Top 10 TV Catch Phrases - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:28 PM

Say What? "No soup for you!" Say Who? The Soup Nazi, "Seinfeld." "Seinfeld" was eminently-quotable, but while junk like "yada yada yada" turns dated and stale, "no soup for you!" endures. Among the many individuals who thwarted Jerry et al during the series' nine seasons, the Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas) arbitrarily decided which customer in his establishment deserved his delicious concoction - and George was usually left out. These days, the phrase instantly connotes a martinet refusing access to something basic, which makes it universal. That the phrase comes with a corollary in amusement (soup Nazi?) makes it do double duty on the funny bone.

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:28 PM

Say What? "De plane! De plane!" Say Who? Tattoo, "Fantasy Island." Tattoo (Herve Villechaize) was a little person, but his words were mighty. The sidekick to the godlike, smug Mr. Roarke helped his white-suited partner welcome a new group of visitors to their Fantasy Island each week. As their seaplane approached the remote island, Tattoo would scurry up a tower and ring the bell, alerting the locals that "da plane" was approaching. Side note: The phrase also became a punchline to a now-dated joke - "What M-n-M's does Tattoo prefer?" De plane, of course.

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:29 PM

Say What? "Kiss my grits!" Say Who? Flo, "Alice." The seen-it-all waitress Flo on the hit ABC sitcom "Alice" had no problem telling Mel's Diner proprietor and cook, Mel, just where he could pucker up when his abrasive manner raised her ire. The catch phrase took off to such an extent that Flo got her own spin-off, which tanked after a season, and Flo was never heard from again. A case of success ruining a perfectly good thing

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:30 PM

Say What? "Oh, my God! They killed Kenny!" Say Who? Stan and Kyle, "South Park." So, there's this long-running animated show in which a child is brutally killed each week. And it's a joke! Okay, so put it that way and the fate of poor Kenny (who's barely a character; he can't even be understood through his tightly-pulled hoodie) makes "South Park" seem like the worst show ever. Instead, it may be the only show to birth a catch phrase from an existential inevitability: Kenny must die each week so that Stan and Kyle (and sometimes Cartman) can rage against the machine, announcing his death, then punctuating it with "you bastards!" And who hasn't wanted to say that after a long, hard week on the job?

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:31 PM

Say What? "Up your nose with a rubber hose" Say Who? Vinnie Barbarino, "Welcome Back, Kotter." Vinnie Barbarino: You were a poet and didn't know it. The travails of a Brooklyn schoolteacher and his underachieving students (aka "Sweathogs") may have been developed as a Gabe Kaplan vehicle, but another star stole the spotlight � a young teen heartthrob named John Travolta, who played the vain Barbarino. The sitcom was riddled with possible catch phrases ("Ooh! Ooh! Mr. Kot-ter!") but over time, nothing parallels the image of inserting a hollow cylindrical device into one's nasal passage. A class act.

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:32 PM

Say What? "Good night, John Boy." Say Who? John Walton, Sr., "The Waltons." A large family being raised in rural Virginia during the Great Depression needs a leader - and in this case, it wasn't daddy, it was John Boy (Richard Thomas). As one of television's most wholesome family dramas, "The Waltons" featured the family doing good deeds for those less fortunate each week; then, to conclude the episode the camera focused on their darkened house (with just one window lit). Inside, the family said their "good nights," and at least one got directed at John Boy, the family's chronicler.

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:32 PM

Word of Wisdom: "D'oh!" Say Who? Homer Simpson, "The Simpsons." In our speedy, multi-tasking culture, who has time for a whole catch phrase? So thank goodness for "The Simpsons," which after 20 years is still going strong - which has helped end our reliance on multiple words. How much more simple does it need to get than the frustrated yelp expressed by Homer Simpson (Dan Castellaneta), who can express everything from rage to sadness with three letters? In doing so, Homer has created not just some faddish, passing phrase. Nay, this is today's America, in which we can be let go from our jobs, lose our 401Ks or discover that trans fats are bad for us ... and all we have to say is "d'oh." The world understands. Now, that's a catch phrase.

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:33 PM

Say What? "I love it when a plan comes together." Say Who? Col. John "Hannibal" Smith, "The A-Team." Nobody led a ragtag outfit of wrongly-accused Vietnam vets better than Hannibal (George Peppard) as they came up with crazy-plans-that-just-might-work week after week. That signature sign-off line, punctuated by Hannibal chomping on a cigar projected smarts, manliness and sly wiliness that helped the gang avoid arrest week after week. True, not every plan came together - but the point was the A-Team were always on their A-game.

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:34 PM

Say What? "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" Say Who? Arnold Drummond, "Diff'rent Strokes." Sass - particularly the flavor demonstrated by African-American actors - has largely vanished from broadcast primetime. But in the 1970s and 1980s, shows like "Good Times," "227" and "Strokes" brought it to its razziest peak. And sass offered up by a young, diminutive named Gary Coleman took it to another level - it was from a child and seemed to suggest sweet, apple-cheeked Arnold might have a hidden thug life. It also turned into a lifelong burden for Coleman, who never outgrew the role (in more ways than one) and undoubtedly has been asked to say it multiple times every day of his life since the show ended.

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:35 PM

Say What? "Is that your final answer?" Say Who? Regis Philbin, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Though it's likely that today more people have heard the accented question "who wants to be a millllllion-ayre" repeated by Anil Kapoor in "Slumdog Millionaire," Regis Philbin was the one who gave it a New York accent in the American version of the game show, which has over 100 versions around the world. Some countries have different takes on that "final answer" question (in Australia and New Zealand you're more likely to hear "lock it in?") but there's no question: This is the best-traveled TV catch phrase of all time. Money does make the world go 'round.

Brian Damage · 05-11-2009, 10:35 PM

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,519817,00.html

comedyfreak · 05-12-2009, 03:57 AM

How about Say what? "Sit On It" From Happy Days should have been on the top 10.

Schmoopie · 05-12-2009, 04:09 AM

My ultimate favorite is "No Soup For You!" but then again, I'd pick anything from my beloved Seinfeld!

I had forgotten about "Up your nose with a rubber hose". I loved Vinnie Babarino!

tv star collector · 05-12-2009, 09:49 AM

Would you believe not one catch phrase from Get Smart? How
could they have missed it by that much? Not even an apologetic
sorry about that!

TV-aholic · 05-12-2009, 11:17 AM

Some of those missed...

"Book'em Danno" - Hawaii Five-0

"Nanu-Nanu" - Mork & Mindy

"Let's Be Careful out there" - Hill Street Blues

"Engage!" - Star Trek: TNG

"Make It So" - Star Trek: TNG

"Resistance is Futile" - Star Trek: TNG

"Suit-Up!" - How I Met Your Mother

"The Tribe has spoken" - Survivor

"Thank you vedy Much" - TAXI

"NORM!" - Cheers

"How You Doin' ?" - Friends

"Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" - The Brady Bunch

"That's what She Said" - The Office

"Save the cheerleader. Save the world" - HEROES

"I know Nothing... Nothing!" - Hogans Heroes

"Beam Me up Scotty" - Star Trek

"Pack you knives and go" - Top Chef

"And Now for something completely different." - Montey Python

05-11-2009, 10:28 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Top 10 TV Catch Phrases Say What? "No soup for you!" Say Who? The Soup Nazi, "Seinfeld." "Seinfeld" was eminently-quotable, but while junk like "yada yada yada" turns dated and stale, "no soup for you!" endures. Among the many individuals who thwarted Jerry et al during the series' nine seasons, the Soup Nazi (Larry Thomas) arbitrarily decided which customer in his establishment deserved his delicious concoction - and George was usually left out. These days, the phrase instantly connotes a martinet refusing access to something basic, which makes it universal. That the phrase comes with a corollary in amusement (soup Nazi?) makes it do double duty on the funny bone. Attached Images
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

05-11-2009, 10:28 PM	#2
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Say What? "De plane! De plane!" Say Who? Tattoo, "Fantasy Island." Tattoo (Herve Villechaize) was a little person, but his words were mighty. The sidekick to the godlike, smug Mr. Roarke helped his white-suited partner welcome a new group of visitors to their Fantasy Island each week. As their seaplane approached the remote island, Tattoo would scurry up a tower and ring the bell, alerting the locals that "da plane" was approaching. Side note: The phrase also became a punchline to a now-dated joke - "What M-n-M's does Tattoo prefer?" De plane, of course. Attached Images

05-11-2009, 10:29 PM	#3
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Say What? "Kiss my grits!" Say Who? Flo, "Alice." The seen-it-all waitress Flo on the hit ABC sitcom "Alice" had no problem telling Mel's Diner proprietor and cook, Mel, just where he could pucker up when his abrasive manner raised her ire. The catch phrase took off to such an extent that Flo got her own spin-off, which tanked after a season, and Flo was never heard from again. A case of success ruining a perfectly good thing Attached Images

05-11-2009, 10:30 PM	#4
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Say What? "Oh, my God! They killed Kenny!" Say Who? Stan and Kyle, "South Park." So, there's this long-running animated show in which a child is brutally killed each week. And it's a joke! Okay, so put it that way and the fate of poor Kenny (who's barely a character; he can't even be understood through his tightly-pulled hoodie) makes "South Park" seem like the worst show ever. Instead, it may be the only show to birth a catch phrase from an existential inevitability: Kenny must die each week so that Stan and Kyle (and sometimes Cartman) can rage against the machine, announcing his death, then punctuating it with "you bastards!" And who hasn't wanted to say that after a long, hard week on the job? Attached Images

05-11-2009, 10:31 PM	#5
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Say What? "Up your nose with a rubber hose" Say Who? Vinnie Barbarino, "Welcome Back, Kotter." Vinnie Barbarino: You were a poet and didn't know it. The travails of a Brooklyn schoolteacher and his underachieving students (aka "Sweathogs") may have been developed as a Gabe Kaplan vehicle, but another star stole the spotlight � a young teen heartthrob named John Travolta, who played the vain Barbarino. The sitcom was riddled with possible catch phrases ("Ooh! Ooh! Mr. Kot-ter!") but over time, nothing parallels the image of inserting a hollow cylindrical device into one's nasal passage. A class act. Attached Images

05-11-2009, 10:32 PM	#6
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Say What? "Good night, John Boy." Say Who? John Walton, Sr., "The Waltons." A large family being raised in rural Virginia during the Great Depression needs a leader - and in this case, it wasn't daddy, it was John Boy (Richard Thomas). As one of television's most wholesome family dramas, "The Waltons" featured the family doing good deeds for those less fortunate each week; then, to conclude the episode the camera focused on their darkened house (with just one window lit). Inside, the family said their "good nights," and at least one got directed at John Boy, the family's chronicler. Attached Images

05-11-2009, 10:33 PM	#8
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Say What? "I love it when a plan comes together." Say Who? Col. John "Hannibal" Smith, "The A-Team." Nobody led a ragtag outfit of wrongly-accused Vietnam vets better than Hannibal (George Peppard) as they came up with crazy-plans-that-just-might-work week after week. That signature sign-off line, punctuated by Hannibal chomping on a cigar projected smarts, manliness and sly wiliness that helped the gang avoid arrest week after week. True, not every plan came together - but the point was the A-Team were always on their A-game. Attached Images

05-11-2009, 10:34 PM	#9
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Say What? "Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" Say Who? Arnold Drummond, "Diff'rent Strokes." Sass - particularly the flavor demonstrated by African-American actors - has largely vanished from broadcast primetime. But in the 1970s and 1980s, shows like "Good Times," "227" and "Strokes" brought it to its razziest peak. And sass offered up by a young, diminutive named Gary Coleman took it to another level - it was from a child and seemed to suggest sweet, apple-cheeked Arnold might have a hidden thug life. It also turned into a lifelong burden for Coleman, who never outgrew the role (in more ways than one) and undoubtedly has been asked to say it multiple times every day of his life since the show ended. Attached Images

05-11-2009, 10:35 PM	#10
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	Say What? "Is that your final answer?" Say Who? Regis Philbin, "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Though it's likely that today more people have heard the accented question "who wants to be a millllllion-ayre" repeated by Anil Kapoor in "Slumdog Millionaire," Regis Philbin was the one who gave it a New York accent in the American version of the game show, which has over 100 versions around the world. Some countries have different takes on that "final answer" question (in Australia and New Zealand you're more likely to hear "lock it in?") but there's no question: This is the best-traveled TV catch phrase of all time. Money does make the world go 'round. Attached Images

05-12-2009, 03:57 AM	#12
comedyfreak Cheers! Forum Fanatic Join Date: Dec 14, 2005 Location: Sunny California Posts: 11,060	How about Say what? "Sit On It" From Happy Days should have been on the top 10.
	__________________ www.facebook.com/comedyfreak

05-12-2009, 04:09 AM	#13
Schmoopie Keep Calm and Love Snoopy Forum Star Join Date: Jul 13, 2008 Location: Lynnwood, Washington Posts: 15,697	My ultimate favorite is "No Soup For You!" but then again, I'd pick anything from my beloved Seinfeld! I had forgotten about "Up your nose with a rubber hose". I loved Vinnie Babarino!
	__________________ In memory of my wonderful husband. I love and miss you more than words can say, but I will always and forever keep you in my heart. September 23, 1961-January 14, 2019

05-12-2009, 09:49 AM	#14
tv star collector I Love Susie Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Oct 18, 2005 Location: South Carolina Posts: 4,486	Would you believe not one catch phrase from Get Smart? How could they have missed it by that much? Not even an apologetic sorry about that!

05-12-2009, 11:17 AM	#15
TV-aholic Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 02, 2009 Location: Indy Posts: 36	Some of those missed... "Book'em Danno" - Hawaii Five-0 "Nanu-Nanu" - Mork & Mindy "Let's Be Careful out there" - Hill Street Blues "Engage!" - Star Trek: TNG "Make It So" - Star Trek: TNG "Resistance is Futile" - Star Trek: TNG "Suit-Up!" - How I Met Your Mother "The Tribe has spoken" - Survivor "Thank you vedy Much" - TAXI "NORM!" - Cheers "How You Doin' ?" - Friends "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" - The Brady Bunch "That's what She Said" - The Office "Save the cheerleader. Save the world" - HEROES "I know Nothing... Nothing!" - Hogans Heroes "Beam Me up Scotty" - Star Trek "Pack you knives and go" - Top Chef "And Now for something completely different." - Montey Python