TV Land lists 100 greatest TV catchphrases
November 28th, 2006
TV Land has compiled a list of the 100 greatest TV catchphrases, and will air a countdown special beginning Dec. 11. Some of my favorites from the list:
– “Book ‘em, Danno” (Steve McGarrett, “Hawaii Five-O”)
– “I love it when a plan comes together” (Hannibal, “The A-Team”)
– “Nip it!” (Barney Fife, “The Andy Griffith Show”)
– “No soup for you!” (The Soup Nazi, “Seinfeld”)
– “Resistance is futile” (Picard as Borg, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”)
– “Whatchoo talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” (Arnold Drummond, “Diff’rent Strokes”)
– “Where’s the beef?” (Wendy’s ad)
Mr. T looks like he just walked out of a deacon’s meeting.
My Top Ten catchphrases from the list (in no particular order)
“Here’s Johnny!”
“Live long and prosper”
“Good night, John Boy”
“Whatchoo talkin’ ’bout, Willis?”
“Just one more thing …”
“I’m Larry, this is my brother Darryl …”
“Pardon me, would you have any Grey Poupon?”
“Smile, you’re on `Candid Camera”‘
“Resistance is futile”
“Come on down!”
From the list you can conclude that I am a product of the 70’s and I do not consider historical utterances as TV catchphrases. If they are then they left out the biggeest one of all “I did not have sex with that woman…Miss Lewinsky.”
Also, the compilers must be made up of former SNL writers because they have an inordinate number represented. None of which made my Top Ten..
“Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”
“You can’t stop him, you can only hope to contain him.”
“Sit on it.”
“Up your nose with a rubber hose.”
“Talk amongst yahselves”
“Serenity now!”
Back in the day there was a record actually made and sold that had nothing on it but “Sit on it!” and other “Happy Days” catch phrases. If the criteria is how much a phrase is run into the ground, it’s probably the all time No. 1.
thanks Joel, almost forgot, “A Festivus for the rest of us!”
“Eat My Shorts”
“I love the smell of napalm in the morning”