Do catchphrases - in sitcoms rather than sketch shows - happen by accident though?
Catchphrases - a thing of the past? Page 7
Are you talking "do they always", or "can they"? The answers are "probably not" and "yes" respectively. I'll go back to the 'Allo 'Allo! documentary recently. "Good moaning" was a one-off line, but the audience loved it, so it was in every episode from the next series onwards.
Love reviving old threads, and here's another one last posted to 12 years ago but am not doing it for the sake of it.
Watching second disc of The Army Game box set (Superb! Not riotous but funny nonetheless) and it occurred to me that a catchphrase that entered my psyche and imprinted on my brain was by Bootsie (Alfie Bass) in the original cast who used to say, when trying to smooth things over, "Never mind, ay" and that stuck with me. Have been using it for years and now I know where it came from. 
For anyone that is acting above their station I picked up a great one from The Sopranos.
Little Lord F**k Pants
I think W1A was the last big show with catchphrases, "It's Monday morning", "So that's all good". Count Arthur might have worked with catchphrases, but didn't.
HGT "The reviver" !
W1A is a good example. Currently Paddy McGuinniss "'No likely, no lightly" although that is a game show.
Keith Lemon relies on repeating the same type of joke over and over. Either talking like a child, or smut, not much else. That said, he does it well.
Most Character comedy or sketch shows rely on catch phrases : Catherine Tate, Sacha Baron Cohen. Maybe catchphrases have died along with the sketch shows ? The Carry on Films were jam packed with them "Frying tonight !"
My mate once booked us all into a crappy hotel by mistake. They boasted evening entertainment, which was the owner's 12 year old daughter singing really badly followed by "for a special treat we'll put the fryer on, chips at midnight !" So "Chips at midnight" is now a catchphrase. Also a polite way of saying "Sh*t Show."
Quote: Firkin @ 19th April 2019, 11:53 AMHGT "The reviver" !
That's me! (hoping to gain Brownie points with Aaron by making the forum even more interesting)
THE ONE that keeps coming up in this day and age is of course "Computer says No". Great unintended (?) catchphrase by Carol in Little Britain. I hear it everywhere and use it myself all the time. GREAT catchphrase!!
No doubt about it, I'm certainly more likely to remember a catchphrase that stands out because of the way a particular character says it. Their mannerisms, their facial expression, the way they speak the words. For me, the humour isn't always in the particular catchphrase, it's the fun of trying to imitate the character who said it. I can quite easily amuse myself doing this, even if the other person has no idea what I'm saying...or why.
If you've ever watched Dilbert, you'll be familiar with Loud Howard and his tendency to enthusiastically blurt out, "I KNOW!"...but then follow it immediately with, "No I don't," in a very flat and defeated tone. We can't stop saying that now, but it wouldn't be as funny if we didn't imitate his voice.
As mentioned, there's no point in saying, "Am I bovvered," unless you do it in Lauren's voice...and preferably follow it up with, "Face, bovvered, face, bovvered," whilst pointing to and away from your chin. Also, "Whadda load a fackin shit!" in Nan's voice, after a smug intake of breath.
I've never heard anyone say, "OHHH MATRON!" without giving it their best Kenneth Williams impression...and you KNOW that when you see it written anywhere, you hear it exactly as he used to say it. Yes, you do.
Quote: Old Lady Leg @ 19th April 2019, 1:42 PMI've never heard anyone say, "OHHH MATRON!" without giving it their best Kenneth Williams impression...and you KNOW that when you see it written anywhere, you hear it exactly as he used to say it. Yes, you do.
I said it in that voice to a nurse in hospital a couple of years back. She stared at me blank faced and said we don't have matrons here. 
Say what you see!
Look at what you would have won.
Well I don't really know.
Come on down!
Hmmm...haven't said that in a while. :-/
Chase me.
Quote: Stephen Goodlad @ 25th April 2019, 2:50 PMChase me.
...or that.