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The Top 100 TV Catch Phrases


Recently I was sent this list of the top 100 TV catch phrases. It was fun to read thru them all. I think I’d heard of nearly all of them. Unfortunately, there aren’t any from The Office…yet. Give it a few more years and I think “That’s what she said” will be added to the list.

Any other Office phrases that you’d suggest?

- “Aaay” (Fonzie, “Happy Days”)

- “And that’s the way it is” (Walter Cronkite, “CBS Evening News”)

- “Ask not what your country can do for you …” (John F. Kennedy)

- “Baby, you’re the greatest” (Jackie Gleason as Ralph Kramden, “The Honeymooners”)

- “Bam!” (Emeril Lagasse, “Emeril Live”)

- “Book ‘em, Danno” (Steve McGarrett, “Hawaii Five-O”)

- “Come on down!” (Johnny Olson, “The Price is Right”)

- “Danger, Will Robinson” (Robot, “Lost in Space”)

- “De plane! De plane!” (Tattoo, “Fantasy Island”)

- “Denny Crane” (Denny Crane, “Boston Legal”)

- “Do you believe in miracles?” (Al Michaels, 1980 Winter Olympics)

- “D’oh!” (Homer Simpson, “The Simpsons”)

- “Don’t make me angry …” (David Banner, “The Incredible Hulk”)

- “Dyn-o-mite” (J.J., “Good Times”)

- “Elizabeth, I’m coming!” (Fred Sanford, “Sanford and Son”)

- “Gee, Mrs. Cleaver …” (Eddie Haskell, “Leave it to Beaver”)

- “God’ll get you for that” (Maude, “Maude”)

- “Good grief” (Charlie Brown, “Peanuts” specials)

- “Good night, and good luck” (Edward R. Murrow, “See It Now”)

- “Good night, John Boy” (”The Waltons”)

- “Have you no sense of decency?” (Joseph Welch to Sen. McCarthy)

- “Heh heh” (Beavis and Butt-head, “Beavis and Butthead”)

- “Here it is, your moment of Zen” (”The Daily Show”)

- “Here’s Johnny!” (Ed McMahon, “The Tonight Show”)

- “Hey now!” (Hank Kingsley, “The Larry Sanders Show”)

- “Hey HEY hey!” (Dwayne Nelson, “What’s Happening!!”)

- “Hey hey HEEY!” (Fat Albert, “Fat Albert”)

- “Holy (whatever), Batman!” (Robin, “Batman”)

- “Holy crap!” (Frank Barone, “Everybody Loves Raymond”)

- “Homey don’t play that!” (Homey the Clown, “In Living Color”)

- “How sweet it is!” (Jackie Gleason, “The Jackie Gleason Show”)

- “How you doin’?” (Joey Tribbiani, “Friends”)

- “I can’t believe I ate the whole thing” (Alka Seltzer ad)

- “I know nothing!” (Sgt. Schultz, “Hogan’s Heroes”)

- “I love it when a plan comes together” (Hannibal, “The A-Team”)

- “I want my MTV!” (MTV ad)

- “I’m Larry, this is my brother Darryl …” (Larry, “Newhart”)

- “I’m not a crook …” (Richard Nixon)

- “I’m not a doctor, but I play one on TV” (Vicks Formula 44 ad)

- “I’m Rick James, bitch!” (Dave Chappelle as Rick James, “Chappelle’s Show”)

- “Is that your final answer?” (Regis Philbin, “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”)

- “It keeps going and going and going …” (Energizer Batteries ad)

- “It takes a licking …” (Timex ad)

- “Jane, you ignorant slut” (Dan Aykroyd to Jane Curtin, “Saturday Night Live”)

- “Just one more thing …” (Columbo, “Columbo”)

- “Let’s be careful out there” (Sgt. Esterhaus, “Hill Street Blues”)

- “Let’s get ready to rumble!” (Michael Buffer, various sports events)

- “Live long and prosper” (Spock, “Star Trek”)

- “Makin’ whoopie” (Bob Eubanks, “The Newlywed Game”)

- “Mom always liked you best” (Tommy Smothers, “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”)

- “Never assume …” (Felix Unger, “The Odd Couple”)

- “Nip it!” (Barney Fife, “The Andy Griffith Show”)

- “No soup for you!” (The Soup Nazi, “Seinfeld”)

- “Norm!” (”Cheers”)

- “Now cut that out!” (Jack Benny, “The Jack Benny Program”)

- “Oh, my God! They killed Kenny!” (Stan and Kyle, “South Park”)

- “Oh, my nose!” (Marcia Brady, “The Brady Bunch”)

- “One small step for man …” (Neil Armstrong)

- “Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?” (Grey Poupon ad)

- “Read my lips: No new taxes!” (George H.W. Bush)

- “Resistance is futile” (Picard as Borg, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”)

- “Say good night, Gracie” (George Burns, “The Burns & Allen Show”)

- “Schwing!” (Mike Myers and Dana Carvey as Wayne and Garth, “Saturday Night Live”)

- “Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy” (Lloyd Bentsen to Dan Quayle)

- “Silly rabbit, Trix are for kids” (Trix cereal ad)

- “Smile, you’re on ‘Candid Camera’ ” (”Candid Camera”)

- “Sock it to me” (”Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In”)

- “Space, the final frontier …” (Capt. Kirk, “Star Trek”)

- “Stifle!” (Archie Bunker, “All in the Family”)

- “Suit up!” (Barney Stinson, “How I Met Your Mother”)

- “Tastes great! Less filling!” (Miller Lite beer ad)

- “Tell me what you don’t like about yourself” (Dr. McNamara and Dr. Troy, “Nip/Tuck”)

- “That’s hot” (Paris Hilton, “The Simple Life”)

- “The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat” (Jim McKay, “ABC’s Wide World of Sports”)

- “The tribe has spoken” (Jeff Probst, “Survivor”)

- “The truth is out there” (Fox Mulder, “The X-Files”)

- “This is the city …” (Sgt. Joe Friday, “Dragnet”)

- “Time to make the donuts” (”Dunkin’ Donuts” ad)

- “Two thumbs up” (Siskel & Ebert, “Siskel & Ebert”)

- “Up your nose with a rubber hose” (Vinnie Barbarino, “Welcome Back, Kotter”)

- “We are two wild and crazy guys!” (Steve Martin and Dan Aykroyd as Czech playboys, “Saturday Night Live”)

- “Welcome to the O.C., bitch” (Luke, “The O.C.”)

- “Well, isn’t that special?” (Dana Carvey as the Church Lady, “Saturday Night Live”)

- “We’ve got a really big show!” (Ed Sullivan, “The Ed Sullivan Show”)

- “Whassup?” (Budweiser ad)

- “What you see is what you get!” (Geraldine, “The Flip Wilson Show”)

- “Whatchoo talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” (Arnold Drummond, “Diff’rent Strokes”)

- “Where’s the beef?” (Wendy’s ad)

- “Who loves you, baby?” (Kojak, “Kojak”)

- “Would you believe?” (Maxwell Smart, “Get Smart”)

- “Yabba dabba do!” (Fred Flintstone, “The Flintstones”)

- “Yada, yada, yada” (”Seinfeld”)

- “Yeah, that’s the ticket” (Jon Lovitz as the pathological liar, “Saturday Night Live”)

- “You eeeediot!” (Ren, “Ren & Stimpy”)

- “You look mahvelous!” (Billy Crystal as Fernando, “Saturday Night Live”)

- “You rang?” (Lurch, “The Addams Family”)

- “You’re fired!” (Donald Trump, “The Apprentice”)

- “You’ve got spunk …” (Lou Grant, “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”)

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13 Responses to “The Top 100 TV Catch Phrases”

  1. Adam
    November 30th, 2006 06:58
    1

    I’d be surprised if “D’oh!” didn’t make #1.

  2. Janie
    November 30th, 2006 07:59
    2

    Oh my list could go on forever. Of course these probably will never make the cut, but they sure make mine. Here are 10 of my many favorites:

    1. Hug it out bitch.

    2. Ain’t no party like a Scranton party!

    3. Big Tuna!

    4. Is it me, or does it smell like updog in here?

    5. Dinkin’ Flicka

    6. You can’t fire me. I don’t work in this van!

    7. I don’t believe you. Continue.

    8. The Schrute’s produce very thirsty babies.

    9. Happy Birthday Jesus. Sorry your party’s so lame.

    10.Redact it!

  3. Kerry
    November 30th, 2006 08:50
    3

    If How I Met Your Mother and The OC have quotes on this list, then The Office should definately be on that list. I don’t think either of those shows have been on longer than The Office. Oh well. There’s some good ones on there anyway.

  4. Meredith
    November 30th, 2006 10:44
    4

    When I read this one: “I’m Larry, this is my brother Darryl …” (Larry, “Newhart”); this one came to mind:

    “Bob Vance, from Vance Refrigeration” (Bob Vance, “The Office”)

    and of course…

    -”Question” (Dwight Schrute, “The Office”)

  5. Bob
    November 30th, 2006 10:50
    5

    Charlie Brown makes the list with “Good grief.” So, “The Office” should make it for “There’s GOOD grief…just ask Charlie Brown.”

  6. Jillian
    November 30th, 2006 12:31
    6

    How is it possible no one has suggested “That’s what she said!”? It’s perfect for a list like this. :)

  7. Janie
    November 30th, 2006 12:55
    7

    Brian did in his initial post. :)

  8. DwightK
    November 30th, 2006 13:17
    8

    “That’s what she said” isn’t an office quote, just because they use it a lot. It’s an old joke.

    I don’t think the office has that many running quites although “Question” from dwight is good. Also maybe “Listen up, everybody…” from Michael.

    On the other hand, a lot of the things on that lost weren’t exactly TV catchphrases - at least 6 were political or historical statements which happened to be on TV.

    I like “Good Night…and Good luck” only because that movie is awsome.

    DwightK

  9. Eric
    November 30th, 2006 14:11
    9

    “I did not know that” (Johnny Carson)

  10. Three Hole Punch Linz
    November 30th, 2006 14:17
    10

    “That’s what she said”

    Definitely

  11. dwight k poop
    November 30th, 2006 21:23
    11

    The real thing we should be doing is find how many of these lines Michael has quoted correctly or incorrectly on the office.

    He has done:
    “Bam!” Emeril
    “Hey Hey HEEY, Jim Halpert”
    “Whassssup!” Budweiser

    Some he didn’t really quote, but there is a Homer doll in the Office, and he acted like the Robot in Lost in Space before.

    Are there any others?

  12. yo mamma-aka zoe
    February 5th, 2008 14:57
    12

    fact: bears beats battlestar galactica!
    jim halpert

  13. Ellie
    April 11th, 2008 21:29
    13

    I gotta say my favorite on here was definitely “NORM!!”. Man, I love “Cheers”. But seriously, I don’t really care if that’s what she said isn’t an actual office quote. It’s Michael’s one line that gets him through life! That should be on here! How about Question and Fact, like so many people have said? Seriously? I mean, I know that there aren’t a LOT of things said OVER and OVER on The Office, but the one liners that get me every time should be on here…”I’m on the phone.” “I do not think that is funny.” (I’m a fanley, can you tell?)

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