# Moments in TV shows that make no sense with future continutity **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 7, 2016, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301 "2016-09-07T21:08:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/81 "2016-09-09T22:38:32Z")
On “I Love Lucy” Ethel Mertz over time have three different middle names: Mae, Louise or Roberta (her maiden name was Potter). The last episode of “The Untouchables” in season 1 has Frank “The Enforcer” Nitti being killed (along with untouchables agent Cam Allison because actor Anthony George was leaving to star in his own shown). Which didn’t stop future appearances by Bruce Gordon as Nitti, although “Untouchables” episodes were not shown in chronological order and have little relation to actual facts. Last episode of season 1 on ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2016, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/82 "2016-09-09T23:41:36Z")
One that’s not so much inexplicable, but VERY squicky thanks to “late series” canon. The original run of **Dallas** : During the first season, young ingénue Lucy Ewing (niece of J.R., grand-daughter of Miss Ellie) was staying with the Southfork Ewings while her ne’er-do-well parents were running around misbehaving. Lucy herself started out as a wild child who had a crush on Ray Krebbs, the Southfork ranch-hand. Lucy being a teenager and this being the 70s, the writers went to great lengths to remind the viewers that Lucy was still a virgin – even if she pushed the definition as far as it could go. That much was already questionable (17-year-old Lucy swapping spit with a silver daddy who was clearly on the north side of 40, even if he was still pretty good looking.) But a few years into the series run, it’s revealed that Ray Krebbs was actually the illegitimate son of Jock Ewing, Lucy’s grandfather; and therefore Ray was Lucy’s UNCLE! To make matters worse, it was made pretty clear that Ray had known since he was a kid that he was a Ewing, meaning he knew Lucy was his niece when he snogged her. For that reason, the first season of “Dallas” was never syndicated. Those episodes stayed in a vault until long after the initial series ended. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/83 "2016-09-10T00:30:30Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > To make matters worse, it was made pretty clear that Ray had known since he was a kid that he was a Ewing, meaning he knew Lucy was his niece when he snogged her. Incorrect. Jock was being blackmailed by Ray’s alcoholic presumed father, who had gotten ahold of a diary written by Jock’s British mistress during the war. To get everything out into the open, Jock told Ray the truth. To the best of my recollection: **JOCK:** There ain’t any way to say this nicely, so I’ll just spit it out: He ain’t your daddy. I am. **[Long pause, deep breath.]** **RAY:**** [_Disbelievingly_]** He told you that? **JOCK:** Yes, he did, and I believe him. Later in the same episode, there was a scene where Jock revealed to the family that he’d had an affair when he was in the Army Air Force, Miss Ellie had known about it long ago and had forgiven him, and he had only just found out that he had fathered a son, Ray. Prior to this, Ray had no idea he was a Ewing. It was a big deal at the time… Lucy, BTW, was certainly no virgin by the time I started watching the series (the first “Who Shot JR?” episode). They had to track her down to a motel where she was shacked up with a college professor (IIRC) to tell her her uncle had been shot. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/84 "2016-09-10T00:44:11Z")
> [@Jim\_s\_Son](#): > > “Untouchables” episodes were not shown in chronological order and have little relation to actual facts. Certainly not if Nitti was killed off. He committed suicide in 1943. > **[Frank Nitti](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Nitti)** > > Frank Ralph Nitto (born Francesco Raffaele Nitto, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Italian: \[franˈtʃesko raffaˈɛːle ˈnitto\]; January 27, 1886 – March 19, 1943), known as Frank Nitti, was an Italian-American organized crime figure based in Chicago. Bodyguard of Al Capone, Nitti was in charge of all money flowing through the operatio This was also a major flaw in the 1987 motion picture, which I did not like at all. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/85 "2016-09-10T01:14:20Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > I see this “fact” posted in various places without any cites, credible or otherwise. I doubt very much that it’s true. TV writers are writing “for hire” and as such their work would belong to their employers. It’s very true (at least the reasoning is. if that is indeed what made them change it is another matter). TV Writers are in a Union and as such have good contracts and lots of rules to protect them. That’s also why T’Pol is not T’Pau. They would have had to pay the estate of Theodore Sturgeon. My Continuity glitch that bugs me is on Friends. There is a scene early on in the Mark story line where they reveal he has a Fiancee. However, she is never mentioned again and later it turns out Mark really did have the hots for Rachel. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/86 "2016-09-10T01:34:02Z")
> [@HelenGawn](#): > > There’s Mandy from the first season of _The West Wing._ She had worked on Bartlet’s campaign, but come season two, she had disappeared - even being written out of flashbacks to the campaign. > [@alphaboi867](#): > > Speaking of **The West Wing** ; the first mention of the First Lady on the show was on the context of her dodging rumours she was consulting astrologists, which seems very unlike the _Dr_\* Abigale Bartlet we later got to know. Another West Wing one. In Season Three, they did a pseudo-documentary episode looking back at the Bartlet administration where C.J. Gregg was described as having been the Press Secretary for all eight years of his term. Then in Season Six, the show had C.J. switching to the Chief of Staff job. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/87 "2016-09-10T01:35:35Z")
Cregg ---
**Author:** ![Jim\_s\_Son](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19adc/32.png) [@Jim\_s\_Son](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_s_Son)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/88 "2016-09-10T01:58:02Z")
Green Hornet and Kato appeared on “Batman” when the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder are doing a Bat-Climb. They recognize each others as fellow crime fighters. Also Batman remarks they are in the wrong city and Green Hornet remarks they are on a special assignment for the Daily Sentinel. In a later two parter they return and Batman and Robin do not know they are crime fighters. Bruce Wayne and Britt Reid are childhood friends and rivals. Finally on a episode of “Green Hornet” some criminals are watching “Batman” and it is clear it is a fictional show. Still wish Cato had beaten the living daylights out of the Boy Blunder (although Burt Ward did have some training in martial arts so the producers often used him instead of a double in fight scenes to keep the costs down (never mind Ward got beaten up a number of times, he is only an actor). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/89 "2016-09-10T02:09:50Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > It’s very true (at least the reasoning is. if that is indeed what made them change it is another matter). TV Writers are in a Union and as such have good contracts and lots of rules to protect them. That’s also why T’Pol is not T’Pau. They would have had to pay the estate of Theodore Sturgeon. Could be the other way around, a question-of-emphasis thing: _here’s what we’ll pay you to write an episode – or we’ll pay you less, but if a character you create gets used in later episodes, you’ll get extra money each time!_ So you take that deal, and then they Locarno your character. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/90 "2016-09-10T02:54:39Z")
I think a lot of these examples aren’t what I’m looking for. A lot of what we’re seeing is continuity goofs like forgetting the name of Spock’s mother. I’m looking more for is major plot holes created by the rules changing because the writers changed their minds or they hadn’t thought up a limitation on someone until a later episode. Like if in one episode Spock uses his mind meld on a ferengi and then in a later episode we’re told that you can’t use telepathy against a ferengi. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/91 "2016-09-10T03:23:57Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > To get everything out into the open, Jock told Ray the truth… > > Later in the same episode, there was a scene where Jock revealed to the family that he’d had an affair when he was in the Army Air Force, Miss Ellie had known about it long ago and had forgiven him, and he had only just found out that he had fathered a son, Ray. Hah! It’s even on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG14JaFvPns ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/92 "2016-09-10T03:28:15Z")
> [@drewder](#): > > Like if in one episode Spock uses his mind meld on a ferengi and then in a later episode we’re told that you can’t use telepathy against a ferengi. …Or if we’re told the transporter doesn’t work when the shields are up, but you can still beam Ambassador Fox down to the surface of Eminiar VII. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/93 "2016-09-10T03:56:06Z")
> [@Chihuahua](#): > > Not impossible, but highly improbable when you consider the reason they broke up: Carol was a lesbian and she had left Ross for a female lover. (S3E6) I find it very unlikely that they would have had sex in the year preceding the Pilot episode. Not really all that unrealistic, tbh. It’s not unusual for people to come out of the closet, and then take a half-step back in, particularly when coming out doesn’t instantly solve all their relationship problems. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/94 "2016-09-10T04:49:58Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > Incorrect. Jock was being blackmailed by Ray’s alcoholic presumed father, who had gotten ahold of a diary written by Jock’s British mistress during the war. To get everything out into the open, Jock told Ray the truth. To the best of my recollection: > > **JOCK:** There ain’t any way to say this nicely, so I’ll just spit it out: He ain’t your daddy. I am. > > **[Long pause, deep breath.]** > > **RAY:**** [_Disbelievingly_]** He told you that? > > **JOCK:** Yes, he did, and I believe him. > > Later in the same episode, there was a scene where Jock revealed to the family that he’d had an affair when he was in the Army Air Force, Miss Ellie had known about it long ago and had forgiven him, and he had only just found out that he had fathered a son, Ray. > > Prior to this, Ray had no idea he was a Ewing. It was a big deal at the time… > > Lucy, BTW, was certainly no virgin by the time I started watching the series (the first “Who Shot JR?” episode). They had to track her down to a motel where she was shacked up with a college professor (IIRC) to tell her her uncle had been shot. I’ll take your word for it, since it has been a long time since I’ve seen it. But Lucy and Ray DID get very snuggly in the first few episodes of the series, and the later revelation that Ray was a biological Ewing still makes those scenes creepy looking now (creepier, since it’s a very child-like Lucy and a very adult Ray.) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/95 "2016-09-10T11:31:00Z")
On _Everybody Loves Raymond,_ there are conflicting stories about how Robert met Amy. And some of Raymond’s friends play multiple roles. And how many comic-store-owning brothers does Amy have? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/96 "2016-09-10T11:51:40Z")
> [@Chihuahua](#): > > The TR-116 rifle from DS9’s “Field of Fire” would have been incredibly useful if the crew was ever involved in a major interstellar war. You know, like if they ever had to fight the Dominion and the Cardassians at the same time. Or something. > > But like most things on Star Trek, everyone forgot all about it at the end of the episode. Ground combat in Star Trek was always total nonsense, but that one example stood out in my mind. That doesn’t make sense. The only point of the TR-116 rifle was to fall back to chemically-propelled firearms if your phaser rifles were being blocked by a wizard. Their phaser rifles worked fine during the Dominion War. ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/97 "2016-09-10T12:06:16Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Not really all that unrealistic, tbh. It’s not unusual for people to come out of the closet, and then take a half-step back in, particularly when coming out doesn’t instantly solve all their relationship problems. Susan and Ross had a very frosty relationship, at least through the first few seasons, if Carol had had an affair with Ross after leaving him for Susan you’d expect it to come up a lot, yet it was never implied at all ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/98 "2016-09-10T14:41:39Z")
Vinnie Barbarino on Welcome Back Kotter once mentioned his little brothers and sisters, yet later claimed to be an only child. The fact that I remember that so well scares me. ---
**Author:** ![drewder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/57b2e6/32.png) [@drewder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewder)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/99 "2016-09-10T15:34:39Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > That doesn’t make sense. The only point of the TR-116 rifle was to fall back to chemically-propelled firearms if your phaser rifles were being blocked by a wizard. Their phaser rifles worked fine during the Dominion War. Although the scanner/transporter on the thing would make it better than a phaser since you could target folks out of line of sight. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301/100 "2016-09-10T16:55:52Z")
> [@Don\_Draper](#): > > I’ll take your word for it, since it has been a long time since I’ve seen it. Have you checked out post #91? 😉 I agree that in retrospect, the Ray + Lucy scenes in season one are as creepy as the Luke + Leia scenes in _ **Star Wars** _. (I always thought they should have had a scene where Uncle Ray and Niece Lucy find themselves alone together and can only make awkward small talk: “Hey, Ray. Remember when…?” “Uhm, uh … yeah, Luce. Say, \*how \*many eggs did Miss Ellie want us to gather?”) But hey: Back then, every straight male in America wanted to bang Charlene Tilton. Any guy who says he **didn’t** either has something wrong with him (up to and including **death** ) or is a **BIG FAT LIAR!!!** [![](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/db/fc/8b/dbfc8b98cb3e28e7d65e2fc50dc8f699.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/db/fc/8b/dbfc8b98cb3e28e7d65e2fc50dc8f699.jpg) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moments-in-tv-shows-that-make-no-sense-with-future-continutity/765301.md?page=6)