The West Wing

Election Day (Part 1) - S7-E16

Continuity mistake: When Bruno and Bob are poring over exit polls, they mention that Santos seems to be leading in North Dakota, and comment that it is a state that hasn't gone Democratic in forty years. While that is true in the real world, in the fictional West Wing world, it is stated in Season 4 that Bartlet won the Dakotas in his landslide reelection.

marathon69

The Mommy Problem - S7-E2

Continuity mistake: Season 7, episode 2, "The Mommy Problem." At the end of the episode, when Matt Santos is approaching his fighter jet, the number "15" is on the left part of the jet's nose. Later, when the jet is taxiing towards take-off, the number changes to "01".

Tomorrow - S7-E22

Continuity mistake: During the entire first half of the episode President Bartlet is using a cane and is walking with a very pronounced limp due the effects of his MS. However after changing from street clothes into a suit to meet the President Elect he is walking fine with no symptoms whatsoever.

Duck and Cover - S7-E12

Continuity mistake: About 18:59. Right after Josh hugs Annabeth, she gives him a cell phone to talk to the White House. In the shot from behind, you can see that he is holding the phone backwards with the screen facing out. When they go back to this shot (after a shot from the front), he is holding it properly. (00:18:55)

seanford

The Cold - S7-E13

Continuity mistake: The fictional nation of Qumar, which maps have shown to be part of real-life Pakistan, has been the subject of many earlier episodes. When the generals are looking at a map of central Asia in preparation for the Kazakhstan deployment, Qumar is not on the map.

Brian Katcher

The Al Smith Dinner - S7-E6

Continuity mistake: When Josh tells Lou that women should support Republicans, we're on day two, and the scene that comes up right after that is at the White House when Will is about to give another press conference, but if you look at it, Will, C.J., Margaret and the press are all wearing different clothes, even though it's the same day as the two previous press conferences Will gave.

Eduardo Sánchez Rodríguez

The Ticket - S7-E1

Continuity mistake: This episode (after the library scene that takes place three years later), according to Josh, takes place four days after the National Democratic Convention shown in 6x22. Somehow in that 4 day period Josh's hair has grown considerably and Jed's hair has become much grayer.

Eduardo Sánchez Rodríguez

The Mommy Problem - S7-E2

Continuity mistake: After Louise Thornton leaves the Democratic media consultant meeting, Josh runs after her inside the Santos campaign HQ. At some point he talks to her while catching up on her and ends the shot walking ahead of her. In the very next shot, he is again behind her, walking at a fast pace to catch up. (00:16:55)

The West Wing mistake picture

Transition - S7-E19

Continuity mistake: Josh comes back from his trip to visit Sam. He walks in the door and lets his bags drop on the floor. He collapses on the couch with his arms spread wide. Immediately, there's a knock at the door and he opens his eyes. When the angle changes towards the door showing him going to get up, his arms are now crossed above and behind his head resting on the couch arm. (00:12:45)

Season 5 generally

Continuity mistake: When the plan to kill the Qumari defense minister is being contemplated, several times in the last episodes of Season 3, and at least once in season 4, he 's referred to the Sultan's brother. In season 5, he is referred to as both his cousin and his brother.

More mistakes in The West Wing

Pilot - S1-E1

Laurie: Tell your friend POTUS he's got a funny name, and he should learn how to ride a bicycle.
Sam Seaborn: I would, but he's not my friend, he's my boss. And it's not his name, it's his title.
Laurie: POTUS?
Sam Seaborn: President of the United States.

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In Excelsis Deo - S1-E10

Question: This is as good a place to ask as any. In various US TV shows (including this one, and this episode), someone says "I could care less", when they always seem to mean "I couldn't care less", ie. they have no interest in what's going on. Surely if they COULD care less that means they actually care a reasonable amount? Is there any logic to this, or is it just a really annoying innate lack of sense?

Jon Sandys

Chosen answer: A really annoying innate lack of sense. My friends and family say the same thing all the time, and I'm endlessly trying to correct them. I think people just don't know any better and (ironically) couldn't care less that they're speaking incorrectly.

Answer: It's an endlessly annoying dropped negative, and it's been a common colloquialism for far too long. I believe it comes from an original (and now omitted and merely implied) "As if" preceding the statement. "As if I could care less." (Meaning "As if it were possible that I could care even less than I do.") But there's really no way to know.

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