mdwalker

18th Mar 2024

Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Dead Letter - S6-E6

Factual error: Unlike the Connie Kowalski character in this episode, real insurance investigators are not trained in arson investigation. Insurance investigators search for evidence of fraud relating to insurance claims. Arson investigators are professional firefighters who have had extensive additional training in arson investigation.

mdwalker

17th Mar 2024

Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Fire Burn, Cauldron Bubble - S5-E13

Factual error: The only instances of "witchcraft" or "witch trials" in America were in Salem, Massachusetts. There were none in Maine or anywhere else. The Salem witch trials spanned 15 months, from February, 1692 to May 1693. Over 200 people were accused of witchcraft, but only 30 were found guilty. Of the 30, 14 women and 5 men were executed by hanging and one man, Giles Corey, was executed by "pressing." Another five died in jail, but none were burned at the stake, which was a punishment unique to Europe.

mdwalker

17th Mar 2024

Columbo (1971)

The Most Dangerous Match - S2-E7

Factual error: Clayton tells Columbo that he had purchased a new transistor for his hearing aid. Hearing aids - even the old types in use in the 1970's - do not have any user-replaceable parts. The only thing that can be replaced is the battery.

mdwalker

11th Mar 2024

The Sand Pebbles (1966)

Trivia: In the novel, in the fight at the boom, many American sailors are injured, but Harris is the only one killed. Then, in the final confrontation at China Light, Holman is the only one killed; even the captain escapes, despite having been wounded at the boom. In addition, there is a third American missionary at China Light, a young man who escapes and (by implication) ends up with Shirley.

mdwalker

27th Feb 2024

Columbo (1971)

Now You See Him - S5-E5

Factual error: Santini murders Jerome using a revolver with a silencer. Although this is one of the oldest Hollywood tropes, a silencer (properly called a suppressor) does not reduce a gunshot to a whisper; it only cuts the noise to about 110 dB, which is still very loud. In addition, suppressors do not work at all on revolvers, because most of the noise is generated in the gap between the cylinder and the barrel.

mdwalker

27th Feb 2024

Columbo (1971)

Forgotten Lady - S5-E1

Factual error: All LAPD officers must re-qualify with their weapons multiple times a year. If indeed Columbo could not "hit the target," as he says to another detective, he would never have made it through the police academy, much less have become a detective and have been promoted to sergeant and eventually to lieutenant.

mdwalker

27th Feb 2024

Columbo (1971)

26th Feb 2024

Murder, She Wrote (1984)

Factual error: At the beginning of the movie, Forney, who is an enlisted man (a chief petty officer), replies to an officer's orders with, "very well, sir." Officers say "very well" to enlisted personnel, but for an enlisted man to say "very well" to an officer is a serious breach of naval etiquette.

mdwalker

29th Dec 2023

Airport (1970)

Factual error: After checking the damage caused by the explosion, Gary Collins tells Dean Martin he's going to cut off the passenger oxygen, but that is something he could not do. Each passenger oxygen mask is part of an individual self-contained unit that uses a chemical reaction to generate oxygen. The reaction is initiated when a passenger pulls down on the mask, and once started, it cannot be stopped, but continues for 10 to 14 minutes.

mdwalker

Factual error: The Marines that arrive at the landing site are said to be from El Toro, but El Toro was a Marine Corps Air Station; it would not have had the infantry, artillery, and armored units that arrive at the site.

mdwalker

Character mistake: When the sheriff confronts Charlotte after she has shot at the bulldozer operator, he tells her that her gun is unlicensed, but he will overlook it. Louisiana does not have, and never has had, any form of gun licensing or registration.

mdwalker

18th Nov 2023

Perry Mason (1957)

The Case of the Hesitant Hostess - S1-E29

Factual error: Supposedly, heroin is being smuggled into the country in secret compartments in women's purses, but the quantity of heroin that could be concealed in such a way would be so small as to be very unprofitable for the smugglers.

mdwalker

Factual error: When Clay Spencer and his brothers begin work on his dream house, they mix and pour the concrete for the foundation, then immediately begin putting up the framing. The concrete would have to cure for at least two weeks before the framing could be started.

mdwalker

Trivia: A number of the actors portraying police officers, suspects, and others have a southern accent, even though the show is set in Colorado. That is due to the fact that, although establishing shots were filmed in Colorado Springs, the reenactments were filmed in Tennessee, to save on costs.

mdwalker

24th Oct 2023

In Harm's Way (1965)

11th Oct 2023

Dragnet 1967 (1967)

The Gun - S1-E15

Trivia: In this episode, the murder victim's name is given as Reiko Hashimoto, and at one point, Gannon shows Friday a couple of photographs of her. Reiko Hashimoto was the maiden name of Reiko Douglas, the wife of comedy writer, author, and perennial talk show guest Jack Douglas, and the photographs used are of her.

mdwalker

2nd Oct 2023

Columbo (1971)

Troubled Waters - S4-E4

Factual error: Several times, the revolver used to murder the singer is referred to as a "Weatherby" or "British Weatherby." Weatherby is an American manufacturer of rifles and shotguns; they do not make handguns. The revolver used is a Webley, which is of British manufacture.

mdwalker

2nd Oct 2023

Columbo (1971)

Dead Weight - S1-E4

Character mistake: When Columbo first comes to the general's apartment, the general is showing Columbo a submachinegun. He also shows him a magazine and says it is an "extra clip." A retired general would know the difference between a clip and a magazine; the terms are not interchangeable.

mdwalker

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