Best sci-fi TV factual errors of all time

Please vote as you browse around to help the best rise to the top.

V (2009)

V picture

A Bright New Day - S1-E3

Factual error: Early in the episode, it is mentioned that Mrs. Faulkner's husband flew an F-16 fighter. Later, during Mrs. Faulkner's speech after her meeting with Anna, a picture of her husband is shown. He is wearing a Navy Dress Blue uniform. The Navy does not fly F-16s. In the US military, they are used exclusively by the Air Force.

Guy

More V factual errors
Primeval picture

Series 5, Episode 2 - S5-E2

Factual error: Many of the Royal Navy details are completely wrong. The submarine captain's cap badge is not that of the Royal Navy. "Midshipman" Leonard wears the insignia of a chief petty officer. "Officer" (not a naval rank) Neal wears the insignia of a petty officer. "Officer" Shaw wears the insignia of an able rating. The Flag Office Submarines is depicted as a full admiral, whereas in fact he was a rear-admiral and the position no longer exists.

Necrothesp

More Primeval factual errors
Under the Dome picture

Alaska - S3-E5

Factual error: When Jim is watching the guy about to be blown up, the reflection in the binocular lens is the same as we just saw, when it should be a reversed image.

Bishop73

More Under the Dome factual errors
Roswell picture

Max to the Max - S1-E20

Factual error: When Nasedo kidnaps Liz, he stops in a gas station to leave the FBI another clue. As he is pulling into the station, the sign above the gas pumps misspells the word "brakes" as "breaks."

zanijoey

More Roswell factual errors
Upvote valid corrections to help move entries into the corrections section.

Suggested correction: From a different perspective it's not a factual error. Because Jane shot multiple bullets. It means the gun still can be shot after the space suit case got pierced from the first bullet. So it's a possibility that the characters thought wrong (even though it's a bit silly for space travellers to not know this fact but doesn't mean it won't happen).

Terry Tim

More Firefly factual errors
The Invisible Man picture

Bad Chi - S2-E9

Factual error: Darien sets up a tripod and videotapes himself leaving a message for the Agency. When the tape is played back later, the camera can be seen to have both zoomed in and panned to follow his movements, even though no one was there to make those adjustments. (00:30:30)

Jean G

More The Invisible Man factual errors
Daredevil picture

Into the Ring - S1-E1

Factual error: At an eating area, a collector shows a man a computer screen with his daughter in real time and has her call him. She then speaks in the phone and you can see her lips and actions lining up perfectly with the words he is hearing. It would not be this perfectly in sink even in the most optimal of conditions. There is a slight delay between the video from the camera and sending that to the computer being shown. And then there is also a slight delay of the phone single traveling through one phone to the other. These would not line up right and so the father would not see the lips moving exactly with what he hears his daughter saying over the phone.

Quantom X

More Daredevil factual errors
Alphas picture

Pilot - S1-E1

Factual error: The show is supposed to be taking place in NYC, however its clear by the shooting locations that its shot in Toronto. This can also be seen very by the various signs throughout the city that are not found in the US and are very Canadian in nature, such as the Do Not Enter and One Way.

jerimiah

More Alphas factual errors
More 3rd Rock from the Sun factual errors
Men Into Space picture

Is There Another Civilization? - S1-E24

Factual error: The huge piece of retrieved space debris breaks loose in the hold and the astronauts struggle to lift and re-secure it. Only they shouldn't have had to. They're in space with no gravity generator, wearing magnetic boots to hold themselves to the deck. The debris would be weightless, too. (00:20:00)

Jean G

More Men Into Space factual errors
Out of the Unknown picture

Sucker Bait - S1-E7

Factual error: It is quite true that atoms that do not occur naturally are bad for humans. However, in a space age as this story's, that would apply to most or even all planets. It would be a well known risk that didn't require an abnormal specialist to diagnose. (This fact rarely figures in other SF, because it would severely limit most stories).

Spiny Norman

More Out of the Unknown factual errors
More The Twilight Zone factual errors
More Martian Successor Nadesico factual errors
Continuum picture

Family Time - S1-E9

Factual error: In the barn, one of the kids shoots Cameron, then drops the gun and flees. Cameron picks up the gun and checks how many rounds are in the magazine and then puts the magazine back in. However, after that, she pulls the slide back to chamber a round. But the semi-automatic pistol would already have a round in the chamber since it was just fired, and her action should have ejected an unspent round, which it doesn't.

Bishop73

More Continuum factual errors
The Andromeda Strain picture

Show generally

Factual error: When Tsi recalls the incident in China with the disease, the camera shows an Army officer banging on the door of the hospital; we can see that the glass is wire-reinforced safety glass. The officer (actually, it is an unexplained other actor) then uses the butt of his pistol to break the glass. In real life, this kind of glass is too strong for this to be possible. And even if a super-strong person could break it, it would fall clumped up, as safety glass is designed to do. But here, it shatters into several large shards. (01:08:00)

DavidRTurner

More The Andromeda Strain factual errors
Adventures of Superman picture

A Ghost for Scotland Yard - S2-E8

Factual error: Bearing in mind the episode takes place in London, Sir Arthur MacCready is driving his Rolls Royce. The car has the steering wheel on the left hand side. A true British Rolls Royce would have the steering wheel on the right side. This is a Hollywood Rolls Royce.

DaddySteve72

More Adventures of Superman factual errors
Surface picture

Episode #1.13 - S1-E13

Factual error: When Rich and Laura are searching for drug information from the 1960s, they visit the US Patent Office website; under the heading "SSRIs", is displayed "Selecttive Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors" - with the double-t spelling error. (00:15:25)

David R Turner

More Surface factual errors
Journey to the Center of the Earth picture

Show generally

Factual error: The group finds an underground sea and there is a flock of pterosaurs flying overhead. The professor identifies the pterosaurs as the missing link between pterodactyls and archaeopteryx. This is not true as archaeopteryx (and other birds) did not descend from pterosaurs but from a branch of theropod dinosaurs.

Noman

More Journey to the Center of the Earth factual errors
The Changes picture

The Noise - S1-E1

Factual error: When Mr Gore destroys the television set, it is obviously a prop, as when he breaks the screen there is no noise, in reality there would be a loud bang as there is a vacuum behind a TV screen of that era.

More The Changes factual errors
More Crossing Lines factual errors

Join the mailing list

Separate from membership, this is to get updates about mistakes in recent releases. Addresses are not passed on to any third party, and are used solely for direct communication from this site. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Check out the mistake & trivia books, on Kindle and in paperback.