Factual error: Detective Superintendent Hamilton has red fabric within the crowns on her rank insignia. This would be correct for most British police forces, but the Metropolitan Police uses blue fabric instead.
Factual error: Jake and Miyamoto go to an establishment where there are girls dancing on stage. The girls are first dancing to "Motivation" by Kelly Rowland, released in 2011, and "Aly Walk With Me" by The Raveonettes, released in 2007. But, this scene takes place in 1999.
Factual error: The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has red fabric within the crowns on his rank insignia. This would be correct for most British police forces, but the Metropolitan Police uses blue fabric instead.
Episode #4.9 - S4-E9
Factual error: Renate escapes from the prison in a Morris Ten Four, with the badge visible on the bonnet. However, this designation was not introduced until 1935 and the episode is set in 1931.
Factual error: The German series is set in 1987 in Berlin before the wall came down. It shows a suitcase going through airport security that wasn't set up until after 2001.
Factual error: Three inspectors are candidates for the 'job' of chief superintendent and one is appointed. But British police promotion doesn't work like this. Chief superintendent is a rank, not a job, and inspector is three ranks below it. Officers do not skip ranks. The only possible candidates for a post carrying the rank of chief superintendent would be an existing chief superintendent making a sideways move or a superintendent who could be promoted to the next higher rank.
Dial Margaret for Murder - S2-E4
Factual error: In Series 2 Episode 4 (Dial Margaret for Murder), Allison listens to Dick Frank's heart. She has her stethoscope in her ears backwards. As a physician, she would never do that.
Episode #1.6 - S1-E6
Factual error: In Episode 6, Vincent comes out of his apartment building and before he reaches the curb, and has a chance to hail a cab, one is waiting for him. There was no ability to book a yellow cab in the 1980s.
Episode #3.2 - S3-E2
Factual error: The navigation software "What3Words" is featured. Apparently the words "flop, sponge, knee" point to a storage facility in London. In reality, they actually point to somewhere near the city of McGrath, Alaska. "Hunch, bumpy, strut" are also mentioned, which actually point to somewhere near Paraburdoo, a town in Western Australia, definitely not a forest in London as depicted in the episode.
Factual error: Donna jumps off the bridge (which is relatively low down), into shallow water. She then narrowly avoids being hit by a huge ocean liner. There's no way such a huge ship would be in such shallow water - for starters, it couldn't cross under the bridge, being far too big. (00:03:12)
And in the Beginning... - S1-E1
Factual error: The show is set in 1991, and Dexter walks past a Lehman Brothers stall at the jobs fair. The problem is that the stall and the marketing materials on it have the modern-day Lehman Brothers logo and branding. Back in 1991, the bank was called Shearson Lehman Brothers and had a completely different logo and colour scheme. It was only spun off into Lehman Brothers in 1994. (00:10:03)
Episode #1.1 - S1-E1
Factual error: The Chief Constable authorises Max's attachment to the New South Wales Police. Max is a Metropolitan Police officer. The Met is headed by a commissioner, not a Chief Constable.