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Anime and Manga
Syrus: "Aw, man!"
Bastion: "Great Scott! "
Hassleberry: "Sam Hill! "
Alexis: "Why don't I have a catchphrase?"
Bastion: "Great Scott! "
Hassleberry: "Sam Hill! "
Alexis: "Why don't I have a catchphrase?"
"Ready perfectly. I'm completely and utterly prepared for this."
— Seiya Ryuuguuin, The Hero is Overpowered but Overly Cautious
"I AM THE PRINCIPAL OF OTOKOJUKU, EDAJIMA HEIHACHI!!!"
— Edajima Heihachi, Principal of Otokojuku, Sakigake!! Otokojuku
Audio Plays
Hex: Just give it to me straight.
The Doctor: That may result in another one of your "Oh my god" sessions.
Hex: I think I'm way past that now, Doctor.
The Doctor: Very well. Earth used to have a twin called Mondas.
Hex: Oh my god!
The Doctor: I told you.
The Doctor: That may result in another one of your "Oh my god" sessions.
Hex: I think I'm way past that now, Doctor.
The Doctor: Very well. Earth used to have a twin called Mondas.
Hex: Oh my god!
The Doctor: I told you.
Blogs
Leroy Lockhorn: No doubt about it...If the Apocalypse ever happens, it'll definitely be on a Monday.
Josh: I say this with all due respect to The Lockhorns: you may be a longstanding comics page institution, but you do not occupy the same place in the comics world as Garfield and definitely do not have the resources necessary to survive a legal battle with Paws, Inc. I beg you to step back from this before it’s too late.
Josh: I say this with all due respect to The Lockhorns: you may be a longstanding comics page institution, but you do not occupy the same place in the comics world as Garfield and definitely do not have the resources necessary to survive a legal battle with Paws, Inc. I beg you to step back from this before it’s too late.
"The only thing more important than the color of your protagonist's eyes is their signature catchphrase."
Comic Books
Human Torch: FLAME ON!
Thing: Does he haveta use that corny battle cry all the time?!!
Thing: Does he haveta use that corny battle cry all the time?!!
Bizarrogirl: Shhhh. You am too loud. Me am trying to have party, but me hate loud friends—
Supergirl: That's too bad! Because I like making noise. [thinking] So not my best catch phrase.
Supergirl: That's too bad! Because I like making noise. [thinking] So not my best catch phrase.
Live-Action TV
"I like that, "allons-y", I should say "allons-y" more often, "allons-y"... Look sharp, Rose Tyler! Allons-y! And then, wouldn't it be brilliant if I met someone called Alonso? 'Cause then I could say "allons-y, Alonso", every time!"
— The Doctor, Doctor Who, "Army of Ghosts"
"I could have a catchphrase: 'Quelle Dommage!', like 'Quelle Dommage, Davros!' And I could shoot lasers out of my eyes: Pwew, pwew, 'Quelle Dommage, Davros!'"
—Russell T Davies auditioning for the Doctor, "The 5(ish) Doctors"
Brent: Honestly, Dad, you gotta give that word a rest.
Oscar: What word?
Brent: Jackass. Davis is a jackass for getting locked in the trunk. Yesterday, the bread delivery guy was a jackass for wearing a digital watch. And apparently, I'm a jackass just for sitting here. Everybody's a jackass.
Oscar: I know! That's why I use the word so often!
Oscar: What word?
Brent: Jackass. Davis is a jackass for getting locked in the trunk. Yesterday, the bread delivery guy was a jackass for wearing a digital watch. And apparently, I'm a jackass just for sitting here. Everybody's a jackass.
Oscar: I know! That's why I use the word so often!
— Corner Gas, "The J-Word"
EMH: Please state the nature of the medical emergency.
Torres: Why do you always have to say that?
EMH: I can only speculate about my programmer's motives. Perhaps he thought I would be summoned for... important reasons?
Torres: Why do you always have to say that?
EMH: I can only speculate about my programmer's motives. Perhaps he thought I would be summoned for... important reasons?
— Star Trek: Voyager, "The Cloud"
Music
Take the case of your automobiles
Greatest invention since man discovered wheels
But you never can find a parking space
Highly illogical
Greatest invention since man discovered wheels
But you never can find a parking space
Highly illogical
— Leonard Nimoy, "Highly Illogical"
Video Games
Princess Robot Bubblegum: "Ah, too horny to fight crime!" Why I have to have to say that line in every film? This is terrible!
Master Hentai: Merchandising!
Princess Robot Bubblegum: Oh, okay. That sounds artistic.
Master Hentai: Merchandising!
Princess Robot Bubblegum: Oh, okay. That sounds artistic.
—Princess Robot Bubblegum, Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Clone Shepard: I should go.
Shepard: "I should go"? Do I really sound like that? How come nobody told me about this before?! I'm open to feedback here!
Shepard: "I should go"? Do I really sound like that? How come nobody told me about this before?! I'm open to feedback here!
—Mass Effect 3: Citadel DLC
Nugget The first of the things Nugget needs for his plan is a lighter. Nugget needs a lighter brought into the school.
Player Character: You say 'Nugget' a lot.
Nugget: Keen observation. Has Nugget's potential friend also noticed the green of the grass and the blue of the sky?
Player Character: You say 'Nugget' a lot.
Nugget: Keen observation. Has Nugget's potential friend also noticed the green of the grass and the blue of the sky?
— Nugget, Kindergarten 2
Webcomics
"Catchphrase!"
— Goblins, a very literal catchphrase indeed
Web Animation
Steve: "Hi, guys?" What does that mean?
Geno: That's your catchphrase, Steve.
Steve: That's not my catchphrase, stupid.
Geno: Of course it is. You say it all the time.
Steve: I don't know what you're talking about. I've never said that. My catchphrase is "Who'd taken all the ketchup."
Geno: You've never said that, ever.
Geno: That's your catchphrase, Steve.
Steve: That's not my catchphrase, stupid.
Geno: Of course it is. You say it all the time.
Steve: I don't know what you're talking about. I've never said that. My catchphrase is "Who'd taken all the ketchup."
Geno: You've never said that, ever.
— Bowser's Kingdom Episode 10
"Our hero is now Dracula — because there's a limit to how much mopey self-pity a mere human can project — and the writers manage to work in the classic, 'what-is-a-man-a-miserable-pile-of-secrets' line into the prologue as smoothly and naturally as a toilet brush can be worked into a sparrow's cloaca. He delivers the line just before he fights a giant robot the same way Superman delivers the line, 'Up, up and away!'"
Web Original
Chris: So Clark and Ollie wander around the Phantom Zone until they're ambushed and have the crap kicked out of them because they're dumber than a sack of hammers, and then they get dragged to General Zod. And seriously, you're never going to guess what he says.
David: To be fair, he DOESN'T say "before Zod!" That shows SOME restraint!
Chris: He does later, though. But yes, he tells them to KNEEL, because that's what he said in that movie from 30 years ago! You remember that, right? And if you remember it, that makes it good! That's why he's going to say it four or five more times over the course of the episode!
David: To be fair, he DOESN'T say "before Zod!" That shows SOME restraint!
Chris: He does later, though. But yes, he tells them to KNEEL, because that's what he said in that movie from 30 years ago! You remember that, right? And if you remember it, that makes it good! That's why he's going to say it four or five more times over the course of the episode!
—ComicsAlliance on
Smallville ("Dominion")
Smallville ("Dominion")Chris: "Because I'm the best there is at what I do, and what I do isn't very nice." On the one hand, it's a pretty awful hammering in of a catchphrase, but on another, I'm legitimately impressed that they went three and a half movies before dropping that one on us.
Matt: And it isn't growled through his teeth. It's so matter-of-fact, like he's talking about when his driver's license expires.
Matt: And it isn't growled through his teeth. It's so matter-of-fact, like he's talking about when his driver's license expires.
—Chris Sims and Matt Wilson on X-Men Origins: Wolverine
X-Men Origins: Wolverine"Scotty reports that he 'doesn't know how long he can hold it together'—because that's what Scotty always says, and catchphrases are meant to be used, and used, and used until you can almost anticipate their arrival. Or maybe this is an outtake of Doohan complaining about having to restrain himself from punching Shatner in the face."
— The Agony Booth recaps Star Trek: Generations
Web Video
"Yeah, I know I use the word 'ass' a lot. I guess you could say I'm an ass-aholic."
— The Angry Video Game Nerd, "NES Accessories"
John Connor: I'll be back.
MikeJ: Ah, about bloody time that somebody said that! I can turn it off now.
MikeJ: Ah, about bloody time that somebody said that! I can turn it off now.
Producer: Oh, catchphrases are tight. Are they hard to come up with?
Screenwriter: No, actually, super easy, barely an inconvenience.
Screenwriter: No, actually, super easy, barely an inconvenience.
—Screen Rant Pitch Meetings, Pitch meeting for The Big Bang Theory
Western Animation
Lisa: And now you can go back to just being you, instead of a one-dimensional character with a silly catchphrase.
[Homer accidentially breaks a nearby lamp]
Homer: D'oh!
Bart: Aye caramba!
Marge: Hrmmm.
Maggie: [sucks pacifier]
Flanders: Hidely-ho!
Barney: [belches]
Nelson: Ha-ha!
Mr. Burns: Eeeeexccellent.
[Beat as everyone stares at Lisa]
Lisa: If anyone wants me, I'll be in my room. [leaves]
Homer: ...What kind of a catchphrase is that?!
[Homer accidentially breaks a nearby lamp]
Homer: D'oh!
Bart: Aye caramba!
Marge: Hrmmm.
Maggie: [sucks pacifier]
Flanders: Hidely-ho!
Barney: [belches]
Nelson: Ha-ha!
Mr. Burns: Eeeeexccellent.
[Beat as everyone stares at Lisa]
Lisa: If anyone wants me, I'll be in my room. [leaves]
Homer: ...What kind of a catchphrase is that?!
Professor Pester: What I need is an evil genius catchphrase. Hmmm... what l about... "Nyeh nyeh NYEH neyh neyh!" Plays young. "VICTORY... ISN'T YOURS"! Too negative. "VICTORY... is available only to ME"! Too wordy.
[later]
Professor Pester: Mock all you want, but someday... VICTORY WILL BE MINE! Oooh, that's good! [turns to his minion] Write that down!
Franklin: Who was that hiddy dude?
Paulie: Don't know! But he's BIG with catchphrases.
[later]
Professor Pester: Mock all you want, but someday... VICTORY WILL BE MINE! Oooh, that's good! [turns to his minion] Write that down!
Franklin: Who was that hiddy dude?
Paulie: Don't know! But he's BIG with catchphrases.
—Viva Piñata, My Sweet Sours
Tick: Step one — we must choose battle cries! You know, the kind of cries we emit right before leaping into battle!
Arthur: Oh, you mean like "Not in the face! Not in the face!"?
The Tick: Hmmm, lacks force, chum. No, more like... "Spoon!"
Arthur: I don't get it.
Tick: Spooooooooooooooooon!
Arthur: Look, I'm just the sidekick.
Arthur: Oh, you mean like "Not in the face! Not in the face!"?
The Tick: Hmmm, lacks force, chum. No, more like... "Spoon!"
Arthur: I don't get it.
Tick: Spooooooooooooooooon!
Arthur: Look, I'm just the sidekick.
Peg's Mom: Thanks, Ramone.
Ramone: I do what I can. Hey, that's got a nice ring to it. I think I'll say it again and again for the rest of my life.
Ramone: I do what I can. Hey, that's got a nice ring to it. I think I'll say it again and again for the rest of my life.
— Peg + Cat, "Peg Meets Cat"
Shaggy: ZOINKS!
Scooby: Yikes!
Daphne: Jeepers!
Velma: Jinkies!
[Beat]
Fred: ...Dang! I still don't have a catchphrase!note
Scooby: Yikes!
Daphne: Jeepers!
Velma: Jinkies!
[Beat]
Fred: ...Dang! I still don't have a catchphrase!note
Donald: Aww, phooey.
Scrooge: Curse me kilts!
Della: Back on the Moon...
Dewey: That's how we Dewey things!
Mrs. Beakley: I'm not a spy!
Huey: Everyone stop catchphrasing!!
Mrs. Beakley: Wait, is "I'm not a spy" seriously my catchphrase?!
Scrooge: Curse me kilts!
Della: Back on the Moon...
Dewey: That's how we Dewey things!
Mrs. Beakley: I'm not a spy!
Huey: Everyone stop catchphrasing!!
Mrs. Beakley: Wait, is "I'm not a spy" seriously my catchphrase?!
— DuckTales (2017), "Quack Pack!"
Scratch: And what's with the "sweet baby corn" thing?
Libby: I know right? [Molly] says it every chance she gets.
Scratch: I mean, it ain't a catchphrase. It's not catchin' on.
Molly: (being ignored) Give it some time, why don't you? These things take time!
Libby: I know right? [Molly] says it every chance she gets.
Scratch: I mean, it ain't a catchphrase. It's not catchin' on.
Molly: (being ignored) Give it some time, why don't you? These things take time!
— The Ghost and Molly McGee, "Friend-Off"
Bluey: Unicorse! I can't see the page!
Unicorse: Aaaaand why should I care?
Chilli: Ugh, I forgot about the catchphrase.
Bluey: If you block the words, Mum can't read the story.
Unicorse: Aaaaand why should I care?
Bluey: Because stories are nice!
Unicorse: My story was nice! It had a unicorn in it. This one has zero unicorns! And the ending is boring. She just makes sh—
Chilli: Ah! Don't spoil the ending!
Unicorse: Why not?!
Chilli: 'Cause Bluey hasn't heard it!
Unicorse: Aaaaaaaaaaand why should I care?
Unicorse: Aaaaand why should I care?
Chilli: Ugh, I forgot about the catchphrase.
Bluey: If you block the words, Mum can't read the story.
Unicorse: Aaaaand why should I care?
Bluey: Because stories are nice!
Unicorse: My story was nice! It had a unicorn in it. This one has zero unicorns! And the ending is boring. She just makes sh—
Chilli: Ah! Don't spoil the ending!
Unicorse: Why not?!
Chilli: 'Cause Bluey hasn't heard it!
Unicorse: Aaaaaaaaaaand why should I care?
Real Life
"Things we've said before are funny!"
— Karl Chandler
"If catch phrases happened, they happened by accident. They weren't "created" upfront, like they are now. How many times did you cringe as a kid when you heard "Welcome to the 90s!" or such other writer creations? When I had Ren say "You bloated sac of protoplasm!" and similar things, people would yell them at me at appearances. I would see them on t shirts. People make me say "No sir, I don't like it" all the time. None of the lines in R and S were ever meant to be catch phrases, but they would just catch on, and Nickelodeon would lean on me to use them again. I resisted as much as possible, figuring that funny dialogue in the next cartoons would also catch on naturally."
