Best thriller TV factual errors of all time

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The Catch picture

Show generally

Factual error: The Royal Navy sailors are shown with just 'HMS' on their cap tallies. This was only seen in the Second World War for security reasons. In peacetime, the tally bears the name of the ship or shore establishment to which the rating is assigned.

Necrothesp

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One of Us picture

Show generally

Factual error: The DI refers to the local policeman as "Officer" Fuller. No British police officer would use this term to refer to another British police officer. She'd have said Constable Fuller or PC Fuller.

Necrothesp

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Justified picture

Fire in the Hole - S1-E1

Factual error: When Walter Goggins fires a LAW at the church from next to the vehicle, the back-blast from the rocket would have shattered the car's windows, and flying glass fragments would likely have injured the occupant. The show depicts neither outcome.

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Cardinal picture

Terri - S2-E3

Factual error: The board at the entrance to the abandoned air force base reads "Canadian Aviation Forces" and lower down mentions the "Minister of Defense." There has never been any such organisation as the Canadian Aviation Forces (it was the Air Command from 1975 to 2011 and is now the Royal Canadian Air Force once more) and the minister's title is the Minister of National Defence (without the American spelling).

Necrothesp

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NCIS: Los Angeles picture

The Livelong Day - S5-E7

Factual error: When the stolen freight train is braking, the air pipe becomes disconnected. This should trigger the brakes on the train, but the train keeps going with no brakes. When the train is being slowed with no brakes working, why are there sparks coming from all wheels on the train? (00:32:00 - 00:38:00)

M1CGP

More NCIS: Los Angeles factual errors
Liar picture

Season 1 generally

Factual error: The series is based in the east-facing Deal, Kent. Even if this is not explicitly mentioned, there are visual references to the Thanet and Dover Police. So how can you have repeated sea view sunsets? Either that or they are having wine for breakfast at the breakfast table. The sun rises in the east and Deal enjoys a beautiful sunrise.

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X-Men: Evolution picture

Adrift - S2-E6

Factual error: The map of the western United States shown during the weather report at the start of the episode shows some states drawn incorrectly. Idaho's entire western border is a straight line, whereas in real life, Oregon has a horn-shaped indentation on its northeastern border that it shares with Idaho. Idaho also looks like a crude staircase, with the southwestern border of Montana going down to central Wyoming, whereas that area in real life is around the northwestern part of Wyoming.

Phaneron

More X-Men: Evolution factual errors
The Returned picture

Simon - S1-E2

Factual error: Thomas holds the Gendarmerie rank of Capitaine (by which he is frequently addressed by his subordinates), and thus should wear three horizontal silver bars on his epaulettes. However, in the only scene where his rank is displayed he instead wears the two chevrons of an ordinary gendarme.

Necrothesp

More The Returned factual errors
City on a Hill picture

Season 2 generally

Factual error: Throughout season 2 there are a few shots taken of buildings with PTZ style surveillance cameras attached to said buildings. PTZ cameras are the ones with an arm and a ball with a black lens spanning 360°. This show takes place in 1992, and from what limited dates as to surveillance camera creation I could find, PTZ cameras were not available until the 2000's. In 1992 the large blocky ones were only available with terrible resolution.

More City on a Hill factual errors
The Man in the High Castle picture

Kindness - S1-E9

Factual error: In the transition shot showing Hobart Building in San Fransisco, items not belonging to the scene are visible and have not been edited out. These items include; modern phone numbers, web addresses for several companies and educational institutions, satellite dishes and American flags. (00:24:10)

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The Plot Against America picture

Part 3 - S1-E3

Factual error: A British radio news bulletin refers to "Aydolf" Hitler. The British always used the original German pronunciation with a short A rather than the American pronunciation with a long A.

Necrothesp

More The Plot Against America factual errors
Millennium picture

19:19 - S2-E7

Factual error: Broken Bow is in the southeastern corner of Oklahoma. US 60 is shown here, but actually cuts across the northern part of the state. (00:09:30)

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The Terror picture

Show generally

Factual error: Sir John Franklin, Francis Crozier and James Fitzjames all wear a crown over an anchor on their epaulettes, the rank badge for a captain with over three years in rank. This is correct for Franklin and Crozier, but Fitzjames only held the rank of commander, and should therefore only be wearing an anchor on his epaulettes.

Necrothesp

More The Terror factual errors
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Falcon - S3-E1

Factual error: Luka's military officer cap isn't a Russian cap, it is a Hungarian police cap. The Russian cap is bigger.

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Mission: Impossible picture

The Legacy - S1-E15

Factual error: For supposedly being Hitler's heirs, the three conspirators are pretty lousy Nazis. None of them notices that on their copy of their idol's book, Mein Kampf, Der Fuhrer's name is prominently misspelled "Adolph" instead of "Adolf." (00:13:00)

Jean G

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