Top 10 Mistakes That Were Left in Sitcoms
#10: A Magic Teddy Bear
“That '70s Show” (1998-2006)
We understand that whenever Ashton Kutcher was on screen, the odds are you weren’t looking at his feet. However, if you had been during one particular scene in the inaugural season, you might have noticed the curious case of the disappearing teddy bear. As you can see, when Kelso walks into Jackie’s room the stuffed animal is on the ground at his feet. But the next time we see his shoes, there’s no bear. But wait, cut back to a wide shot and there it is again. Kelso has only taken a few minuscule steps, and yet the toy has come and gone and come back again. Now that’s a magic teddy bear!
#9: TV in the Bedroom
“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” (2013-21)
There are those that believe in having a television in the bedroom and those that are against the idea. Then there are those, like Holt on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”, who have one there but want people to think they don’t. Or at least that’s the only explanation we can come up with for this plot hole. In season two, the character states that he doesn’t have a TV in his bedroom. And given his personality, this doesn’t initially seem unlikely. Yet in the first season, we all saw Amy go into his room to secretly see what was on his DVR!
#8: Tori’s Detention
“Victorious” (2010-13)
No one wants their children to get detention at school. But if “The Breakfast Club” taught us anything, it’s that it can happen to anyone - from the delinquent to the brainiac to the popular kid. So, the fact that Tori got detention in the first season of “Victorious” isn’t necessarily that big of a deal. However, lying is. So we have to admit we were a little disappointed in her in the season three ode to “The Breakfast Club” when she said she’s never had detention before. Remember kids, honesty is the best policy.
#7: Fog Machine
“How I Met Your Mother” (2005-14)
Most of us are probably aware of the fact that the weather in TV and movies is often man made. Snow machines, rainmakers, and big wind fans are often used to create the proper conditions for a particular scene. However, just because we know this, doesn’t mean we want to see the weather-maker in the shot. But that’s what we had to witness during the “How I Met Your Mother” episode, “The Limo.” As Marshall dramatically emerges from the fog and runs toward the title vehicle, the machine responsible for that fog is seen sitting there on the ground.
#6: Dorothy's Long Pregnancy
“The Golden Girls” (1985-92)
Character ages on television shows can get a little confusing. So a little leeway might be appropriate at times. But you’d have to give more than a little leeway to “The Golden Girls” when it comes to the age of Dorothy’s kid. In the first episode, Dorothy explains to Rose that Stan got her pregnant and that her father made them get married. Then, 38 years later, he left her. It sounds like her child has to be about 38 years old right? Well, we meet her two children Michael and Kate individually throughout the series, and they inexplicably both look like they’re in their 20s!
#5: Disappearing Nail Polish
“New Girl” (2011-18)
It’s the nail polish the nail polish remover industry doesn’t want you to know about. Wear it whenever you want and when you decide you’re tired of it, it just disappears cleanly from your nails. Obviously, such a product doesn’t exist, but in a scene during a season four episode of “New Girl,” Jess appears to be wearing, and then quickly not wearing, such a polish. Her nails go from colorful to blank in an instant. Though if someone did invent it we bet “Shark” Lori Greiner would be very interested in investing in it - as opposed to Schmidt and Nick’s swuit.
#4: A Visible Crew Member
“Malcolm in the Middle” (2000-06)
In the second episode of “Malcolm in the Middle,” Lois’s pricey red dress gets set on fire and left in the toilet. Given her kids’ track record, she assumes one of them did it and decides to confront them with the burned and wet garment. But right as she starts walking toward them, you can see a guy crouching in the hallway holding a bucket next to her. Whether he handed her the dress or was there to minimize the water spillage, it’s still a flub that’s hard to miss! We generally don’t like to tattle, but while we’re on the subject of ruined clothes… Hal did it.
#3: Penny's Dad's Name
“The Big Bang Theory” (2007-19)
What is Penny’s dad’s name on “The Big Bang Theory”? Well, it’s Wyatt of course. That’s what Leonard calls him in the episode where they meet for the first time. It’s also the name that’s used throughout the show… except for that one time. You see, in season two, when mentioning her father’s name, Penny actually calls him Bob. We guess the writers just decided they didn’t like that moniker and decided to switch things up hoping we’d all forget? Or maybe they forgot they’d already given him a name when it came time to introduce him to Leonard later on!
#2: The Car Not Starting
“Seinfeld” (1989-98)
There are instances where goofs or unintentional situations actually improve the material and are added in! Apparently, “Seinfeld” has at least two such moments. Remember when Newman sleeps with the farmer’s daughter and has to run out of the house? As he flees, she calls after him, referring to him as Norman. This was a slip-of-the-tongue by the actress, but everyone thought it was humorous, so they left it. But the most unbelievable example occurred at the end of “The Parking Garage”. It’s a perfect ending to the episode all about the lengthy search for their car. But the vehicle malfunctioning wasn’t planned. It actually just didn’t start, and they realized that was the way to go.
#1: Two Phoebes
“Friends” (1994-2004)
Did you know that “Friends” was originally supposed to be part sitcom, part science fiction? We’re joking, but the pilot episode does have a scene where Phoebe seemingly teleports. You don’t remember that one? Well, here she is standing with Rachel in the kitchen talking about her pulled out eyelashes. Then as "Paul the Wine Guy", who’s sitting on the couch, turns to look at her - who do we see on the chair behind him? There’s Phoebe in the same clothes with the same mug in her hands. It’s a pretty unbelievable mistake for a show to make. How did no one notice that the person Paul is supposedly trying to react to was now sitting behind him?