History IronicEcho / LiveActionTV

--> '''Goddard:''' Take him, wipe his memory.\\

--> '''Goddard:''' Take him, wipe his memory.\\

About 20 episodes later when Emily had gone trough all her own closet trauma, talking with a closeted friend and trying to convince her to come out: \\
'''Paige:''' ''[describing how it was having a date with a NiceGuy guy.]] It was Great! Good. He was a nice guy... yeah, it went okay. \\
'''Emily:''' Good. \\
'''Paige:'''\\ Yeah... until he kissed me... He took me home and he kissed me goodnight, and... I don't know, the date, the whole night just felt phony all of a suddenly. Like iy wasn't me. It was somebody I was watching but not me... he went home and I texted you.

-->'''Data:''' "No sir, it does not. I do not feel pleasure. I am ''only an android.''

'''William Boone''': I can assure you that she felt no pain. {{Beat}} You don't have to thank me. [[spoiler:He's lying; she's still alive, but Boone wanted Sandoval to feel the pain that he felt before the CVI took hold.]]

** For most of the past season, the protagonists have been realizing just how unethical their job is and learned that it may soon lead to TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. In the second-to-last episode of the series, the Doll's passphrase system is inverted [[spoiler:between the protagonist and TheChessmaster responsible for it all, formerly [[BigBadFriend her own handler]], just before he is given an order to ''blow himself up'']].

*** From that same episode, Goddard does this to Van Statten. His standard procedure to dismissing someone is having their memory wiped and dumping them on the side of the road in a city starting with the first letter of their last name. Her exact words...

-->''''I will [[PunctuatedForEmphasis NOT DIE]]!''''
*** This in a way builds up to the Doctor's own echo. Remembering how his entire civilization had been destroyed centuries ago, he mused "[[WhoWantsToLiveForever sometimes I think Time Lords live too long]]." Later after seeing [[spoiler:just how far the other Time Lords would go to live]] and faced with the choice of [[spoiler:sacrificing himself to save Wilf]] he began to rage at the unfairness of it... only to remind himself "live too long."

* ''LawAndOrderUK'': A similar scene. After raping Alesha, Dr. Merrick tauntingly asks her "Didn't that feel good?" The rest of the team hears this will reviewing the tape of the attack. As Matt handcuffs Merrick while he and Ronnie arrest him, Merrick whines, "You're hurting me!", to which Matt snarls in response, "Yeah, I know. Didn't that feel good?"

** In ''Cool'', Chloe tells Clark and Pete that "I'm not a crash test dummy you can use to try out your dating skills". In ''Heat'' (even the episode ''name'' is an IronicEcho), [[spoiler:after Chloe and Clark broke up, she refers to herself as "Cupid's cannon fodder" for dating Clark]].
** In ''[[ChristmasEpisode Lexmas]]'', Chloe talks Clark into delivering presents to children as Santa Claus. When a kid sees him, he says he is the "new and improved version". In ''Persona'', [[spoiler:when {{Brainiac}} recognizes Bizarro, he calls himself the "new and improved version".]]
** In ''Crusade'', Clark is forcibly reprogrammed into "[[BecauseDestinySaysSo Kal-El]]", and tells Martha that "[[ThatManIsDead Clark Kent is dead]]." In ''Doomsday'', [[spoiler:Clark ''willingly'' say this to Chloe after the Doomsday fiasco and walk out of her life, leaving her alone and heartbroken.]]

* ''Series/{{Revolution}}'': What Rachel says to Aaron, in "[[Recap/RevolutionS1E15Home Home]]", [[spoiler:after Aaron found his ex-wife, Priscilla]]:

* ''Series/{{Revolution}}'': What Rachel says to Aaron, in "Home", [[spoiler:after Aaron found his ex-wife, Priscilla]]:

* ''Series/{{Angel}}'': Holland tells Angel he "just can't seem to care" that people die because of Wolfram & Hart's Special Projects Division's schemes. Later, when Darla and Drusilla are about to kill everyone in the Special Projects Division, Holland pleads for help, but Angel replies, "And yet, somehow, I just can't seem to care" before leaving, locking the door on his way out.

* ''Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined'': In this miniseries, the newly sworn-in President Roslin tries to convince Adama to leave the fight and run away, taking the fleet with him, saying that if the human race is to survive at all, they have to escape and "we have to start having babies!" Adama doesn't reply and simply leaves the room, but later on he apparently realises the sense in the plan while watching Billy and Dee flirting, causing him to comment under his breath "They'd better start having babies." to the confusion of the people around him.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'': Has an episode in the fourth season where [[EvilCounterpart Faith]] and Buffy [[FreakyFridayFlip switch bodies]]; practicing for the impersonation of her rival, Faith acts how she believe Buffy does -- prissily announcing to herself in the mirror that you can't do that "Because it's wrong". Much later, after living a day in Buffy's life, Faith is about to skip town and escape entirely when she hears of a vampire attack upon a church and, not quite knowing why, heads out to confront them. Battling the vampires, she stops their plan to slaughter the congregation "because it's wrong" -- now entirely sincere. (Creator/SarahMichelleGellar acts the hell out of the latter scene, too, playing beautifully against how much she camped it up in the beginning of the episode where she is prancing about in front of the mirror as Faith doing her Buffy impression.)

* ''Series/BurnNotice'': In the episode "No Good Deed", quoth Eve, the villain of the episode, "Remember that part about me letting you live if you helped me rip off my buyer? ILied." Quoth Westen back at her a minute later, after Fiona's rescue is a success and Eve is on the ground and disarmed, "You remember the part about ''me'' helping ''you'' getting away with the money and the drive? ''I'' lied."

* ''Series/{{Castle}}'': In following a lead in the case, Richard Castle has gotten himself involved in an illegal high-stakes 'no limits' poker game with a group of [[TheMafiya Russian mobsters]]. During the climactic hand, the lead mobster goes all in and taunts Castle by saying 'what's money to a millionaire, huh?'. Unfortunately for him, Castle wins the hand; as he collects his winnings he cheerfully comments 'what's money to a mobster, huh?' Not surprisingly, the mobster is less amused when his words are thrown back in his face.

* When the sisters confront a Darklighter in an episode of ''Series/{{Charmed}}''.

* ''Series/DoctorWho'': In the episode "The Stolen Earth", Harriet Jones keeps introducing herself as "Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister." The listener always responds with "I know who you are." When [[spoiler:the Daleks break in]], the sequence is repeated, much less humorously.

* ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'': Throughout the series, there is a system of nested passphrases set up between Dolls (people with implanted memories custom-built for any given situation anyone with a ton of money could want) and their handlers. One set of passphrases confirms that the Dolls are working properly after having their memories wiped and restored to a blank, passive, helpless state.

* ''Series/DrQuinnMedicineWoman'': In the episode "The Campaign," Dr. Mike runs against Jake for Mayor. Because only men are eligible to vote, she seems to have little chance of victory. When Dr. Mike and Dorothy try to get Jake and Loren to consider a deal, Loren replies, ''"Why should we deal? We're winning."''

* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'': In the episode "Cool Hands Luke and Bo," Bo and Luke, and later Boss Hogg and Rosco, make the mistake of entering Osage County, ruled by the feared Colonel Claiborne and Sheriff Cathcarte. All four are captured and sent to Claiborne's road prison, on trumped-up charges. When Rosco protests, ''"You can't arrest me, I'm an officer of the law!"'', Cathcarte smugly replies, ''"We can do anything we want! This is our county now!"''

* ''Series/FamilyMatters'': Done to applause in Season 3, Episode 19, "Woman of the People". Laura runs against [[AlphaBitch Cassie Lynn Nubbles]] as class president, and the latter tries hard to find some dirt on her. When Laura falls into Steve's arms, she has her photographer friend Becky Sue snap pictures of them.

* ''Series/{{Farscape}}'': The episode "Vitas Mortis" has an IronicEcho Type 1 exchange between Aeryn and Chiana: part one has Chiana doing the laundry in a knee-deep basin of Moya's amnexus fluids, refusing to wash Aeryn's clothes with the statement "Since when did I become your servant?" Part two has Chiana trapped in solidified amnexus fluid, and Aeryn gleefully refusing to help her, throwing "Since when did I become your servant?" back in her face.

* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': "My name is [[spoiler: Nate Ford]], and I am a thief."

* ''Series/{{Lost}}'': In early season 2, Desmond leaves Jack in a flashback, saying, "See you in another life, Brother." In the season 4 finale, as they part, Jack says the same line to Desmond.

* ''Series/TheSarahConnorChronicles'': Has two, both courtesy of Cameron. The first appears in the third episode, "The Turk," where John explains to Cameron that she needs to blend in, telling her "Don't be a freak." Later on, when he tries to rescue a girl who commits suicide by jumping off the roof of the gym, she throws the same words back in his face while physically restraining him, since trying to rescue her would draw attention to him.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Played with between series. Upon meeting [[EmotionalEmotionlessPerson their android commander, Data]] for the first time, and hearing of his desire to be human, Will Riker ascribes him the nickname "Literature/{{Pinocchio}}". In the next series, when Riker is forced into playing against Data in a court case which could, if Data loses, very well see him dismantled beyond repair (i.e. killed), he plays out a devastating scene culminating in switching Data off:

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': In Dean's DreamSequence in "Dream a Little Dream of Me" when he meets his {{doppelganger}}, he tries to snap his fingers to get himself out. Doesn't work. At the end of the episode, just after he says he doesn't want to die, the same shot appears. Except it's Evil!Dean this time, with black eyes and a huge smile, doing the clicking and ending the dream.

* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'': In the episode "Cool Hands Luke and Bo," Bo and Luke, and later Boss Hogg and Roscoe, make the mistake of entering Osage County, ruled by the feared Colonel Claiborne and Sheriff Cathcarte. All four are captured and sent to Claiborne's road prison, on trumped-up charges. When Roscoe protests, ''"You can't arrest me, I'm an officer of the law!"'', Cathcarte smugly replies, ''"We can do anything we want! This is our county now!"''
** In the climax of the episode, the four escape and race toward Hazzard, with Claiborne and Cathcarte in pursuit. The chase ends in a car crash. As everyone tries to clear their heads, Bo and Luke grin and point out that they've crossed the county line, and are now in Hazzard. As Boss Hogg and Roscoe gleefully arrest their former tormentors, Cathcarte protests, ''"You can't arrest me, I'm an officer of the law!"'' and Roscoe smugly replies, ''"We can do anything we want! This is our county now!"''

* ''Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses'': When stolid constable Terry Hoskins questions his DirtyCop boss DI Slater, Slater snaps "It's not your job to think". Later, when he's on the point of being arrested, and offers Hoskins a cut, he ask Hoskins to think about it. Hoskins replies "It's not my job to think".
* ''Series/DropTheDeadDonkey'': In one episode, PointyHairedBoss Gus lambasts the security guard for not asking to see his identity card. The guard protests "But you're the guvner! I know your face!", to which Gus snarls "It doesn't say 'Identity cards must be shown, unless it's the guvner and I know his face'!" Inevitably, by the end of the episode, Gus has lost his card, and the guard won't let him in.
-->'''Gus:''' But I'm the guvner! You know my face!\\
'''Security Guard:''' It doesn't say "Identity cards must be shown, unless it's the guvner and I know his face".
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': The androids of Mudd's Planet reply to any question they are unwilling to answer with "I am not programmed to respond in that area." As central-control android Norman succumbs to [[LogicBomb the liar paradox]], Kirk echoes that phrase back at him when he desperately asks for an explanation.
* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': "My name is [[spoiler: Nate Ford]], and I am a thief."
** ''Leverage'' seems to be good for these. The season one finale starts out with a scene that echoes the beginning of the previous episode, with Nate parroting the villain's line from that episode -- "Are you here to kill me?"
*** And then again at the end of the episode. At the start, the villain, an insurance agent, has a smug rant about how you can't let personal feelings get in the way of business and how he has a responsibility to his shareholders. After the heist, Nate Ford [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome shouts the exact same rant]] back at the insurance agent while simultaneously disarming him and bankrupting him.

* ''{{Smallville}}'':
** In ''Cool'', Chloe tells Clark and Pete that "I'm not a crash test dummy you can use to try out your dating skills". In ''Heat'' (even the episode ''name'' is an IronicEcho), [[spoiler:after Chloe and Clark broke up, she refers to herself as "Cupid's cannon fodder" for dating Clark]].
** In ''[[ChristmasEpisode Lexmas]]'', Chloe talks Clark into delivering presents to children as Santa Claus. When a kid sees him, he says he is the "new and improved version". In ''Persona'', [[spoiler:when {{Brainiac}} recognizes Bizarro, he calls himself the "new and improved version".]]
** In ''Crusade'', Clark is forcibly reprogrammed into "[[BecauseDestinySaysSo Kal-El]]", and tells Martha that "[[ThatManIsDead Clark Kent is dead]]." In ''Doomsday'', [[spoiler:Clark ''willingly'' say this to Chloe after the Doomsday fiasco and walk out of her life, leaving her alone and heartbroken.]]
* ''Series/{{Victorious}}'': In one episode, there is a slight example of Ironic Echo. Beck and Tori nearly kiss, but Tori pulls away because she doesn't want to be the girl who kisses Jade's ex-boyfriend, even though Jad has never done anything nice to Tori. Tori says, "I can't do that to a friend." Little does she know that Jade has watched the entire scene on a webcam. Now, Tori used to have the spotlight for this major event, but it was taken away from her and was given to Jade. Jade feels shocked after seeing the scene on the computer. When Tori comes to watch Jde perform and offer moral support, Jade says that this is all wrong, that this was supposed to be Tori's time to shine. Jade then let's Tori perform instead of herself, saying, "I can't do that to a friend". This is one of the very few times Jade does something nice for Tori.
* ''Series/{{Coupling}}'': During the finale of the second series, Steve and Susan's relationship is presented as becoming stale, with Steve always responding to Susan's questions with "It's up to you" and Susan always asking Steve "Where are you going?" At the end, after an argument, Susan storms out of the house. Steve asks "Where are you going?" Susan responds, "It's up to you."
* ''Series/CriminalMinds'': In the episode "True Night", Johnny [=McHale=] is suffering from a psychotic break due to the trauma of being attacked by gang members. During that incident, the gang leader told him "You're not gonna wanna miss this" before killing his pregnant girlfriend. Eventually, Johnny [=McHale=] hunts down the gang leader and just before killing him says "You're not gonna wanna miss this."
* ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'': Played with between series. Upon meeting [[EmotionalEmotionlessPerson their android commander, Data]] for the first time, and hearing of his desire to be human, Will Riker ascribes him the nickname "Literature/{{Pinocchio}}". In the next series, when Riker is forced into playing against Data in a court case which could, if Data loses, very well see him dismantled beyond repair (i.e. killed), he plays out a devastating scene culminating in switching Data off:
-->'''Riker:''' Pinocchio is broken. Its strings have been cut.
** Consider that this is, effectively, the same as knocking a person unconscious when they're sitting at a table minding their own business. Worse, in fact, given that turning him off effectively renders Data ''dead''...
** Done again in "Descent, Part II". A young ensign points out that their tactical officer's calculations, if wrong, would bring them crashing into a planet's atmosphere, and the officer says, "Well then I'll just have to make sure my calculations are correct, Ensign." Later on in the episode, when that ensign figures out how to use a solar eruption to destroy a Borg ship, the tactical officer points out that the flare could destroy them as well. The ensign snaps back, "Well then I'll just have to make sure my calculations are correct, ''Lieutenant''." [[http://www.instantrimshot.com/ Rimshot]]!
** In the episode "The Most Toys" Data is held captive by an eccentric collector named Kivas Fajo. In order to force Data to accede to Fajo's desires Fajo threatens and eventually kills a crewmember of his trade vessel. After doing so, Fajo taunts Data for the android's inability to retaliate over the death:
-->'''Fajo:''' If only you could feel rage over Varria's death... feel the need for revenge... then maybe you could fire. But you're ''only an android.''
** Then, after Fajo is placed in custody for his crimes and has his extensive illegally obtained collection returned to their respective owners, Data visits Fajo in the brig. Fajo bitterly remarks over how he has lost everything and is now in Data's collection, which he assumes gives Data "great pleasure." To which Data replies:
-->'''Data:''' "No sir, it does not. I do not feel pleasure. I am ''only an android.''
** Riker delivers a particularly ''ripping'' one to Captain Jellico in "Chain of Command Pt 2"
-->'''Jellico:''' Let's drop the ranks for a minute. I don't like you. I think you're insubordinate, arrogant, willful, and I don't think you're a particularly good First Officer...but you are also the best pilot on this ship.\\
'''Riker:''' ...Well, now that the ranks are dropped, Captain, I don't like you, either. You ARE arrogant, and closed-minded. You need to control everything and everyone. You don't provide an atmosphere of trust, and you don't inspire these people to go out of their way for you. You've got everybody wound up so tight, there's no joy in anything. ''And I don't think you're a particularly good Captain.''
* ''Series/JustShootMe'': SubvertedTrope in one episode. In an early scene in which Nina refers to something non-ironic as ironic, Maya says, "It's not ironic; it's just what happened." In a later scene, something truly ironic happens and when Maya calls it ironic, Nina replies, "It's not ironic; it's just what happened."
* ''Series/VeronicaMars'': The title character's father, Keith, uses the line 'who's your daddy?' near the start of the first episode, which is answered by Veronica saying she hates him saying that. The line is almost forgotten until the end of the story arc, when at the end of the final episode Keith [[spoiler: (on his way to hospital, having just saved her life)]] asks her 'who's your daddy' and gets the tearful response 'you are' - it's their version of an 'I love you'. It's made even more heartwarming by the fact that [[spoiler: for awhile, they weren't sure if he really was her father, and they had just recently found out that he was.]]
* ''Series/{{Heroes}}'': After Hiro's countless "ComesGreatResponsibility" quotes, Ando repeats many of them back at him to enlist him to help Hope.
* ''Series/DarkAngel'': At the start of the episode "Pollo Loco", Max unconcernedly snaps the neck of a live chicken in order to eat it. At the end of the episode she is forced to kill a violently insane transgenic sibling and uses the same method. Naturally she finds these circumstances considerably more traumatic.
* ''Series/{{House}}'':
** The season three premiere features an irate Cuddy denying one of House's odd treatments by ranting, "[[OncePerEpisode Twenty-four times a year]] you come in here telling me you can help someone, only you never put it that way. Instead you say, 'This guy's pancreas is going to explode because his brain is ''on fire''!'" Later, when House thinks he's worked out what's wrong with the guy, he says, "See? His brain really ''is'' on fire," that being a colloquial but reasonably accurate summary of what the problem appears to be.
** In another third season episode ("Informed Consent"), House tries to scare his patient from refusing tests by describing how he'll die. Later, the patient parrots House's words back to him arguing that he should be free to kill himself, because he'll die as House describes while being tested.
-->'''House:''' Fine; you don't help us, we don't help you. Your lungs slowly fill with fluid. You gasp to catch every breath but never can. Every breath is petrifying. It'll be slow, painful, torturous.
*** 24 hours and many tests later...
-->'''Patient:''' My lungs will slowly fill with fluid. I'll gasp to catch every breath but never can. Every breath will be petrifying. It'll be slow, painful, torturous. You really gonna let me die like that?
** At one point during "Damned If You Do", Cuddy takes House off Sister Augustine's case because she thinks he gave her a higher dosage of epinephrine by mistake. ("I am going to do you the biggest favor one doctor can do for another. I am going to stop you from killing your patient.") When House later discovers that Augustine has been drinking figwort tea, which interacted with the epinephrine and caused the heart attack, it's the first thing he says to her.
** In "Nobody's Fault" House comments that his patient suddenly coughing up blood was when the case became "interesting". The person evaluating his behavior points out the odd use of the word when his patient is in pain. House asks if that's bad, and receives the answer "It's interesting."

* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'': In Dean's DreamSequence in "Dream a Little Dream of Me" when he meets his {{doppelganger}}, he tries to snap his fingers to get himself out. Doesn't work. At the end of the episode, just after he says he doesn't want to die, the same shot appears. Except it's Evil!Dean this time, with black eyes and a huge smile, doing the clicking and ending the dream.
** Earlier, Dean mentioned to Sam that their mom often told Dean that angels are watching over him. It would be the last words she ever said to him. Then, came season 5 and [[spoiler:turns out Michael and the rest of the angels saved Mary's life so she could give birth to Dean, who is Michael's vessel. Mary commenting how angels are watching over them changed a once harmless, almost heartwarming line into something much more eerie and ironic]].
*** As of 8x08, Cas outright says "I'll watch over you." [[HoYay To Dean]].
* ''Series/{{Lost}}'': In early season 2, Desmond leaves Jack in a flashback, saying, "See you in another life, Brother." In the season 4 finale, as they part, Jack says the same line to Desmond.
** It's all over the place in the final season.
** Lost loves repeating lines in general, though not always ironically. Some of the scenes in the last few episodes were almost as if the writers just didn't want to come up new lines (but they made up for it with self-referential meaningfulness).
** "He was standing over his dead body with a bloody dagger. So yeah, I'm pretty damn sure."
* ''Series/FamilyMatters'': Done to applause in Season 3, Episode 19, "Woman of the People". Laura runs against [[AlphaBitch Cassie Lynn Nubbles]] as class president, and the latter tries hard to find some dirt on her. When Laura falls into Steve's arms, she has her photographer friend Becky Sue snap pictures of them.
-->'''Cassie Lynn''': Look, Becky Sue. Poor Laura has worked so hard, and now she's gonna have to drop out of the race.
-->'''Laura''': What are you talking about?
-->'''Cassie Lynn''': Well, we just got some very hot photos of you being romanced by the prince of passion, here.
-->'''Steve''': What? But she just slipped and I caught her, that's all.
-->'''Cassie Lynn''': Becky Sue, we should put those pictures in the school paper!
-->'''Becky Sue''': ''(sarcastically)'' Oh, we couldn't do that. Everyone would think that Laura's in love with Steve Urkel, and no one would vote for her.
-->''(Cassie Lynn and Becky Sue gasp and giggle)''
-->'''Steve''': But I told you, I just caught her, that's all!
-->'''Cassie Lynn''': That may be what happened, but that won't be what people believe. They just love juicy gossip.
** Steve takes matters into his own hands following this, getting Cassie Lynn alone and then having Eddie snap pictures of them as he kisses her dramatically. This exchange follows:
-->'''Steve''': Why, I can see the headlines now! "Nubbles Sucks Face with Nerd!"
-->'''Cassie Lynn''': You wouldn't.
-->'''Steve''': Would.
-->'''Cassie Lynn''': You couldn't.
-->'''Steve''': Could.
-->'''Cassie Lynn''': But, it's a lie! You kissed me. I didn't kiss you.
-->'''Steve''': Well, that may be what happened, but it won't be what the people believe. People just love juicy gossip!
** Three guesses as to who won the election after that.

* ''Series/ICarly'': The "iStill Psycho" episode features Nora, and her mother, and her father, continuously repeating to the iCarly gang after making it clear that they were keeping them there for Nora's birthday party that they would be staying, "forever...and ever...and ever...and ever...and ever..." in a creepy, monotonic unison. Once the iCarlys have been rescued, Nora wakes up from her beating and asks what's going on. Carly, Sam, and Freddie savor saying that she and her parents are going to prison, "forever...and ever...and ever...and ever..."
* ''MySoCalledLife'': "Life of Brian": Jordan tells Angela he doesn't believe in fate; "whatever happens, happens." She says she respects that. Later at the dance, Brian tells Angela he doesn't believe in fate; "Whatever happens, happens." She calls it the stupidest thing she ever heard.
* ''Series/CornerGas'': In one episode, Hank's car is impounded and accidentally sold to Wanda. Wanda rubs it in by saying "There are no words to describe how pleased I am with myself." When, to get back at Wanda, Hank gets her car impounded and buys it, Hank attempts to perform an IronicEcho but fails miserably, mangling the quote to a level of incomprehensibility: "I can't express happy words how I feel right." Which makes it all the more funny because he can't express how pleased with himself he is.

* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'':
** Doctor Cox is trying to find a pediatrician for Jack, and teases one potential doctor for talking to his patients through puppets (calling them dolls). "It's not a doll, it's a collectible!" is echoed when Cox is holding his favorite puppet hostage, and the pediatrician begs him to let the puppet go. "It's just a doll!" "No, David, ''it's a collectible''."
** In a similar scenario, Dr. Cox needs to find a pediatrician to give his daughter Jennifer Dylan a shot. Earlier he had told his interns to buckle down when a patient didn't want to be treated by interns, and tell them "I am your doctor, deal with it!" Later, when he needs someone for his daughter, the interns reply that they were asked to give the shot, and when Dr. Cox protests, they reply with "We are your doctors, deal with it!" Subverted in that they then act very incompetent, leading Dr. Cox to change his mind before they can give the shot.
*** Possibly double-subverted in that we don't quite see who it was that ends up giving the shot, but it looks from the back like one of the interns.
** Also, when J.D. feels responsible for a patient's death, and Dr. Cox explains it as a slippery slope and when you start going down that line, "you never come back." Later, when Cox's hasty actions kill three patients (one of which could've waited another month), J.D. states "Once you go down that road, you never come back." Cox then flatly states "Yeah... you're right," and walks out the door, not planning to come back.
* ''Series/That70sShow'': In the MayTheFarceBeWithYou episode, Donna gets mad when Eric says David, the Vader character, has only been spending so much time with her talking to her, and listening and sharing ideas ("What's that about!?") because he wants to see her naked. In a later argument, Donna's trying to prove him wrong, and David gives the exact same examples Eric did, ending with "What's that about!?" in the same tone as Eric.
* ''Series/BattlestarGalacticaReimagined'': In this miniseries, the newly sworn-in President Roslin tries to convince Adama to leave the fight and run away, taking the fleet with him, saying that if the human race is to survive at all, they have to escape and "we have to start having babies!" Adama doesn't reply and simply leaves the room, but later on he apparently realises the sense in the plan while watching Billy and Dee flirting, causing him to comment under his breath "They'd better start having babies." to the confusion of the people around him.
** "Is that an order?"

* ''Series/ArmyWives'': Season 3 "M.I.A."

* ''Series/BeingHuman'': In the first season finale, Herrick's line, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome repeated later by George]]: [[spoiler: "You shouldn't have come for Mitchell. It caught my attention."]]
* ''Not Going Out'': The lesbian episode has Lee inviting around a lesbian couple who have just moved in, justifying it as "offering a welcome hand of friendship". Later, when one of the women and Lucy spend the rest of the evening together, she explains that it's not romantic, but her "offering a welcome hand of friendship". It's {{lampshade|Hanging}}d by Lee:
-->'''Lee:''' Alright, you've made your point.\\
'''Lucy:''' What?\\
'''Lee:''' I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to God.
* ''Series/DesperateHousewives'': The line Orson tells Bree about what people do who love each other is repeated by Bree to Karl as justification for cheating on Orson.
* ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}'': Throughout the series, there is a system of nested passphrases set up between Dolls (people with implanted memories custom-built for any given situation anyone with a ton of money could want) and their handlers. One set of passphrases confirms that the Dolls are working properly after having their memories wiped and restored to a blank, passive, helpless state.
-->"Did I fall asleep?"\\
"For a little while."\\
"Shall I go now?"\\
"If you like."
** For most of the past season, the protagonists have been realizing just how unethical their job is and learned that it may soon lead to TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. In the second-to-last episode of the series, the Doll's passphrase system is inverted [[spoiler:between the protagonist and TheChessmaster responsible for it all, formerly [[BigBadFriend her own handler]], just before he is given an order to ''blow himself up'']].
** The "Do you trust me?/With my life..." passphrase between Doll and handler gets inverted in the second episode, when [[spoiler: the handler is wounded and it's up to the Active to save them both.]]
** The first episode, "Ghost," has Echo imprinted with a rape victim named Eleanor Penn. She recites a mantra: "You can't fight a ghost," which is supposed to remind her that it's only her memories that are making her DefiledForever. When she actually confronts her rapist again he smacks her in the face, only for Penn!Echo to defiantly tell him "You can't fight a ghost"--the irony being that the real Penn killed herself years ago, while Echo is her "ghost" getting posthumous revenge.
* ''Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses'': When stolid constable Terry Hoskins questions his DirtyCop boss DI Slater, Slater snaps "It's not your job to think". Later, when he's on the point of being arrested, and offers Hoskins a cut, he ask Hoskins to think about it. Hoskins replies "It's not my job to think".
* ''Series/DropTheDeadDonkey'': In one episode, PointyHairedBoss Gus lambasts the security guard for not asking to see his identity card. The guard protests "But you're the guvner! I know your face!", to which Gus snarls "It doesn't say 'Identity cards must be shown, unless it's the guvner and I know his face'!" Inevitably, by the end of the episode, Gus has lost his card, and the guard won't let him in.
-->'''Gus:''' But I'm the guvner! You know my face!\\
'''Security Guard:''' It doesn't say "Identity cards must be shown, unless it's the guvner and I know his face".
* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': The androids of Mudd's Planet reply to any question they are unwilling to answer with "I am not programmed to respond in that area." As central-control android Norman succumbs to [[LogicBomb the liar paradox]], Kirk echoes that phrase back at him when he desperately asks for an explanation.
* ''Series/{{Leverage}}'': "My name is [[spoiler: Nate Ford]], and I am a thief."
** ''Leverage'' seems to be good for these. The season one finale starts out with a scene that echoes the beginning of the previous episode, with Nate parroting the villain's line from that episode -- "Are you here to kill me?"
*** And then again at the end of the episode. At the start, the villain, an insurance agent, has a smug rant about how you can't let personal feelings get in the way of business and how he has a responsibility to his shareholders. After the heist, Nate Ford [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome shouts the exact same rant]] back at the insurance agent while simultaneously disarming him and bankrupting him.
* ''Series/{{Castle}}'': In following a lead in the case, Richard Castle has gotten himself involved in an illegal high-stakes 'no limits' poker game with a group of [[TheMafiya Russian mobsters]]. During the climactic hand, the lead mobster goes all in and taunts Castle by saying 'what's money to a millionaire, huh?'. Unfortunately for him, Castle wins the hand; as he collects his winnings he cheerfully comments 'what's money to a mobster, huh?' Not surprisingly, the mobster is less amused when his words are thrown back in his face.
** Towards the end of the series, Castle happens to catch Beckett's new boyfriend asking her out on a date and is obviously unhappy about it; Beckett taunts him about it slightly, confirming that she's going out with him "unless you have a problem with that." Later, Beckett is reconnecting with an old friend, who remarks that she could use some moral support at a dinner she's attending that night -- Castle leaps in and asks her out, but not before stopping to say to Beckett "unless you have a problem with that." Beckett, obviously unhappy with the situation, is less amused this time.
* ''Series/YesMinister'': Sir Humphrey makes a big show of chewing Bernard out for allowing the Prime Minister's constituency agent into Number Ten without a proper pass, despite Bernard's assurance that the constituency agent is known and recognised by the police and staff; he orders Bernard to ensure that all who enter Number Ten via the front door must either have a proper pass, an appointment or must be otherwise cleared. Humphrey's pomposity comes back to bite him later in the episode when he's paranoid about his job because he's gradually being denied entry to Number Ten; he attempts to enter via the front door, but the policeman guarding the door stops him from entering because he has no appointment, no Number Ten pass and Bernard cannot be found to clear him.
* ''Series/JohnAdams'': In this {{HBO}} MiniSeries, for most of the series Adams is told by members of the Continental Congress and the first Congress of the United States to "Sit Down" and stop talking. After he's elected the second President of the United States, his wife Abigail is sweeping up the debris in the executive residence and Adams is sitting in a chair. Abigail tells him, "Stand Up".

* ''Series/QueerAsFolk'': Melanie and Lindsay are getting married, and Michael and Ted have decided to buy a joint wedding gift, only Michael doesn't have any money, so Ted says he'll pay for it. Then Ted has to leave, so he gives Michael the money and tells him to buy something nice. Michael ends up buying an African statue from someone selling things off a blanket at a street corner. When Ted sees it, he tells Michael to take it back because it's hideous (it is), and Michael says he can't because he got it off a blanket. This starts a fight which ends with Ted saying something insulting, prompting Michael to tell him to take it back, to which Ted responds by shouting: "I can't! I got it off a blanket!"
* ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'': Once featured a semi-recurring rapist who was taunted his victims with the question "Is that how you like it?" JustForFun/JohnMunch deadpanned the same question when they finally arrested him.
* ''LawAndOrderUK'': A similar scene. After raping Alesha, Dr. Merrick tauntingly asks her "Didn't that feel good?" The rest of the team hears this will reviewing the tape of the attack. As Matt handcuffs Merrick while he and Ronnie arrest him, Merrick whines, "You're hurting me!", to which Matt snarls in response, "Yeah, I know. Didn't that feel good?"
* ''Series/{{Dinosaurs}}'': A scene at the very end of the first episode has Earl telling the Baby while standing at the window that he and his brother and sister were born dinosaurs, "and dinosaurs rule the world...and we're gonna rule the world forever." In the final episode, he [[spoiler: admits to Baby that he's screwed up the world to the point where there isn't much of a world left for his children. He also says desperately, "And hey, I'm sure it will all turn out OK. After all, dinosaurs have been on this earth for 150 million years. It's not like we're going to just...disappear." One of the final scenes is Earl at the same window, watching the encroaching Ice Age that will doom the dinosaurs.]]
* ''Series/{{Frasier}}'': Possibly one of the quickest Ironic Echoes ever:
-->'''Frasier:''' They spoke once and Dad said that she wasn't his type. So, it's over - done! He's completely cut her out of his life. I just don't understand what would make him do that.\\
'''Niles:''' Oh, who knows why anybody does anything?\\
'''Frasier:''' Remind me again what you do for a living? ({{Beat}}) You see the thing is, it was just one phone call. How can anyone make a sound judgment about another person on the basis of one phone call?\\
'''Niles:''' Remind me again what it is ''you'' do for a living?
* ''Series/{{Eureka}}'': Another rather quick ironic echo comes from an episode, after Beverly is caught after [[spoiler:accidentally murdering Kim while attempting to sabotage an experiment]], in which Allison asks, "Why, Beverly? Why would you betray your own government? What could ''possibly'' be so important?" She then hints that if Beverly tells her everything she knows about the artifact, she'll consider using her influence to get her out of the rather deep trouble she's in. Beverly throws the exact same line back in Allison's face - only the name is changed. (The audience doesn't yet know why Beverly did it, but knows ''exactly'' why Allison is.)
* ''Series/ColdCase'': From the episode ''Stand Up And Holler'': "Don't move a muscle... bitch." First the killer says it to the victim as victim tries to leave, and then Lilly says this to the killer while the latter tries to walk away.
* ''Series/{{Community}}'': Jeff at the beginning of the [[Recap/CommunityS1E01Pilot pilot episode]] says to Abed (rather condescendingly) "I see your value now." Later, after demonstrating a moment of vulnerability to the group, Abed repeats this phrase to Jeff, without the condescension.
* ''EarthFinalConflict'':
-->'''William Boone''': It was ''you''. You killed my wife.\\
'''Agent Ronald Sandoval''': You don't have to thank me.
-->A few episodes later Sandoval's [[TheVirus CVI]] is breaking down and the [[LaResistance resistance]] needs to re-implant him with a new one to keep up Boone's cover.
-->'''Agent Ronald Sandoval''': Where's my wife?! Where's Dee Dee?!?\\
'''William Boone''': I can assure you that she felt no pain. {{Beat}} You don't have to thank me. [[spoiler:He's lying; she's still alive, but Boone wanted Sandoval to feel the pain that he felt before the CVI took hold.]]
* ''Series/BurnNotice'': In the episode "No Good Deed", quoth Eve, the villain of the episode, "Remember that part about me letting you live if you helped me rip off my buyer? ILied." Quoth Westen back at her a minute later, after Fiona's rescue is a success and Eve is on the ground and disarmed, "You remember the part about ''me'' helping ''you'' getting away with the money and the drive? ''I'' lied."
* ''Series/{{Hustle}}'': Quoth TheMark, owner of a largescale [[AllDevouringBlackHoleLoanSharks nasty loan shark]] business, in the episode "Old Sparks Come New", "Only a ''moron'' lets hard-earned cash slip between their fingers. They deserve everything they got." And later on, "A contract's a contract; it's either legal or it isn't." After conning her out of 500 grand, the team comes back to gloat, and quotes both of those statements back at her.
* ''Series/TheOuterLimits'': In the episode "Better Luck Next Time", two evil {{Body Surf}}ing aliens [[ShoutOut named]] [[TheFugitive Gerard and Kimble]] - one of whom was revealed as the true form of JackTheRipper in the episode this one is a sequel to - use "Better luck next time" as a catchphrase, usually when killing or screwing someone over. At the end of the episode, they [[OhCrap realize]] they are in big trouble because both of their human hosts are mortally wounded and the only nearby human is a policewoman named Terry:
-->'''Gerard''': Her body is mine!
-->'''Kimble''': Wait! Where am ''I'' supposed to go!?
-->'''Terry''': Nowhere! Game over, [[IronicEcho better luck next time]]. (''[[HeroicSacrifice points her gun at her head and fires]]'')
* ''Series/HumanTarget'': In the finale, a rogue CIA agent who'd tried to have Chance and his team killed found out about Guerrero's son while searching for leverage. Later, after Guerrero's beaten him up and handcuffed him to the steering wheel of a car he's rigged to explode, the agent justifies his actions with "Look, it was nothing personal, it was just business." As Guerrero walks away from the car, he mutters "Nothing personal, [[CatchPhrase dude]]. Just business." a moment before the agent starts the ignition and blows up.
* ''Series/SonsOfAnarchy'': In the season 4 premiere, at a meeting between SAMCRO and TheMafiya, Mafiya leader Putlova inquires about Jax's recovery from the prison shivving he had ordered in retaliation for SAMCRO's double-cross last season. Jax's response is "Fine. Just business, right?" Jax repeats the "Just business" part at the end of the episode after stabbing Putlova to death.
* ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'': In the episode "The Bus Pants Utilization", Sheldon is explaining to Leonard why telling Penny about his idea for a smart phone app puts it at risk of being stolen:
-->'''Sheldon''': Consider this unlikely, but very plausible scenario: A young woman alone in the big city, her ridiculous dream of becoming an actress lies shattered about her.
-->'''Penny''': Hey, wait a minute!
-->'''Howard''': Hang on, let's see where he's going.
-->'''Sheldon''': Then it hits her-- how is she going to survive? She has no prospects, no marketable skills. And then one day, she meets [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg a group of geniuses, and their friend Howard]].
-->'''Howard''': Hey, I--
-->'''Penny''': Hang on, let's see where he's going.
* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'': A recurring riff, where the guys will intone a film's title in a pompous, mock-important tone of voice when it's not living up to its premise. Examples include ''Film/ManosTheHandsOfFate'' (during the long, boring sequences), ''Film/HorrorsOfSpiderIsland'' (when it's not focusing on horror or spiders), and ''Film/{{Pumaman}}'' (when the titular hero isn't particularly heroic).
* ''Series/RedDwarf'': In the second episode, Lister discovers that, at some point in the future, he will become a father. He admits he doesn't know how that's possible -- there are no living women in the known universe -- but says it'll be fun finding out. Two series later, Lister [[spoiler: is impregnated in a mirror universe where reproductive roles are flipped]]. Rimmer gleefully quotes his line about how it would be fun.
* ''Series/TheDukesOfHazzard'': In the episode "Cool Hands Luke and Bo," Bo and Luke, and later Boss Hogg and Roscoe, make the mistake of entering Osage County, ruled by the feared Colonel Claiborne and Sheriff Cathcarte. All four are captured and sent to Claiborne's road prison, on trumped-up charges. When Roscoe protests, ''"You can't arrest me, I'm an officer of the law!"'', Cathcarte smugly replies, ''"We can do anything we want! This is our county now!"''
** In the climax of the episode, the four escape and race toward Hazzard, with Claiborne and Cathcarte in pursuit. The chase ends in a car crash. As everyone tries to clear their heads, Bo and Luke grin and point out that they've crossed the county line, and are now in Hazzard. As Boss Hogg and Roscoe gleefully arrest their former tormentors, Cathcarte protests, ''"You can't arrest me, I'm an officer of the law!"'' and Roscoe smugly replies, ''"We can do anything we want! This is our county now!"''
* ''Series/PersonOfInterest'': In one flashback scene in "Flesh and Blood", when Elias' father decides to have some of his men kill his illegitimate son, he has them tell Elias that he's sorry that he couldn't be there at the end. At the end of the episode, Elias calls his father and half brother and tells them that he's sorry that he couldn't be there at the end. Then the car they're in explodes.
* ''Series/OnceUponATime'': This, Ironic Echo Cuts, Meaningful Echoes, and pretty much any other echo trope out there; every episode is half past and half present, meaning that there's an example at least OncePerEpisode.
* ''Series/LoisAndClark'': In the first episode, Lex Luthor gives Lois Lane and Clark Kent an interview from his penthouse office at the Lexcorp Building, saying, "I like being at the highest spot in the city. I like knowing that everyone in Metropolis has to look up to see me." Later, when Superman confronts Lex to let him know he would be watching him, Superman smiles and says before flying away, "And if you ever need to find me, just look up."
* ''HowIMetYourMother'': It's a RunningGag that Barney may or may not have [[IBangedYourMom slept with Ted's mother]]. In one later episode, there's an additional RunningGag where he denies it, winks, and then denies having winked. When he later demands that Ted stop [[spoiler:sleeping with his sister]], Ted responds in exactly the same way. Trying to be clever, he asks [[spoiler:Carly]] to stop instead, but she just follows Ted's lead.

* In ''{{Smallville}}'':

* In an episode of ''Series/{{Victorious}}'', there is a slight example of Ironic Echo. Beck and Tori nearly kiss, but Tori pulls away because she doesn't want to be the girl who kisses Jade's ex-boyfriend, even though Jad has never done anything nice to Tori. Tori says, "I can't do that to a friend." Little does she know that Jade has watched the entire scene on a webcam. Now, Tori used to have the spotlight for this major event, but it was taken away from her and was given to Jade. Jade feels shocked after seeing the scene on the computer. When Tori comes to watch Jde perform and offer moral support, Jade says that this is all wrong, that this was supposed to be Tori's time to shine. Jade then let's Tori perform instead of herself, saying, "I can't do that to a friend". This is one of the very few times Jade does something nice for Tori.
* During the finale of the second series of ''Series/{{Coupling}}'' Steve and Susan's relationship is presented as becoming stale, with Steve always responding to Susan's questions with "It's up to you" and Susan always asking Steve "Where are you going?" At the end, after an argument, Susan storms out of the house. Steve asks "Where are you going?" Susan responds, "It's up to you."
* In the ''Series/CriminalMinds'' episode "True Night", Johnny [=McHale=] is suffering from a psychotic break due to the trauma of being attacked by gang members. During that incident, the gang leader told him "You're not gonna wanna miss this" before killing his pregnant girlfriend. Eventually, Johnny [=McHale=] hunts down the gang leader and just before killing him says "You're not gonna wanna miss this."
* Played with between series on ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. Upon meeting [[EmotionalEmotionlessPerson their android commander, Data]] for the first time, and hearing of his desire to be human, Will Riker ascribes him the nickname "Literature/{{Pinocchio}}". In the next series, when Riker is forced into playing against Data in a court case which could, if Data loses, very well see him dismantled beyond repair (i.e. killed), he plays out a devastating scene culminating in switching Data off:

* Subverted in a ''Series/JustShootMe'' episode. In an early scene in which Nina refers to something non-ironic as ironic, Maya says, "It's not ironic; it's just what happened." In a later scene, something truly ironic happens and when Maya calls it ironic, Nina replies, "It's not ironic; it's just what happened."
* In ''Series/VeronicaMars'' the title character's father, Keith, uses the line 'who's your daddy?' near the start of the first episode, which is answered by Veronica saying she hates him saying that. The line is almost forgotten until the end of the story arc, when at the end of the final episode Keith [[spoiler: (on his way to hospital, having just saved her life)]] asks her 'who's your daddy' and gets the tearful response 'you are' - it's their version of an 'I love you'. It's made even more heartwarming by the fact that [[spoiler: for awhile, they weren't sure if he really was her father, and they had just recently found out that he was.]]
* In ''Series/{{Heroes}}'', after Hiro's countless "ComesGreatResponsibility" quotes, Ando repeats many of them back at him to enlist him to help Hope.
* At the start of the ''Series/DarkAngel'' episode "Pollo Loco", Max unconcernedly snaps the neck of a live chicken in order to eat it. At the end of the episode she is forced to kill a violently insane transgenic sibling and uses the same method. Naturally she finds these circumstances considerably more traumatic.
* ''Series/{{House}}''

* In ''Series/{{Angel}}'', Holland tells Angel he "just can't seem to care" that people die because of Wolfram & Hart's Special Projects Division's schemes. Later, when Darla and Drusilla are about to kill everyone in the Special Projects Division, Holland pleads for help, but Angel replies, "And yet, somehow, I just can't seem to care" before leaving, locking the door on his way out.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has an episode in the fourth season where [[EvilCounterpart Faith]] and Buffy [[FreakyFridayFlip switch bodies]]; practicing for the impersonation of her rival, Faith acts how she believe Buffy does -- prissily announcing to herself in the mirror that you can't do that "Because it's wrong". Much later, after living a day in Buffy's life, Faith is about to skip town and escape entirely when she hears of a vampire attack upon a church and, not quite knowing why, heads out to confront them. Battling the vampires, she stops their plan to slaughter the congregation "because it's wrong" -- now entirely sincere. (Creator/SarahMichelleGellar acts the hell out of the latter scene, too, playing beautifully against how much she camped it up in the beginning of the episode where she is prancing about in front of the mirror as Faith doing her Buffy impression.)

* In early season 2 of ''Series/{{Lost}}'', Desmond leaves Jack in a flashback, saying, "See you in another life, Brother." In the season 4 finale, as they part, Jack says the same line to Desmond.

* Done to applause on ''Series/FamilyMatters'', Season 3, Episode 19, "Woman of the People". Laura runs against [[AlphaBitch Cassie Lynn Nubbles]] as class president, and the latter tries hard to find some dirt on her. When Laura falls into Steve's arms, she has her photographer friend Becky Sue snap pictures of them.

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "The Stolen Earth", Harriet Jones keeps introducing herself as "Harriet Jones, former Prime Minister." The listener always responds with "I know who you are." When [[spoiler:the Daleks break in]], the sequence is repeated, much less humorously.

* The ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' episode "Vitas Mortis" has an IronicEcho Type 1 exchange between Aeryn and Chiana: part one has Chiana doing the laundry in a knee-deep basin of Moya's amnexus fluids, refusing to wash Aeryn's clothes with the statement "Since when did I become your servant?" Part two has Chiana trapped in solidified amnexus fluid, and Aeryn gleefully refusing to help her, throwing "Since when did I become your servant?" back in her face.

* ''Series/ICarly'''s "iStill Psycho" episode features Nora, and her mother, and her father, continuously repeating to the iCarly gang after making it clear that they were keeping them there for Nora's birthday party that they would be staying, "forever...and ever...and ever...and ever...and ever..." in a creepy, monotonic unison. Once the iCarlys have been rescued, Nora wakes up from her beating and asks what's going on. Carly, Sam, and Freddie savor saying that she and her parents are going to prison, "forever...and ever...and ever...and ever..."
* ''MySoCalledLife'', "Life of Brian": Jordan tells Angela he doesn't believe in fate; "whatever happens, happens." She says she respects that. Later at the dance, Brian tells Angela he doesn't believe in fate; "Whatever happens, happens." She calls it the stupidest thing she ever heard.
* In an episode of ''Series/CornerGas'', Hank's car is impounded and accidentally sold to Wanda. Wanda rubs it in by saying "There are no words to describe how pleased I am with myself." When, to get back at Wanda, Hank gets her car impounded and buys it, Hank attempts to perform an IronicEcho but fails miserably, mangling the quote to a level of incomprehensibility: "I can't express happy words how I feel right." Which makes it all the more funny because he can't express how pleased with himself he is.
* ''Series/{{Firefly}}''

* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}''

* In the MayTheFarceBeWithYou episode of ''Series/That70sShow'', Donna gets mad when Eric says David, the Vader character, has only been spending so much time with her talking to her, and listening and sharing ideas ("What's that about!?") because he wants to see her naked. In a later argument, Donna's trying to prove him wrong, and David gives the exact same examples Eric did, ending with "What's that about!?" in the same tone as Eric.
* In the ''{{Series/Battlestar Galactica|Reimagined}}'' miniseries, the newly sworn-in President Roslin tries to convince Adama to leave the fight and run away, taking the fleet with him, saying that if the human race is to survive at all, they have to escape and "we have to start having babies!" Adama doesn't reply and simply leaves the room, but later on he apparently realises the sense in the plan while watching Billy and Dee flirting, causing him to comment under his breath "They'd better start having babies." to the confusion of the people around him.

* In ''Series/TheOfficeUS'', when Michael is fired for starting [[spoiler:a competing company]] and tries to say his goodbyes, Charles tells him "No more, Michael. You're done." However, when [[spoiler:Michael gets his job back and Charles is sent back to corporate in the ensuing deal]], Michael cuts off his goodbye with "No. [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome You're done]]."
* ''Series/ArmyWives'', season 3 "M.I.A."
* ''Series/OneFootInTheGrave''. The message on Margaret's mother's answering machine is along the lines of "Victor? Margaret? I'm sorry that I'm not here now, but it's because I'm somewhere else. ''I say, I'm somewhere else.'' But I expect you'll both be up here soon, won't you? So I'll see you then. Hello?" At first, this is just somewhat charming and funny, the result of her being an old woman who doesn't really understand how the machine works. [[spoiler:Then she dies. Now read it again.]]
* In the first season finale of ''Series/BeingHuman'' Herrick's line, [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome repeated later by George]]: [[spoiler: "You shouldn't have come for Mitchell. It caught my attention."]]
* The lesbian episode of ''Not Going Out'' has Lee inviting around a lesbian couple who have just moved in, justifying it as "offering a welcome hand of friendship". Later, when one of the women and Lucy spend the rest of the evening together, she explains that it's not romantic, but her "offering a welcome hand of friendship". It's {{lampshade|Hanging}}d by Lee:

* ''Series/{{Dollhouse}}''. Throughout the series, there is a system of nested passphrases set up between Dolls (people with implanted memories custom-built for any given situation anyone with a ton of money could want) and their handlers. One set of passphrases confirms that the Dolls are working properly after having their memories wiped and restored to a blank, passive, helpless state.

* In ''Series/OnlyFoolsAndHorses'', when stolid constable Terry Hoskins questions his DirtyCop boss DI Slater, Slater snaps "It's not your job to think". Later, when he's on the point of being arrested, and offers Hoskins a cut, he ask Hoskins to think about it. Hoskins replies "It's not my job to think".
* In one episode of ''Series/DropTheDeadDonkey'', PointyHairedBoss Gus lambasts the security guard for not asking to see his identity card. The guard protests "But you're the guvner! I know your face!", to which Gus snarls "It doesn't say 'Identity cards must be shown, unless it's the guvner and I know his face'!" Inevitably, by the end of the episode, Gus has lost his card, and the guard won't let him in.

* The androids of Mudd's Planet in ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' reply to any question they are unwilling to answer with "I am not programmed to respond in that area." As central-control android Norman succumbs to [[LogicBomb the liar paradox]], Kirk echoes that phrase back at him when he desperately asks for an explanation.

* In ''[[Series/YesMinister Yes, Prime Minister]]'', Sir Humphrey makes a big show of chewing Bernard out for allowing the Prime Minister's constituency agent into Number Ten without a proper pass, despite Bernard's assurance that the constituency agent is known and recognised by the police and staff; he orders Bernard to ensure that all who enter Number Ten via the front door must either have a proper pass, an appointment or must be otherwise cleared. Humphrey's pomposity comes back to bite him later in the episode when he's paranoid about his job because he's gradually being denied entry to Number Ten; he attempts to enter via the front door, but the policeman guarding the door stops him from entering because he has no appointment, no Number Ten pass and Bernard cannot be found to clear him.
* In the {{HBO}} MiniSeries ''Series/JohnAdams'', for most of the series Adams is told by members of the Continental Congress and the first Congress of the United States to "Sit Down" and stop talking. After he's elected the second President of the United States, his wife Abigail is sweeping up the debris in the executive residence and Adams is sitting in a chair. Abigail tells him, "Stand Up".
* ''Series/TheSarahConnorChronicles'' has two, both courtesy of Cameron. The first appears in the third episode, "The Turk," where John explains to Cameron that she needs to blend in, telling her "Don't be a freak." Later on, when he tries to rescue a girl who commits suicide by jumping off the roof of the gym, she throws the same words back in his face while physically restraining him, since trying to rescue her would draw attention to him.

* In the ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' "Everything Changes", Gwen tells Rhys to "say you forgive me" after she's told him she's working an extra shift at her police job. In "Combat" she says the same words after confessing to him that she's been having an affair.

* ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' once featured a semi-recurring rapist who was taunted his victims with the question "Is that how you like it?" JustForFun/JohnMunch deadpanned the same question when they finally arrested him.
* A similar scene on ''LawAndOrderUK''. After raping Alesha, Dr. Merrick tauntingly asks her "Didn't that feel good?" The rest of the team hears this will reviewing the tape of the attack. As Matt handcuffs Merrick while he and Ronnie arrest him, Merrick whines, "You're hurting me!", to which Matt snarls in response, "Yeah, I know. Didn't that feel good?"
* In ''Series/{{Dinosaurs}}'', a scene at the very end of the first episode has Earl telling the Baby while standing at the window that he and his brother and sister were born dinosaurs, "and dinosaurs rule the world...and we're gonna rule the world forever." In the final episode, he [[spoiler: admits to Baby that he's screwed up the world to the point where there isn't much of a world left for his children. He also says desperately, "And hey, I'm sure it will all turn out OK. After all, dinosaurs have been on this earth for 150 million years. It's not like we're going to just...disappear." One of the final scenes is Earl at the same window, watching the encroaching Ice Age that will doom the dinosaurs.]]
* Possibly one of the quickest Ironic Echoes ever in ''Series/{{Frasier}}'':

* Another rather quick ironic echo comes from an episode of ''Series/{{Eureka}}'', after Beverly is caught after [[spoiler:accidentally murdering Kim while attempting to sabotage an experiment]], in which Allison asks, "Why, Beverly? Why would you betray your own government? What could ''possibly'' be so important?" She then hints that if Beverly tells her everything she knows about the artifact, she'll consider using her influence to get her out of the rather deep trouble she's in. Beverly throws the exact same line back in Allison's face - only the name is changed. (The audience doesn't yet know why Beverly did it, but knows ''exactly'' why Allison is.)
* From the ''Series/ColdCase'' episode ''Stand Up And Holler'': "Don't move a muscle... bitch." First the killer says it to the victim as victim tries to leave, and then Lilly says this to the killer while the latter tries to walk away.
* Jeff at the beginning of the ''Series/{{Community}}'' [[Recap/CommunityS1E01Pilot pilot episode]] says to Abed (rather condescendingly) "I see your value now." Later, after demonstrating a moment of vulnerability to the group, Abed repeats this phrase to Jeff, without the condescension.
* In ''EarthFinalConflict:''

* In the ''Series/BurnNotice'' episode "No Good Deed", quoth Eve, the villain of the episode, "Remember that part about me letting you live if you helped me rip off my buyer? ILied." Quoth Westen back at her a minute later, after Fiona's rescue is a success and Eve is on the ground and disarmed, "You remember the part about ''me'' helping ''you'' getting away with the money and the drive? ''I'' lied."
* Quoth TheMark, owner of a largescale [[AllDevouringBlackHoleLoanSharks nasty loan shark]] business, in the ''Series/{{Hustle}}'' episode "Old Sparks Come New", "Only a ''moron'' lets hard-earned cash slip between their fingers. They deserve everything they got." And later on, "A contract's a contract; it's either legal or it isn't." After conning her out of 500 grand, the team comes back to gloat, and quotes both of those statements back at her.
* In ''Series/TheOuterLimits'' episode "Better Luck Next Time", two evil {{Body Surf}}ing aliens [[ShoutOut named]] [[TheFugitive Gerard and Kimble]] - one of whom was revealed as the true form of JackTheRipper in the episode this one is a sequel to - use "Better luck next time" as a catchphrase, usually when killing or screwing someone over. At the end of the episode, they [[OhCrap realize]] they are in big trouble because both of their human hosts are mortally wounded and the only nearby human is a policewoman named Terry:

* In the finale of ''Series/HumanTarget'', a rogue CIA agent who'd tried to have Chance and his team killed found out about Guerrero's son while searching for leverage. Later, after Guerrero's beaten him up and handcuffed him to the steering wheel of a car he's rigged to explode, the agent justifies his actions with "Look, it was nothing personal, it was just business." As Guerrero walks away from the car, he mutters "Nothing personal, [[CatchPhrase dude]]. Just business." a moment before the agent starts the ignition and blows up.
* In the season 4 premiere of ''Series/SonsOfAnarchy'', at a meeting between SAMCRO and TheMafiya, Mafiya leader Putlova inquires about Jax's recovery from the prison shivving he had ordered in retaliation for SAMCRO's double-cross last season. Jax's response is "Fine. Just business, right?" Jax repeats the "Just business" part at the end of the episode after stabbing Putlova to death.
* In ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'' episode "The Bus Pants Utilization", Sheldon is explaining to Leonard why telling Penny about his idea for a smart phone app puts it at risk of being stolen:

* A recurring riff on ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000'', where the guys will intone a film's title in a pompous, mock-important tone of voice when it's not living up to its premise. Examples include ''Film/ManosTheHandsOfFate'' (during the long, boring sequences), ''Film/HorrorsOfSpiderIsland'' (when it's not focusing on horror or spiders), and ''Film/{{Pumaman}}'' (when the titular hero isn't particularly heroic).
* In the second episode of ''Series/RedDwarf'', Lister discovers that, at some point in the future, he will become a father. He admits he doesn't know how that's possible -- there are no living women in the known universe -- but says it'll be fun finding out. Two series later, Lister [[spoiler: is impregnated in a mirror universe where reproductive roles are flipped]]. Rimmer gleefully quotes his line about how it would be fun.

* ''Series/OnceUponATime''. This, Ironic Echo Cuts, Meaningful Echoes, and pretty much any other echo trope out there; every episode is half past and half present, meaning that there's an example at least OncePerEpisode.
* In the first episode of ''Series/LoisAndClark'', Lex Luthor gives Lois Lane and Clark Kent an interview from his penthouse office at the Lexcorp Building, saying, "I like being at the highest spot in the city. I like knowing that everyone in Metropolis has to look up to see me." Later, when Superman confronts Lex to let him know he would be watching him, Superman smiles and says before flying away, "And if you ever need to find me, just look up."
* It's a RunningGag in ''HowIMetYourMother'' that Barney may or may not have [[IBangedYourMom slept with Ted's mother]]. In one later episode, there's an additional RunningGag where he denies it, winks, and then denies having winked. When he later demands that Ted stop [[spoiler:sleeping with his sister]], Ted responds in exactly the same way. Trying to be clever, he asks [[spoiler:Carly]] to stop instead, but she just follows Ted's lead.

* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' has an episode in the fourth season where [[EvilCounterpart Faith]] and Buffy [[FreakyFridayFlip switch bodies]]; practicing for the impersonation of her rival, Faith acts how she believe Buffy does -- prissily announcing to herself in the mirror that you can't do that "Because it's wrong". Much later, after living a day in Buffy's life, Faith is about to skip town and escape entirely when she hears of a vampire attack upon a church and, not quite knowing why, heads out to confront them. Battling the vampires, she stops their plan to slaughter the congregation "because it's wrong" -- now entirely sincere. (SarahMichelleGellar acts the hell out of the latter scene, too, playing beautifully against how much she camped it up in the beginning of the episode where she is prancing about in front of the mirror as Faith doing her Buffy impression.)