10 Significant Things Inaccurately Depicted in Movies and Television

Hollywood consistently inaccurately depicts things in films and television shows. For example, sometimes they forget gravity exists or that certain calibers of bullets will shoot through couches and vehicles. Here are ten other inaccuracies the internet nominated to make this top-ten list.

1. Gunshot Sounds

Image Credit: Distrib Films US

If you were to fire a gun in an enclosed space without hearing protection, you would most likely be deaf for a day. Movies show actors shooting people on the stairs and immediately hearing footsteps as someone sneaks up on them. 

That's not going to happen in real life. One user noted, “Linda Hamilton lost hearing in one ear because she forgot her earplugs in one scene in Terminator 2.”

2. HVAC Ducts

Image Credit: Shutterstock – USJ

So many movies show characters hiding in AC ducts or infiltrating a building by crawling in them. An episode of New Girl comes immediately to mind. Someone clarified, “Let me tell you, they are made to hold AIR, not humans. They're not strong enough to support human weight.”

Additionally, these ducts are usually full of screws because when they are bolted together, the pointy ends have to go somewhere, and they go inside the duct. Another noted, “They're also conveniently human-sized in films, which is inaccurate too.”

3. Oxygenated Planets

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As if there are no concerns other than oxygen on alien planets. One Redditor explained, “In most space movies, a planet with oxygen usually has gravity around 1G. There are several other factors besides a planet having oxygen for a delicate human to survive. It's like a guy steps out of the rocket, takes a deep breath, and exclaims, “Good, this planet has oxygen!”

4. Solving Crimes With CCTV

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Many people agree that the use of CCTV to solve crimes is laughable. One joked, “All you need to find the killer is to watch every footage in every camera in every building in a city. Then, when you think you found it, say, “Enhance…Enhance more. There it is!”

5. Spare Time

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Several Redditors had questions about the free time demonstrated in TV series and films. For example, when do these people work? Do they have regular nine-to-five jobs and take leave whenever the world is in danger?

How can someone always be free, sleeping in, traveling, staying out late, or spending all the time with their kids? One added, “Especially in the morning! So much free time before work. How?”

6. The Instant Death Neck Crack

Image Credit: Shutterstock – Markus Wissmann

Someone joked, “That's Steven Seagal‘s signature move. Are you telling me he's untrustworthy?” But, of course, if you were to try this in real life, you would have to pull 100% of the victim's weight with your arms.

Another added, “Even then, you'd probably end up making them tetraplegic (they won't be able to control their upper body anymore). Of course, they would also scream the whole time.”

7. Hacking

Image Credit: Shutterstock – Creativa Images

Anyone who knows even the basics of hacking knows that you can't just “hack into the mainframe of a government agency and open the bay doors.” Someone semi-jokingly said, “Computers are the new deus ex machina.

About 10 minutes before the show's over, the resident nerd will say something like, ‘I cross-referenced the license plate with the average rainfall in each region and compared that with the average number of clown shoes sold per capita in nearby American cities, so the killer is probably in this three-block radius.' So naturally, a car chase ensues.”

8. Long-Hair Fights

Image Credit: Shutterstock – Federico Marsicano

Several women explained it's a complete pain in the bum to do any physically demanding movement without putting your hair up. In addition, long hair hanging would make women more vulnerable to attacks, and aggressors could use her hair to harm her.

One explanation for having hair not tied (other than it looks pretty) is that stuntwomen can become less noticeable. But everyone agreed it's not realistic. “Women who fight put their hair back or up.”

9. Two Minutes Later

Image Credit: Shutterstock – Roman Samborskyi

One user shared, “After their entire family dies, they're okay in two minutes. As long as the partner they've fallen in love with survives, they crack jokes, kiss, and everything's fine and dandy. Never mind, mommy and daddy, aren't coming home.”

Popular Reading: Top 10 Companies People Would Shut Down if Given the Power

10. Looking at the Passenger When Driving

Image Credit: Shutterstock – YAKOBCHUK VIACHESLAV

Finally, the internet decided that looking at the passenger while driving and having long conversations while you're at it is unrealistic. Unless the outcome you're looking for is a car accident. One expressed, “It doesn't matter even if you are doing highway speeds; you always have a little time to ‘soul gaze' into the passenger's eyes. KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD!”

What do you think? Did Reddit get this right, or is something significant missing from this list? This article was inspired by the internet and did not necessarily reflect the views of Finance Quick Fix.

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