Best crime TV mistakes of all time

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Foyle's War picture

Enemy Fire - S3-E2

Continuity mistake: In episode 2-4 "The Funk Hole " which takes place in the fall of 1940, Andrew states to Sam that his mother died when he was eight years old. In this episode (Feb to June 1941), Foyle is looking at his wife's grave; it shows his mother died in 1932, which would have meant Andrew was born in 1924, and only 16 in 1940, far too young to be a Spitfire pilot. Also, his commanding officer states "the younger pilots look up to you, Andrew", before one of the "younger" pilots (age 19) is badly burned in a crash in Andrew's plane.

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Arrow picture

The Magician - S3-E4

Revealing mistake: When Oliver meets Thea at the Grind and Jot Cafe (Which looks unsurprisingly like CC Jitters) you can see the cups on the table are from CC Jitters. (00:20:50)

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Brooklyn Nine-Nine picture

DFW - S5-E17

Character mistake: When Gina tries to set up Rosa on a date, Rosa mentions the last person Gina set her up with (Justin) was a dork who rode a Yamaha motorcycle. She says "he might as well have picked me up in a station wagon." Rosa's bike is a Yamaha R1.

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NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service picture NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service mistake picture

Shalom - S4-E1

Visible crew/equipment: When Gibbs and Ziva are in the "safehouse" Ziva set up for Ari, a crew member and his boom microphone are seen on the left of the screen, right before Gibbs climbs the ladder to remove the hidden camera spying on them. (00:30:10)

JackAndtheBox

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Sherlock picture Sherlock mistake picture

The Blind Banker - S1-E2

Continuity mistake: When Sherlock is backstage at the circus and finds the yellow spray paint, he draws a line on the mirror. In the next shot, the line he drew is completely different (and in fact is more of a squiggle). (01:07:40)

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Blue Bloods picture Blue Bloods mistake picture

The Uniform - S2-E11

Character mistake: While handcuffing an auxiliary officer in his apartment, there is a poster on the wall reading, "attention military personal..." Personal is misused. It should read "attention military personnel." (00:16:02)

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And Then There Were None picture

Episode #1.3 - S1-E3

Continuity mistake: Vera fires the gun several times, and later tells Justice Wargrave that the gun is empty, meaning that all the cartridges in it would be spent. When the judge loads his one bullet into the chamber, he does so in a gun where all five cartridge svisible are unspent.

Twotall

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24 (2001)

24 picture 24 mistake picture

7:00 A.M.-8:00 A.M. - S1-E8

Visible crew/equipment: When Nina's just been shot, and makes it to the barn to call CTU (around 7.10am), while she's speaking on the phone there's a cameraman visible on the right hand side (DVD). (00:12:40)

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The Mentalist picture

Show generally

Revealing mistake: Any time any character is driving a Suburban, or any other vehicle with a column mounted shift lever, the shifter is in park while they appear to be driving.

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Better Call Saul picture

Fall - S3-E9

Factual error: In the mall where Jimmy meets Irene there is the Pandora logo in the background when Jimmy is going up the escalator. Pandora didn't open its first store in New Mexico until 2013. (00:27:00 - 00:28:00)

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CSI: Miami picture

Show generally

Factual error: Calleigh Duquesne frequently wears completely inappropriate clothing throughout the whole series. She often wears blouses that are so low cut that the neckline is below the lower curve of her breasts. No officer of the court in the US would be allowed to dress this way. There is no grey area here, and this is not a character mistake - first time a CSI turned up at work dressed like that, she'd be sent home to change. Second time, she'd be on suspension until she agreed to change her dress standards. Also (and this regularly happens in CSI: NY as well) she is regularly wearing high heels - also a certain no-no for as CSI. Incidentally, male CSIs have equally strict dress standards.

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Sons of Anarchy picture

To Thine Own Self - S5-E11

Continuity mistake: When Jax and his crew meet up with a Hispanic gang to sell them guns and are outnumbered, they run in the station wagon. The run the station wagon through a gate and roll it, destroying the front end, but magically the station wagon's front end appears with little damage afterwards. (00:27:15)

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CSI: NY picture CSI: NY mistake picture

Communication Breakdown - S5-E19

Character mistake: When Mac, Stella, and Danny are trying to determine where the fired bullet entered the train car, none of them are wearing rubber gloves. But even though they're not handling any evidence, they're still processing a crime scene. (00:05:00)

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Suggested correction: Theoretically correct, but it can be argued that the only evidence present is the bullet (which has DNA and prints burnt off when fired) and the body (which can only be handled by the MEs) gloves are not required.

Andy Benham

What utter rubbish. No CSI would enter a crime scene without first putting on latex gloves - it is a carved-in-stone rule.

Exactly. Since Mac, Stella and Danny were processing a crime scene, they would need to wear gloves because without them, they would have contaminated a crime scene by not only getting their fingerprints over everything but, if one of them got a cut or scrape, their DNA would also be thrown into the mix and any defense attorney can call them out on their carelessness and have any evidence thrown out.

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Psych picture

Ghosts - S3-E1

Character mistake: When Gus goes to check the source of the creepy phone call, he finds Shawn who immediately ends the call before saying anything. Later in the episode, Haversham says he heard Shawn say "Gus?" before ending the call.

Bhelkweit

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Haven picture

301 - S3-E1

Continuity mistake: Duke is wearing an extra shirt, and his hair is longer then it was, despite continuing the scene from the end of season 2.

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Death in Paradise picture

Episode #2.7 - S2-E7

Continuity mistake: When Fidel and Dwayne arrive at the place where Camille and Richard are hiding for the hurricane, they can open the doors without a problem, whereas Camille and Richard had taken great care of locking the doors from the inside.

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The Rookie picture

Revelations - S3-E6

Continuity mistake: When Tim puts Lucy in the squad car after "arresting" her, the rear door on the driver side is open, but when the camera pans back to her it's suddenly closed without making a sound.

Tanngrisnir

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