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Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Fandom School (8th period): Catchphrases

It's time again for Fandom School! Today, we're going to talk about catchphrases.

What is a catchphrase? It's a phrase, line (or pattern thereof) that is repeated often enough that the audience associates it with a particular character or book/movie/TV show. I'd like to take this post to share a few of my favorite catchphrases.

Get Smart (TV show) [go to www.wouldyoubelieve.com for a complete list of catchphrases]
  • "Would you believe..." - Maxwell Smart
Smart: At the moment, seven Coast Guard cutters are converging on us. Would you believe it?
Mr Big: I find that hard to believe.
Smart: Hmmm . . . Would you believe six?
Mr Big: I don't think so.
Smart: How about two cops in a rowboat?
  • "Missed it by that much!" - Maxwell Smart
  • "Zis is KAOS, we don't ________ here!" - Siegfried, usually to Shtarker
Shtarker: Let me let them have it. Dudududududu (making a machine gun noise).
Siegfried: Shtarker, zis is KAOS, we don't Dududu here.

Doctor Who (TV show)
  • "Fantastic!" - Ninth Doctor
  • "[insert things] are cool" - Eleventh Doctor
    • bow ties, fezzes, stetsons, bunk beds... the list goes on
  • "Allons-y!" - Tenth Doctor
  • "Spoilers" - River Song
  • "Hello, Sweetie" - River Song
  • "It's bigger on the inside!" - (almost*) every companion, upon entering the TARDIS
  • "Oi! Watch it, spaceman!" - Donna Noble to the Tenth Doctor
The Princess Bride (book/movie)
  • "My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die." - Inigo Montoya
  • "As you wish" - Westley
  • "Inconceivable!" - Vizzini
Star Trek (TV show and several movies)
  • "Live long and prosper" - Vulcan greeting/farewell, usually said by Spock
  • "Highly illogical" - Spock
  • "I'm a doctor, not a..." - Dr. Leonard McCoy
    • bricklayer, psychiatrist, mechanic, coal miner, engineer, physicist... [see this website for a list of all occurrences]
  • "He's dead, Jim" - Dr. Leonard McCoy
Star Wars (movie series)
  • "May the Force be with you" - Jedi blessing/good luck, said by almost everyone on the good side
  • "I got a bad feeling about this" - Han Solo is known for this phrase, but many other characters say variations of it as well
Harry Potter (books/movies)
  • "My father will hear about this!" - Draco Malfoy
  • "Bloody hell!" - Ronald Weasley
  • "Wicked!" - Fred & George Weasley
  • "I shouldn't have said that" - Hagrid
Sherlock (TV show)
  • "Not my division!" - Greg Lestrade
  • "I'm not gay!" - John Watson, said when anyone tries to ship him with Sherlock
  • "I'm your landlady, not your housekeeper!" - Mrs. Hudson

I know I'm missing lots of fandoms and catchphrases, but I only included the fandoms I'm in that have multiple catchphrases. If you have any catchphrases you'd like to add, feel free to do so in the comments.

*Notable exceptions include Clara Oswald, who said "It's smaller on the outside!", and Rory Williams, who said nothing, prompting this exchange:
The Doctor [after entering the TARDIS]: It's a lot to take in, isn't it? Tiny box, huge room inside; what's that about? Let me explain...
Rory: It's another dimension.
The Doctor: It's basically another dimen — what?
Rory: After what happened with Prisoner Zero, I've been reading up on all the latest scientific theories. FTL travel, parallel universes.
The Doctor: I like the bit when someone says "It's bigger on the inside!" I always look forward to that.

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