10 Dumbest TV and Movie Mistakes We Still Can’t Believe Happened

Whether it's a failure to operate everyday objects or simply an unnoticed goof, here are 10 TV and movie mistakes that instantly cast their characters in a dim light.

10. Independence Day (1996)

In Roland Emmerich's epic alien invasion movie, Earth's most advanced military overlooks something really important to save the planet from space creatures. In one of the movie's climactic scenes, an RAF soldier, identified by his nametag as Ken Saracen, is seen displaying astonishingly poor trigger discipline.

Not only is he pointing his weapon at a fellow officer, but his finger is resting on the trigger, suggesting a lack of proper military training for those who are somehow supposed to defeat the aliens before they accidentally shoot each other.

9. Watchmen (2009)

Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Comedian, or Edward Morgan Blake, is a complex and morally ambiguous character who meets a violent end at the beginning of Zack Snyder's superhero movie. His murder sets in motion the events of the graphic novel and the subsequent film adaptation, but it also sets the stage for controversy.

In a scene where the Comedian is being buried, it doesn't take an eagle eye to notice that his coffin and the grave are completely different sizes, with the latter being too small for the superhero's eternal resting place. While some may see this as a flaw, the die-hard fans will find it as the last joke of the cynical Comedian.

8. Freaky Friday (2003)

Mark Waters' fantasy comedy takes the body-switching plot to a whole new level by the end of the movie. During the final scene of Tess and Ryan's wedding, you can see Grandpa arguing with his grandson Henry just before they get the fortune cookie from the Chinese lady.

To prevent the same mistake from happening again, Pei-Pei knocks them both down and takes the cookies away. It's all fun and games until you realize that the kid isn't Henry at all, but a grown man who obviously doesn't look anything like Tess' son.

7. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983)

After Han Solo undergoes the carbonite freezing process at the hands of Darth Vader and Boba Fett in The Empire Strike Back, his hands are seen cuffed together and held in front of him.

However, when he is thawed out in Return of the Jedi, not only are his hands free of handcuffs, but they are in a completely different position, with his arms raised and slightly separated.

6. The Hunger Games ( 2012)

Despite having trained with Olympic archer Khatuna Lorig, Jennifer Lawrence 's portrayal of Katniss in The Hunger Games franchise drew criticism from archery enthusiasts. They noted problems with the actress's form, such as holding the bow away from her face, curling her knuckles around the bowstring, and pulling the bowstring past her "anchor point."

These deviations from proper archery technique led to the perception that Katniss lacked expertise in archery, despite Lawrence's training for the role.

5. House of the Dragon ( 2022 - )

Second of His Name, the third episode of the Game of Thrones prequel, followed in the footsteps of its predecessor and left an impactful oversight. As we know, Paddy Considine's character, King Viserys, had two fingers on his left hand turned into withered stumps as a result of his encounters with the dangerous Iron Throne.

To achieve this effect, visual graphics were strategically used to erase the actor's fingers, in keeping with the unfolding storyline. However, an eagle-eyed observer may have noticed a momentary lapse in this digital wizardry during one particular scene, as the green screen fabric was still visible around the actor's fingers during the episode.

4. Triangle of Sadness (2022)

While Ruben Östlund's satirical black comedy won the hearts of millions and the Palme d'Or for Best Film at Cannes, it also had its moment of absurdity. One of the film's characters, Therese, portrayed by Iris Berben, experiences the devastating effects of a stroke. At the beginning of the story, her right arm bears the brunt of the stroke's impact, rendering it weak and virtually immobile.

As the narrative unfolds, however, there is a curious twist in which Therese's vulnerability seems to shift. In the later stages of the movie, when the survivors of the shipwreck find themselves on the island, one can see that Therese's left arm is affected, while her right arm seems to be all fine.

3. Pretty Little Liars (2010 - 2017)

In the Pretty Little Liars season 5 episode Out, Damned Spot, eagle-eyed fans can spot a rather amusing continuity error involving Aria Montgomery, played by Lucy Hale. In this scene, Aria is holding her phone upside down while talking to Spencer about their past suspicions about Melissa being "A" and how those suspicions turned out to be wrong.

No wonder it took the girls so long to find the real "A" if not all of them can still handle a common device.

2. Avengers: Endgame (2019)

In the final installment of Avengers, a seemingly minor but amusing mistake occurs when Scarlett Johansson 's Black Widow prepares a peanut butter sandwich using a jar with a 2018 expiration date.

Although the scene takes place five years after the prologue, in 2023, the jar of peanut butter suggests that Natasha is consuming a five-year-old sandwich. She also makes the fatal mistake of leaving her sandwich on the table unsupervised, which probably attracts Ant-Man.

1. Gossip Girl (2007 - 2012)

Gossip Girl's fashion choices have often been a topic of discussion among fans, and one particular moment involving Blake Lively's Serena Van der Woodsen has not gone unnoticed. In a brief moment in Season 6' Episode 4, as the camera panned up from Serena's upper body, you can see her legs in the shot, covered in a pair of gray sweatpants pulled down under her dress and Uggs.

We know the 2000s was a fashion nightmare for some, but something tells us this wasn't Serena's to-go outfit.