Top 10 TV Catch Phrases on Fancast

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

Has anyone ever said to you, “What you talking about Willis?” How about, “You’re Fired?” If so, then you’ve been the victim of a TV phenomenon that has existed since the first cathode ray tube transmitted electron beams through the ether: The Catch Phrase.

Actually the practice is a holdover from movies (”Here’s looking at you, kid”) and radio (”The Shadow knows!”) But TV has given us a spin on the catch phrase that is unique because, for some shows, it was virtually the only thing we remembered and talked about the next day. So we take a look at some of the most memorable examples of the TV Catch Phrase. And you can hear ‘em all on Fancast.

10. “I love it when a plan comes together.”: Hannibal, The A-Team. Uttered near the end of each episode, despite the doubts of everyone involved. Except for Hannibal. He knew it all along.

9. “You’ve got spunk …I hate spunk!”: Lou Grant, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Mary Richards really needs the job, so she speaks up for herself at the interview with the new boss. He’s not impressed.

8. “Hey, Let’s be careful out there!”: Sgt. Phil Esterhaus, Hill Street Blues. An admonishment at the end of roll call, the phrase gained new meaning with the sudden death, mid season, of one of the show’s Stars, Michael Conrad.

7. “This is the city…”: Sgt. Joe Friday, Dragnet. One of several memorable catch phrases from the laconic show, (”Just the facts, Ma’am,” “Yeah, that’s right,”) it headed up each episode in the prologue. As always, they were all delivered with deliberate “B Movie” style.

6. “Who loves you, baby?”: Lt. Theo Kojak, Kojak. Usually conveyed between tasty licks of his trademark lollipop, it nonetheless was the ironclad guarantee that this incorruptible cop was really on YOUR side.

5. “Book ‘em, Danno!”: Steve McGarrett, Hawaii Five-O. Typically the show’s closing line. Sometimes followed by the charges: Murder One, Felony Assault, etc… but always with the bad guys in cuffs.

4. “Oh, my God! They killed Kenny!:” Stan and Kyle, South Park. A running gag in the first few seasons, it was given up out of sheer boredom on the part of the show’s creators. Public outrage eventually convinced them that it was a joke worth repeating. Over and over.

3. “Danger, Will Robinson!”: Robot, Lost in Space. For all Will Robinson’s budding genius as a junior scientist, he never seemed able to catch on that the weird phenomena he encountered all over the galaxy just might be life-threatening.

2. “Live long and prosper.”: Spock, Star Trek. The phrase was always accompanied by the double-jointed V sign that challenged many fans to spread the word with no help from the left hand. It took me a month to master.

1. “D’oh!”: Homer Simpson, The Simpsons. Number one due to its mono-syllabic singularity. Perhaps no other catch phrase has ever conveyed the frustrations of the average, donut-challenged American Dad. Sometimes, it takes a village idiot.