# 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:** 5
**Author:** ![Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Sunshine\_and\_Smiles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunshine_and_Smiles)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/81 "2003-07-01T02:14:46Z")
Well, one that always bugged me AND Jerry Seinfeld was… well, I’ll show you… [seinfeld] George: Alright, alright. Let’s cut to the chase. Jerry: What are you, Joe Hollywood? [/seinfeld] Yeah, cut to the chase… ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/82 "2003-07-01T03:44:57Z")
Don’t forget **Blazing Saddles** : Slim Pickins: We’ll head 'em off at the pass. Harvey Korman: Head them off at the pass? I _hate_ that cliche! (shoots Slim in the foot) ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/83 "2003-07-01T03:51:10Z")
The vain conceited egomaniac will always resort to the same plea if threatened with a punch in the nose: “Not in the face!” ---
**Author:** ![McJohn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@McJohn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McJohn)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/84 "2003-07-01T03:52:03Z")
“Let go, you’re hurting me!” “Visiting hours are up.” “Follow that cab!” “Stay here and lock all the doors. I’ll try to get to the cops.” “Blackmail is such an ugly word.” “Guards! Seize him!” “Look out! He’s got a gun!” “Look, it’s no secret I hated his guts. But I didn’t kill him.” “Look out behind you!” ---
**Author:** ![CadburyAngel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c2a13f/32.png) [@CadburyAngel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CadburyAngel)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/85 "2003-07-01T04:39:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by McJohn \* > \*\* > “Blackmail is such an ugly word.” > \*\* Nicely used in Buffy, though. Xander: Blackmail is such an ugly word. Amy: I didn’t say “blackmail.” Xander: Yeah, but I thought I’d bring it up because that’s what I’m about to do to you. ---
**Author:** ![skin2skin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@skin2skin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skin2skin)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/86 "2003-07-01T12:24:03Z")
"_ **An adventure of a lifetime…** _ ---
**Author:** ![dwc1970](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwc1970](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwc1970)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/87 "2003-07-01T14:32:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Don’t forget the Trailers: > > “In a world…” “…where good and evil face the ultimate battle…” Always done by that guy with the deep, somewhat raspy voice. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/88 "2003-07-01T18:24:18Z")
Oh, you’re good…real good. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/89 "2003-07-01T21:50:27Z")
Character kneels down at fallen man/worman and places finger on his/her neck for 8 milliseconds: “He’s/She’s dead,” then continues to chase villain. Hey, have you ever heard of CPR? ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/90 "2003-07-02T00:59:53Z")
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! ---
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/91 "2003-07-02T03:12:38Z")
“I wouldnt [insert act] if you were the last man on earth” The drink. Just the act of always making a drink upon entering a room. The ice container always has ice in it and there’s never just bottles with labels already, it’s always in the crystal container. “I promised your father when he died that I’d look after you” “He’ll get hurt out there” (The mother worrying about her son playing football) “My baby!” The splashing of the water on the face in front of hte mirror when you get up in the morning. Does anybody really do this? ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/92 "2003-07-02T08:19:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by vivalostwages \* > \*\*“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. \*\* Y’know, I the movie **Moontrap** actually used a pretty clever varient on that cliche. Although it WAS, overall, a pretty sucky movie. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/93 "2003-07-02T08:24:02Z")
“So that’s what this was all about!” Said upon catching SO “in bed” with another person. (That one was spotted by Roger Ebert) (any varient on)“There are some things that God meant us to leave alone!” “With these new ‘weapons’ of my own design, I can subdue ‘bad guys’ without hurting them!” …spoken by any number of mass-marketed superheros. It’s a moral cop-out, if you ask me. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/94 "2003-07-02T10:14:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Oblong \* > \*\* > > The splashing of the water on the face in front of hte mirror when you get up in the morning. Does anybody really do this? \*\* Though probably not broadly used enough to earn the label “cliche’” it’s still used in many Paul Newman flics: Plunging the face into a container (sink often) of ice or ice water. Except for Newman, does anybody else do this? ---
**Author:** ![RikWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/49beb7/32.png) [@RikWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RikWriter)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/95 "2003-07-02T12:59:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Oblong \* > \*\*The splashing of the water on the face in front of hte mirror when you get up in the morning. Does anybody really do this? \*\* I’ve done it if I am really groggy and have to drive somewhere or something immediately upon getting up and don’t have time for a shower. ---
**Author:** ![Blornx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@Blornx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blornx)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/96 "2003-07-02T13:41:07Z")
“Looks like we’ve got company.” ---
**Author:** ![Bomzaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@Bomzaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bomzaway)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/97 "2003-07-02T13:51:21Z")
**LOCK AND LOAD!!** ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/98 "2003-07-02T18:47:39Z")
It’s quiet. _Too_ quiet. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/99 "2003-07-02T19:13:01Z")
“I’ll GET YOU for this!” “I…will…have…my…REVENGE!” “Vengeance is MINE!” “Justice is MINE!” “At long last…I’ve gotten my revenge!” “You’ll never get away with this!” “You can’t win!” “I underestimated you…” “So you’ve one…THIS time!” “You’ve won this round…but not the war!” “It won’t be long now.” ---
**Author:** ![Don\_Draper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Don\_Draper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_Draper)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2003, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247/100 "2003-07-02T19:21:13Z")
Oops, I forgot the most aggregiously over-used cliche: Spoken by the villain to the bound & gagged hero: “I should kill you right now. But instead I’ll leave you here…listening to the bomb tick away!” (exit villain) Always spoken mere moments before the hero manages to pry off the ropes and deactivate the bomb. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-most-hackneyed-cliched-lines-in-all-of-tv-and-film/184247.md?page=6)