Continuity mistake: When Jen and Grams are arguing in the kitchen, Jen says "Why don't you donate to someone who cares". At this point, Jen turns to face away from Grams. But the next shot shows Jen suddenly turned towards Grams, facing her. Later in the scene when Grams says "Why don't you take the time to fill out a couple of your college applications", Jen is turned towards Grams. But the next shot suddenly Jen is facing away from Grams again. Apparently this scene were filmed two separate times, and edited together.
Continuity mistake: When Joey comes out of the changing rooms, her left dress strap is slipping off her shoulder in the shots from behind, but sits correctly on her shoulder when viewed from in front.
Continuity mistake: When Dawson is helping Gretchen to hang mistletoe, his arms change position instantly between shots, from laid on the ladder, to above his head touching the mistletoe.
Continuity mistake: In "The Te of Pacey", Pacey's birthday takes place in winter - it is snowing and everyone is wearing heavy clothes. The other episode featuring his birthday, season 2's "Crossroads", takes place in summer (everyone is wearing shorts and light shirts).
Admissions - S4-E17
Continuity mistake: When Joey and Dawson are talking at her house before the party, there is a shot of Joey with her hair swept back behind her right shoulder, and the ends curled up as if blown by the wind. She says, "Doing what?" Then the next shot of Joey, as she says "I know," her hair is suddenly completely down around her face, in front of both shoulders, and not curled up on the ends or wind blown. Then the next shot of Joey when she says, "Oh it was nothing, it was great," her hair is once again swept back behind her right shoulder, and curled up on the ends from the wind.
Continuity mistake: When Joey and Pacey are talking at the table on the Promboat after the 'brutal breakup'; her arms keep changing position too quickly between shots. As Joey says, "You break my heart into a thousand pieces," her right arm is folded across her, and the right hand is resting on her left sleeve just below the bare shoulder. The next shot, from behind Joey you can see her right hand still gripping her left shoulder, but the sleeve is further up and ruffled on that side. Then just before she says "Just leave me alone", the next shot again shows Joey from the front; and suddenly her left arm is raised up, hand by her face, and the right arm is down on the table with the hand curved up in the air. As she says "Just leave me alone"; her left arm is still up and hand resting by her face, and the right arm is laid sideways across her, hand on elbow. Then the next shot of Joey shows that suddenly her pose has changed; and her left arm is raised up diagonally, hand across her right shoulder, and her right arm is still laid horizontally across her, hand by her elbow. All of these transitions are far too abrupt and fast to be realistic.
Continuity mistake: During this scene towards the end, Bessie insists on putting lipstick on Joey for Graduation. She dabs it on quickly, and there appears to be a noticeable smudge or mark on Joey's upper right lip from the lipstick. But the next shot of Joey, the lipstick suddenly appears normal and perfectly applied, and the smudge is gone. (00:33:40)
Continuity mistake: Right before the graduation service, Dawson is joking with Joey to get her mind off her speech. The wind has blown Joey's tassle so it's caught partly on her left ear facing the camera. But in the next shot of her, the tassle is suddenly hanging normally in front of her ear. She hadn't appeared to move her hands.
Lost Weekend - S5-E2
Continuity mistake: At the end of the episode, the airport staff member (visible in the background) announces that the final boarding for Dawson's flight is at gate C-3. As the scene ends, the camera pulls away to reveal the gate number to be B-1.
Continuity mistake: When Dawson's parents are outside talking, sitting on the picnic table, Gail reaches over and kisses Mitch. She then slides her right arm back down to rest on her lap, and her hand on his lower arm. But the very next shot, Gail's right hand is suddenly holding Mitch's arm, up by his shoulder. She hasn't moved between shots.
Continuity mistake: In the intro to this episode, the camera is panning the family photos of Dawson and his family. There is a close-up of a photo of Dawson and his parents, and Gail has the really long 'big' hair she only wore in Season 1. At this time, Dawson looked much younger and had longish hair himself. But in the photo-Dawson has much shorter hair and looks older as in current time. Apparently the photos were put together just for this episode.
High Anxiety - S5-E6
Continuity mistake: When Charlie's two girlfriends play along in his dorm room, their positions change back and forth from close together to about a foot apart between shots. (00:24:30 - 00:25:00)
High Anxiety - S5-E6
Continuity mistake: When Joey is talking to Pacey at the boat party, she turns to face him. At this point, her hair is behind her shoulder on the left but the wind blows it in front of her right shoulder. Her hair is in front of her right shoulder during this entire shot. But in the next shot, she is suddenly facing Pacey square on to the camera, and her hair is now back behind both shoulders. The transition is almost instantaneous, so it isn't realistic that her hair would suddenly move from in front of her right shoulder to behind it that quickly without her touching it. (00:28:05)
Continuity mistake: Pacy is having supper at a restaurant, and he pulls off his lobster bib. As the shot changes to over his shoulder, the bib is still present. Next shot of his front, the bib is gone. (00:16:30)
Continuity mistake: During the 'Urban Legend' that Pacey is telling everyone, he and his co-worker are being chased by an evil car. Right after they leave the creepy Diner, they come upon the enemy car facing them parked across the highway. Pacey slams to a stop, and they are facing the car head-on in very close proximity, right in front of them. But the next shot shows that same car much further away, down the road and Pacey hasn't moved yet.
Sleeping Arrangements - S5-E12
Continuity mistake: When Joey is talking to Elliot in the classroom, she bends over her desk and gathers all her hair in front of her left shoulder. But in the next shot of her, you can see that her hair is suddenly in front of both shoulders. The transition was too quick to be realistic. (00:06:45)
Continuity mistake: In the beginning of this episode, we see Jen and Dawson going into the kitchen where Jen gives him his "back to school' gifts for Film School. As Jen slides across the front of the kitchen counter in her pajamas, her back is to us and she bends slightly forward. Right at this point you can see a real tattoo on the lower back of Michelle Williams, the Actress. This view lasts for a few seconds as she moves into position at the counter. This same tattoo was air-brushed out from a previous episode. During Season 4 Episode 22 "The Graduate" (00-08-49 run time); there is a scene where Jen is wearing pajamas and bending over with her back to us, helping Drue Valentine through her bedroom window. At this point her lower back tattoo was showing, and the Executive Producer mentioned that they had to airbrush it out as they felt it wasn't appropriate for her character Jen. I guess in this Season 5 episode in the kitchen; they either didn't notice her tattoo showing, or chose to ignore it. But it is visible if you watch closely. (00:00:20)
Downtown Crossing (2) - S5-E15
Continuity mistake: When Joey is talking to the Mugger in the hospital room, every time they show her sitting down in her chair or getting up from it the chair looks like it is quite far from the bed, down past the foot of the bed, about 10 feet or so from the guy. But all the other shots she appears to be sitting much closer, only a few feet away from his face. (00:31:35 - 00:38:05)
Downtown Crossing (2) - S5-E15
Continuity mistake: While Joey is talking to the Mugger in the hospital room, her hair frequently changes very suddenly between shots from being tucked behind her ears to hanging in front of them. This goes on during the entire scene; and towards the end as the Mugger dies her hair goes from being in front of her ears, to next shot of her hair being tucked behind her ears but not crying, to next shot of her hair being behind ears, pushed back off the forehead and she is openly crying with tears streaming down from both eyes. The changes are too sudden to be realistic, and at this point her hands are in her lap wrapped in her jacket. (00:34:25 - 00:37:30)
Downtown Crossing (2) - S5-E15
Continuity mistake: The level of ash, and the length of the mugger's cigarette change constantly between shots.
Answer: It's only explained once in the series. Jack says to Andie "I tried to start kindergarten without you", meaning Andie was smart enough to start school early.