouldn't be that long.

Ssiscool

The Bad Fish Paradigm - S2-E1

Corrected entry: When Sheldon mentions to Leonard, Raj, and Howard that he is moving out, Raj asks Leonard "Did you pronounce the 't' in often?" This statement in context implies that it makes Sheldon angry when someone pronounces the 't' in often. However, Leonard and other characters do this multiple times throughout the series with Sheldon never commenting on it.

Ashish_Agrawal

Correction: Sheldon is also very particular about things in certain episodes. It's not out of character for certain ticks to disappear and reappear throughout.

Ssiscool

The Large Hadron Collision - S3-E15

Factual error: At the very end of the show, Leonard and Raj arrive at the hotel, which is supposed to be in Geneva, Switzerland, to visit CERN. If you look out the "hotel" window, it looks like they're half way up Matterhorn, but in Geneva there are no big/rocky mountains anywhere near the city itself.

Boarderin

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Suggested correction: Leonard tells Penny they'll be going skiing which would suggest the resort they're staying in IS near mountains. There is no mention that the hotel is in Geneva itself.

The Countdown Reflection - S5-E24

Factual error: There is not a snowball's chance of Howard becoming an astronaut. He suffers from cardiac arrhythmia, something about which he is completely open. "Transient" or not this is easily detectable by a simple electrocardiogram, which is a fundamental part of the many medical examinations a potential astronaut will have to pass. He wouldn't even be allowed to start basic training. Note also that during his basic training he shows signs of severe stress and trauma which would inevitably trigger a cardiac episode. Even if it didn't the fact that he was falling apart at the seams would have him removed from the programme for his own good.

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The Euclid Alternative - S2-E5

Question: Though it comes up in other episodes as well, this one is focused on Sheldon needing a ride everywhere he goes because he can't drive, not to mention his not being welcome on the bus. Of course, this story element would be nonexistent if there was a simple answer, but it does beg the question: Does Pasadena not have taxicabs?

MFWills

Chosen answer: It does. The variable cleanliness of the cab and the habit of taxi drivers to engage customers in small talk would be too much for Sheldon to handle, and not an option for him.

Captain Defenestrator

Answer: Sheldon DID finally use a taxi when going to the airport to see and propose to Amy in New Jersey.

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