# Common Gaffes in Movies and TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194 "2020-01-29T22:43:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/141 "2020-01-31T18:43:07Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Poker scenes. It often goes like this: > > Player one: I bet one hundred. (Throws a chip into the pot) > Player two: I call your hundred (throws chip into pot) and raise you fifty (throws another chip into the pot) > > Several mistakes there. > > 1. String betting. [See here](https://www.888poker.com/magazine/strategy/String-bet-in-poker)for an explanation. > > 2. Players don’t throw their chips into the pot. They place the chips in the playing area in front of them. That way it’s clear who has bet what amount. Only when the betting is finished do the chips go into the pot. > > 3. The raise is too low. Every raise must be at least equal to the previous raise. The minimum raise in the scenario above would be another $100. > > So the scene should go: > > Player one: “I bet one hundred.” (places chip in front of him) > Player two: “Raise. One hundred on top.” or “Raise to two hundred” or “I bet two hundred” (places chips in front of him) In the days before Texas Hold em they almost always played 5 card draw. They made it seem like it was a game of skill. The more skillful player won. But unlike hold’em or more so 7 card stud there are no probabilities to master. There’s no math. There’s only thinking “Did he get his cards or is he bluffing?” ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/142 "2020-01-31T19:50:33Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > A patient with that very rare blood group AB+ needs a transufion, there’s always a race to find an AB+ donor in time. > > In the first place, AB+ isn’t all that rare, thare’s quite a few around, and secondly AB+ is called the Universal Recipient, they can take blood from any ABO group fairly safely. LOL mrAru is O neg, I am AB neg. We confused the hospital when I asked if he could be my specific onsite donor if I needed surgery to rearrange my insides [which knock wood I have not yet had to do] They hadn’t had anybody ask that in recent memory. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/143 "2020-01-31T20:18:24Z")
> [@2Bits](#): > > Perfect, white teeth in every mouth, no matter when, no matter where. > Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro Similar…so many former super-models in casts. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/144 "2020-01-31T20:20:06Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Poker scenes. It often goes like this: > > Player one: I bet one hundred. (Throws a chip into the pot) > Player two: I call your hundred (throws chip into pot) and raise you fifty (throws another chip into the pot) > > Several mistakes there. > > 1. String betting. [See here](https://www.888poker.com/magazine/strategy/String-bet-in-poker)for an explanation. > > 2. Players don’t throw their chips into the pot. They place the chips in the playing area in front of them. That way it’s clear who has bet what amount. Only when the betting is finished do the chips go into the pot. > > 3. The raise is too low. Every raise must be at least equal to the previous raise. The minimum raise in the scenario above would be another $100. > > So the scene should go: > > Player one: “I bet one hundred.” (places chip in front of him) > Player two: “Raise. One hundred on top.” or “Raise to two hundred” or “I bet two hundred” (places chips in front of him) Another one…“But I don’t have that much…” AND??? Bet what you have. ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/145 "2020-01-31T20:24:56Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > I looked up “foley” and found it meant a technique used by sound engineers. > > But, may I ask what you meant when you said, “I have never heard this foley?” > > Did you mean you have never heard the real sound a handgun makes when it falls onto a hard floor in a TV show or movie? > > Or did you mean you have never heard someone complain the foley usually employed is not realistic? > > Of did you possibly mean something different? I read it to mean that s/he’s never watched a movie or TV show in which someone “someone is shown dropping or throwing a handgun that lands on a hard surface, [and] the sound played is the same as an empty soup can landing on a hard surface.” Can’t say as I have, either. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/146 "2020-01-31T21:15:24Z")
A couple of my favorites have been named, the empty pistol where the slide doesn’t lock back, and defibrillating asystole. I’ll add how the ridiculously over powered enemy does literally the only thing that won’t kill the good guy. The terminator/alien/demon grabs you by the throat, or the ankle and dramatically flings you 20’ into something deformable enough to reasonable survive after shaking your head a couple of times like a pro wrestler. They’ve established that they have enough strength to crush your trachea or snap your bones, and you’re a really, really, really important target, but they don’t, silly T/A/D. I will say that I have delivered a baby in the elevator, and they _can_ come out quite precipitously, although there will be blood. OTOH, TV newborns almost never look like real newborns. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Brother\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_brother_1/32/3513_2.png) [@Little\_Brother\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Brother_1)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/147 "2020-01-31T21:22:48Z")
Preface: this is to respond to a couple of points from previous comments, plus present a “gaffe” that hasn’t been mentioned yet as far as I can see. I’m just doing it as a straight text because I don’t want to figure out how to pull multiple quotes. • I guess by now it’s clear that one person’s “gaffe” is another person’s “reasonable dramatic license”. No disrespect to the various comments about getting military items wrong, but military types are absolutely fanatic about such things. I learned this while perusing IMDb “goofs” and “trivia” entries; almost every movie or TV show involving military culture and weapons has several corrections, often extremely picky, Aspergerish minutiae. It’s one thing to point out interesting stuff, e.g. that a particular weapon actually changes without explanation during the scene, i.e. the character is using weapon X at the beginning of the shoot-out, but at the end is holding weapon Y. That’s sort of “gaffe-ish”, or at least a continuity error. But some military-minded nitpickers seem to assume that dramas should apply minute, anal scrutiny to military gear, protocol, weapons, and vehicles-- as if, say (making this up) sleeve chevrons two inches from where they’re supposed to be ruins the experience. • I get the reasons why food is rarely handled realistically: it’s technically both risky and boring for actors to actually eat food on set, much less eat a meal as if they were sitting at home or in a restaurant. It’s obvious that the food is a prop, and they rely on a generous suspension of disbelief and expect viewers to “pretend” that the use of food is realistic. But to my mind, this is also lazily or sloppily abused. People are forever jumping up and abandoning fully-loaded plates. I just happened to watch a “Perry Mason” rerun with a scene in which Della Street pours out coffee for Perry and Paul Drake in Perry’s office. Just then a call comes in that requires the men to depart, so they instantly jump up and abandon the freshly-poured coffee without even a sip or longing backwards glance. Damn it, you know Paul Drake, at least, would pick up the cup and drain it before leaving! This could be done without requiring an actor to actually gulp down real hot coffee. • The one “gaffe” I haven’t seen yet is that on TV, refrigerator doors are commonly left open; people open them for some reason, and then just stand there with the door hanging open. As a kid, in my house it was understood that you open the fridge, get what you need, and close the damn thing. Of course there are times when one is rooting for an item, or otherwise keeps the door open for some practical reason. But in Teeveeland, people just walk away, and those doors just stay open without reason or explanation for the rest of the scene. I always want to reach through the screen and close that damn door hanging open for no good reason! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LittleOtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@LittleOtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LittleOtt)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/148 "2020-01-31T21:30:34Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Everybody knows that! Mr. Jean Shepherd just smiled. ---
**Author:** ![LittleOtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dbc845/32.png) [@LittleOtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LittleOtt)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/149 "2020-01-31T21:33:36Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > Everybody knows that! Mr. Jean Shepherd just smiled. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/150 "2020-01-31T21:55:45Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > Another one…“But I don’t have that much…” > > AND??? Bet what you have. That’s a fine response. It’s what side pots are for. ---
**Author:** ![Oglomott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oglomott/32/3543_2.png) [@Oglomott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oglomott)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/151 "2020-01-31T22:58:23Z")
Hair styles that don’t fit the period. “Happy Days”, and “MASH”. Shows set in the 50’s where everybody has a 70’s hairstyle, the era when those shows were made. (except the Fonz). Even some westerns from the 30’s and 40’s, you can almost tell the period when they were made based on the women’s hairstyles. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/152 "2020-01-31T23:26:53Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > A car related one that I honestly didn’t notice until it was pointed out to me, but now I can’t not see it. A character is supposed to be driving, in an older car with a column shift, except the gearshift is obviously in park. I know in reality the car is either in a studio in front of a green screen, or strapped to a trailer and being towed around to simulate driving. I guess maybe the car needs to be in park for safety reasons, but I would think they could just tie the car down and put it in drive. On a related note, when actors are pretending to drive a car while giving their lines, they have a tendency to turn the wheel back and forth rhythmically such that it they were actually driving a car would have them swerving all over the road like a drunken sailor. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/153 "2020-01-31T23:32:21Z")
^ Or, the driver turns his/her ENTIRE HEAD 90 degrees to face the passenger. No one’s peripheral vision is that good. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/154 "2020-01-31T23:34:31Z")
When two people are conversing on their cell phones and one party disconnects. The other person then hears a dial tone. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/155 "2020-01-31T23:45:59Z")
> [@Oglomott](#): > > Hair styles that don’t fit the period. “Happy Days”, and “MASH”. Shows set in the 50’s where everybody has a 70’s hairstyle, the era when those shows were made. (except the Fonz). There are also those shows set in the the 17th Century or whenever, and yet the characters’ teeth looks healthy. Not like you’d expect for characters living long before dentistry was as sophisticated or widely available. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/156 "2020-01-31T23:47:44Z")
Also, in poker, rich guy takes the deeds to the ranch out of his pocket and bets it. Wouldn’t be allowed. See: [table stakes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Table_stakes). In the later Casino Royale, Le Chifre bets his car like this. The dealer protests about table stakes, but allows it. No way. They can’t get 4% [rake](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rake_(poker))on a car. ---
**Author:** ![Patch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Patch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patch)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/157 "2020-01-31T23:51:05Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > Or how about when a semi-auto pistol is empty and they keep pulling the trigger to hear clicks. In real life the slide stays open after the last shot on most semi-autos, especially full sized models used by police/military. It really gets me when they do this with what appears to be a Glock. Glocks are single action with no second strike capability. The trigger wouldn’t continue to function after the first pull if no round were fired. In the apartment fight in the first Bourne movie, the bad guy’s sub-machinegun went _click-click-click_ when it ran dry. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Author\_Balk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Author\_Balk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Author_Balk)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/158 "2020-02-01T00:57:36Z")
I don’t think a pineapple would last long at the bottom of the sea. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/159 "2020-02-01T01:22:29Z")
> [@Patch](#): > > In the apartment fight in the first Bourne movie, the bad guy’s sub-machinegun went _click-click-click_ when it ran dry. :smack: Nitpick: The weapon used is a Galil MAR which isn’t classified as a submachine gun as it fires rifle-caliber cartridges and not pistol cartridges. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194/160 "2020-02-01T03:19:56Z")
Child labor laws mean that babies and young toddlers can’t be on screen very long. This leads to using twins/triplets, and in a pinch, a doll held in such a way that you don’t see its face. Viewers get that, we really do. But dolls come in all sorts of sizes. And apparently prop dolls don’t, because if they did, a 20 pound, 29" one-year-old wouldn’t magically become a 2 pound 10" blanket wrapped doll in another scene. Spring for an [appropriately sized doll](https://www.amazon.com/s?k=toddler+doll+28%22&i=toys-and-games&ref=nb_sb_noss_2) for actors to hold, for God’s sake. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/common-gaffes-in-movies-and-tv/847194.md?page=9)