Best crime TV factual errors of all time

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FBI (2018)

FBI picture

Partners in Crime - S1-E13

Factual error: The Saturn in the show is an Ion which stopped production in March of 2007. Therefore, it couldn't be a silver 2009 Saturn they were looking for.

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Scream picture

Pilot - S1-E1

Factual error: There is no way cops would just walk up and open fire on a suspect unannounced, not knowing if he is armed or not, and with an innocent bystander so close.

brianjr0412

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Weeds picture

Risk - S3-E13

Factual error: Nancy takes her son Silas to an 'underground' doctor used by gang members following an attack by a biker gang. After she tries to negotiate a lower price due to the lack of anesthetics, the doctor says that he can get a second opinion at a hospital and order a $10,000 MRI if she would rather pay for that. However, an X-Ray is the first, less-expensive method used by emergency rooms and trauma centers to confirm a fracture. An MRI is typically only used to evaluate skull/brain-related injuries, but is a rarer utilized, expensive second option to evaluate a fracture that generates an unclear X-ray.

Alexifish

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Midsomer Murders picture

Show generally

Factual error: Whenever the killer (always dressed in black with a balaclava disguising his/her identity) uses a knife, the blow invariably is an overhand strike. However, a knife in a downward thrust quite frequently simply skids off the overlapping ribcage of the victim.

goofyfoot

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Bodyguard picture

Episode #1.6 - S1-E6

Factual error: When Commander Anne Sampson appears in her body armour she wears the rank insignia only worn by the Commissioner (a crown over a pip over crossed tipstaves in a wreath) instead of that worn by her own rank of Commander (crossed tipstaves in a wreath). She has apparently been promoted four ranks.

Necrothesp

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Unbelievable picture

Episode #1.7 - S1-E7

Factual error: When Marie is talking with her therapist, she talks about having just gone to see Zombieland. Given that the scene takes place in 2008 and Zombieland wasn't released in the US until October 2009, this simply is not possible.

THGhost

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Suggested correction: The series starts in 2008, but it's 3 years later. At the beginning, RoseMarie says Curtis was born February 3, 1981 and is 30 years old.

Bishop73

The therapy scenes are in 2008. It's only when the photographs of Marie are discovered that we see Marie 3 years later, in episode 8.

THGhost

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Endeavour picture

Pylon - S6-E1

Factual error: A plastic bag of items is found under the footboard. Plastic bags weren't invented in 1969. They first appeared in public in 1979.

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Babylon Berlin picture

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.

Necrothesp

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Sons of Anarchy picture

Huang Wu - S6-E10

Factual error: When Tara goes into her office there's dried blood on the carpet from her faked miscarriage. Considering it's a bio hazard that happened days ago it would've been cleaned up and sanitized since it's a hospital.

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Suggested correction: The blood is on carpet which is very difficult to clean as it's such an absorbent material. The carpet will keep the stain, but as long as it has been thoroughly sanitised there is no issue here. Yes, the carpet could have been replaced, but hospitals don't generally keep spare carpets laying about. Plus the fact that her office isn't a treatment area, there isn't much of a hazard anyway.

Doctor's office with a blood stain on the carpet? Highly unlikely.

Amy Emerick Tice

Highly unlikely doesn't make it a mistake.

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Power picture

Reversal of Fortune - S6-E14

Factual error: Congressman Tate and his brother are on the shooting range. They are wearing high-tech electronic earmuffs that block harmful noise like gunfire while amplifying speech and other low-volume sounds. Although, they are wearing high-tech earmuffs, they both have an ear exposed so they can hear each other talk. (00:13:00)

Snag.1

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A Confession picture

Show generally

Factual error: Almost none of the senior police officers wear the correct medal ribbons. Brian Moore and Pat Geenty wear the Order of the British Empire, which neither had. Geenty wears the General Service Medal, for military service in Northern Ireland, although he was never in the armed forces. Moore does not wear the Queen's Police Medal, which he was awarded in 2009. Both wear the Diamond Jubilee Medal in 2011, although it was not awarded until 2012. Andy Parker wears an unidentified ribbon (possibly intended to be the Queen's Police Medal, which he was awarded in 2010, but looking nothing like it) and the Golden Jubilee Medal, but does not wear the Diamond Jubilee Medal or the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal to which he was also entitled. Mike Veale and Ray Hayward wear no medal ribbons at all, although both would be entitled to the Golden Jubilee Medal and Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (and Veale also to the Diamond Jubilee Medal after 2012).

Necrothesp

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Quantico picture

Kudove - S2-E1

Factual error: The shoulder patch on the U.S. customs and Border Protection officer's uniform is wrong. The real patch doesn't state Dept of Customs and Border Protection and United States Homeland Security in a smaller circle on the patch. The real patch just states U.S. Customs and Border Protection - U.S. Customs and Border Protection is not a department. Also, the officer doesn't have a name tag on over the right pocket. (00:04:00)

Snag.1

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The F.B.I. picture

Flight - S5-E7

Factual error: At the start of this episode you see the terminal at Washington Reagan National Airport, but when Mr. Haslett picks up his ticket you hear an announcement stating it is the Seattle, Washington Airport. (00:00:20)

Regulus

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The Good Fight picture

The Gang Goes to War - S4-E5

Factual error: A general court-martial is being held. A general court-martial, the highest level of military court, consists of a trial counsel, defense counsel, a military judge, and a panel that must have at least five officers. An enlisted accused can request a panel composed of at least one-third enlisted personnel. In this TV show episode there were only two officers and five enlisted personnel on the panel. (00:40:50)

toroscan

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