# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![YoudNeverGuess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a587f6/32.png) [@YoudNeverGuess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YoudNeverGuess)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/61 "2003-06-26T12:55:29Z")
‘Not on _my_ watch!’ ‘There’s something you should know about me…’ ‘I’m not all that you think I am’ ‘We’ve got XXX seconds’ - which always turns out to be _exactly_ the number of seconds they need to get out safely… Heroine: ‘What makes you think I’d be seen dead with a lowlife like you?’ - before falling madly in love with the good-looking rebel who plays by his own rules The next is not a line but it’s such a cliché when the camera slowly pans along a trail of clothing on the floor leading upstairs to the bedroom. They never show the couple going around the place sheepishly picking everything up again afterwards do they. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/62 "2003-06-26T13:31:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by YoudNeverGuess \* > \*\*The next is not a line but it’s such a cliché when the camera slowly pans along a trail of clothing on the floor leading upstairs to the bedroom. They never show the couple going around the place sheepishly picking everything up again afterwards do they. \*\* It’s the movies, silly… they have people to do that for them. Just like they also have people who go to the bathroom for them. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/63 "2003-06-26T14:11:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Avalonian \* > \*\*You watch too much porn. \*\* Forget a smilie there, **Avalonian** , or is that your contribution to the thread? Q ---
**Author:** ![CyberPundit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@CyberPundit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyberPundit)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/64 "2003-06-26T14:30:06Z")
Quite an amusing thread. But let me be contrarian and ask: is there anything wrong with cliches if used in moderation? After all real people use them all the time which is why they become cliches in the first place.It would be more unrealistic if movie characters had original, interesting lines for every situation they find themselves in. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/65 "2003-06-26T15:58:33Z")
And for what it’s worth, it seems that all my favorite movies contain one or more of these cliches.:o ---
**Author:** ![Vlad\_Dracul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/50afbb/32.png) [@Vlad\_Dracul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vlad_Dracul)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/66 "2003-06-26T16:18:59Z")
“No, it’s ME you love, not him/her!” ---
**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 26, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/67 "2003-06-26T16:57:00Z")
“Mark my words . . . _you’re going down!_” (Spoken by the angry cop hero as he confronts the smug villain in a situation where lack of evidence, search warrant, etc. prevents the hero from arresting him right there.) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/68 "2003-06-26T17:31:00Z")
“You need to get some rest/sleep” or “Get some rest now” or some similar line. “Honey, it’s not what it looks like!” ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/69 "2003-06-26T17:51:10Z")
“Please don’t destroy it [new and lethal life form]. We must study it.” Always spoken by somebody who winds up being the next one to die horribly. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/70 "2003-06-26T18:07:58Z")
Another one of those non-dialog things is when the guy is so anxious to get into bed that he just rips his shirt open in the process of getting undressed. Rarely is the shirt a snap-front job, but the plain old button-up. Another thing: the guy always sits on the edge of the bed to put his pants back on, usually with no underwear to impede that action. Do any of you guys ever sit on the bed to put your pants on? ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/71 "2003-06-26T18:48:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Winston Bongo \* > \*\*“Mark my words . . . _you’re going down!_” > \*\* … > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* > \*\*You watch too much porn. \*\* ---
**Author:** ![StanDup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@StanDup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StanDup)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/72 "2003-06-26T20:38:39Z")
“Go on without me…I…I don’t think I can make it” ::shrugs:: “Ok. Bye” ---
**Author:** ![Balle\_M](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/13edae/32.png) [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/73 "2003-06-26T20:54:46Z")
“I have a crazy idea, but it just might work.” - And the crazier it is, the greater the likelihood of it working flawlessly. “I think it’s dead.” Don’t do anything drastic, like MAKE SURE. “It’s only a flesh wound.” Translation: I just got sht in the shoulder with a bazooka, but there’s no blood loss or incapacitation. But it does sting like the dickens. ---
**Author:** ![Scupper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Scupper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scupper)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2003, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/74 "2003-06-26T21:39:35Z")
“You have no idea what/who you’re dealing/messing/f\*\*\*ing with.” “Get out of here! I’ll try to hold them off!” Spoken by hero = He will hold them off but you will get captured when he’s not looking. Spoken by non-hero = He will hold them off, dying nobly (usually to redeem himself for a prior mistake. “That’s _suicide!_” “I can’t let you go. You know too much.” With disgust: “How _could_ you?!” “I trusted you!” “You sick bastard!” “You’ll never get away with this!” ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/75 "2003-06-27T04:55:10Z")
“What is the meaning of this?” “Before I kill you, Mr Bond …” ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/76 "2003-06-27T05:15:54Z")
“This is an **outrage!** ” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/77 "2003-06-27T06:38:12Z")
This inevitably happens in TV adventures whenever the good guys and bad guys are trapped together and faced with Certain Death: GOOD GUY: We need to call a truce. BAD GUY: Okay. **For now.** Of course the villains immediately double-cross them as soon as they’re out of danger. And while they’re struggling to get out of danger, the villains are quarreling and scheming and being generally as helpful to the heroes as a horde of pit bulls at the wheel of a flaming mack truck that’s been chained to their goody-goody ankles. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/78 "2003-07-01T00:10:44Z")
Woman: I’m pregnant. Man: Are you sure? ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/79 "2003-07-01T01:09:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balle\_M \* > \*\* > > “I think it’s dead.” Don’t do anything drastic, like MAKE SURE. > \*\* Army of Darkness skewered that one with the posessed crone. She collapses and one of the guards reaches for her but Ash grabs his arm and says “Wait. It’s a trick. Get an axe.” ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/80 "2003-07-01T01:11:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > \*\*Woman: I’m pregnant. > > Man: Are you sure? \*\* Well, to be honest, this WAS my reaction when I heard about our first child… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247.md?page=5)