# What are the most hackneyed, cliched lines in all of TV and film? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2003, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247 "2003-06-25T06:59:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/1 "2003-06-25T06:59:18Z")
I have two nominees for lines that, if never used again, would not be missed: 1 - “You’ve got to believe me!” Oh really? They’ve _got_ to believe you? Like, if they don’t, the earth will swallow them whole? Sheesh. 2 - “Do you want to get something to eat?” Heard almost exclusively when a guy is hitting on a woman. It’s a clear signal that These Two Will Be Having Sex Eventually. And it’s just so DUMB. I’m sure there are women out there who go for clumsy, unsubtle approaches like this, but I’ve never met one. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/2 "2003-06-25T07:01:39Z")
A variant on #2 is “Do you want to come up for a drink?” I think Hollywood once made a list of the 100 most cliched lines ever. They called it _Titanic_. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![stigoftdump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@stigoftdump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stigoftdump)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/3 "2003-06-25T08:13:56Z")
“You just don’t get it, do you?” ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/4 "2003-06-25T09:19:58Z")
My wife and I HOWLED when, while watching the terrible “Black Scorpion,” someone said to the main character, “I know your father was a rogue cop who didn’t play by the book, but…” Classic. hrh ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 10:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/5 "2003-06-25T10:03:13Z")
A couple off the top of my head… “You’re a loose cannon!” “About last night…” “If I didn’t know better, i’d swear that…” ---
**Author:** ![godzillatemple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@godzillatemple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godzillatemple)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/6 "2003-06-25T12:03:22Z")
“I’ve got a _bad_ feeling about this…” Barry ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/7 "2003-06-25T12:05:11Z")
“He’s dead, Jim” ---
**Author:** ![stigoftdump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@stigoftdump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stigoftdump)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/8 "2003-06-25T12:13:31Z")
“\<\\> meets \<\\>, with hilarious consequences!” ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/9 "2003-06-25T12:55:31Z")
“It’s quiet out there - too quiet.” ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/10 "2003-06-25T13:11:33Z")
“Let’s get out of here.” ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/11 "2003-06-25T13:20:18Z")
Don’t go there Let me tell you what really happened that day… Tell my wife/child I love…_ugh_ You should have killed me when you had the chance. I can’t live without you and I won’t let you live without me. You are the weakest link Any variation of “go ahead…make my day” ---
**Author:** ![Leechboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9fc348/32.png) [@Leechboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leechboy)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/12 "2003-06-25T13:21:46Z")
“Go Go Go Go Go!” “Then everything I’ve ever known to be true, is a lie?” ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/13 "2003-06-25T13:39:18Z")
“Are you OK?” _asked of hero after jumping off a burning building or something_ “So that’s what this is all about…? Money!?!” “The mayor’s office wants your badge!” ---
**Author:** ![Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/14 "2003-06-25T13:54:43Z")
“I’m too old for this shit” ---
**Author:** ![Husker\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Husker\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Husker_Dude)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/15 "2003-06-25T14:15:41Z")
"How did my father die?’’ ‘‘That’s impossible, she’s been dead for 20 years…’’ ‘‘Bring him back… alive.’’ ‘‘Shouldn’t we call for backup?’’ ‘‘I thought you were dead?’’ ‘‘You’re going to get us all killed!’’ ‘‘There’s something in the water.’’ ‘‘It’s not you, it’s me.’’ ---
**Author:** ![malaka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@malaka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malaka)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/16 "2003-06-25T14:45:12Z")
Don’t you die on me, man! ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Bongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a9adbd/32.png) [@Winston\_Bongo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Bongo)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/17 "2003-06-25T15:18:27Z")
“It’s gonna blow!!!” ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/18 "2003-06-25T15:19:27Z")
What we need is somebody really stupid/naive/who looks exactly like the other person. (Immediate cut to hero) Your father/mother would be proud. There’s no way it can escape. Let’s split up to cover more ground. You were the best once and you could be again. ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/19 "2003-06-25T15:28:38Z")
Two characters have a lengthy dialog. Just as one of them leaves, he’ll turn around and say: “Oh yeah, and one more thing…” ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/20 "2003-06-25T15:30:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Winston Bongo \* > \*\*“It’s gonna blow!!!” \*\* You watch too much porn. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247.md?page=2)