21 '90s TV Catchphrases Guaranteed To Fill You With Nostalgia (2024)

Flannel shirts, slip dresses, bike shorts, plastic chokers, denim on denim, straight hair with bangs, high ponytails, and dreamy boy bands weren’t the only elements that defined the 1990s and rendered it such an iconic decade. In the entertainment industry, thrillers and feel-good romantic flicks, family-friendly or sarcastic adult sitcoms with numerous laughing tracks, and medical or police procedurals were also very much in style.

And when TV shows feature compelling or relatable stories, beloved characters tend to be remembered for their repeated lines or catchphrases. In the '70s and '80s, Mork & Mindy had Robin Williams’ character frequently say “Nanu, nanu!”; Gary Coleman made audiences laugh whenever he asked, “Whatcha talkin’ ’bout, Willis?” on Diff’rent Strokes; and the most famous line in Kojak is Telly Savalas’ “Who loves ya, baby?”

From “Whoa!” to “Engage!” to “How you doin’?”, these are the most iconic catchphrases from series that spanned various genres and defined the '90s.

21 "Oh, my God! They killed Kenny!" – Stan and Kyle, South Park (1997-)

Created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for Comedy Central, South Park is a critically acclaimed satirical black comedy animated show centering on four boys in a fictional Colorado town: Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman, and Kenny McCormick.

South Park

Release Date

August 13, 1997

Cast

Trey Parker , Matt Stone

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

27

Voiced by Matt Stone, Eric Stough, and Mike Judge, the character of Kenny was killed off gruesomely in almost every episode before the sixth season, prompting Stan or Kyle to exclaim in shock every single time, “Oh, my God! They killed Kenny!”

The catchphrase is so iconic that it has appeared on the show’s bestselling merchandise items like shirts, calendars, bumper stickers, and baseball caps.

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20 "Did I do that?" – Steve, Family Matters (1989-1998)

Family Matters is a black sitcom set in Chicago that aired on ABC, then CBS. It stars Jaleel White as Steve Urkel, the annoying and quirky next-door neighbor who loves wearing high suspenders, colorful pants, and big eyeglasses.

Family Matters

Comedy

Family

Release Date

September 22, 1989

Cast

Reginald VelJohnson , Darius McCrary , Jaleel White

Seasons

9

His notorious clumsiness often causes a lot of damage, such as knocking down a model ship or spilling liquid on important papers, prompting him to immediately say in fake disbelief, “Did I do that?”, much to people’s frustration.

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19 "Whoa!" – Joey, Blossom (1990-1995)

Blossom is a sitcom that aired for 5 seasons on NBC and centered on the Russo household: widowed dad and musician Nick (Ted Wass); Tony (Michael Stoyanov), the eldest son and a recovering alcoholic and drug addict; Joey (Joey Lawrence): handsome, hormonal, and ditzy; and Blossom (Mayim Bialik), the youngest, whose sense of fashion included crochet sweaters and hats with prominent flower decorations.

Joey exclaimed, “Whoa!” pretty much every time he was surprised, impressed, or taken aback, but especially when the topic was of a sexual nature, such as “Whoa! You played for strippers?” or “Whoa! Seven condoms a day; all right!”

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18 "Time out!" / "Time in." – Zack, Saved by the Bell (1989-1992)

Saved By the Bell

Release Date

August 20, 1989

Cast

Mark-Paul Gosselaar , Mario Lopez , Dustin Diamond , Tiffani Thiessen , Elizabeth Berkley , Dennis Haskins

Main Genre

Comedy

See Also

90's Quotes And Sayings: Nostalgic Phrases From The Decade90's Quotes: A Nostalgic Walk Down Memory Lane | One Big BoomThe 25 Most Iconic TV Quotes of the ‘90s35 Movie Quotes Every '90s Kid Knows by Heart

NBC’s teenage sitcom Saved by the Bell followed a group of friends at the fictional Bayside High School in Los Angeles for four seasons. It spawned two TV movies and two series: Saved by the Bell: The College Years (1993–1994) and Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993–2000).

Whenever the main character, Zack Morris (portrayed by Mark-Paul Gosselaar), found himself in a tricky situation, he would say, “Time out!,” leaving the other characters in “freeze mode” to break the fourth wall and express his feelings and thoughts. Yelling, "Time in," would usually signal the action back.

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Related: 10 Memorable Celebrity Cameos in '90s TV Shows

17 "Hi-De-Ho there, neighbor!" – Wilson, Home Improvement (1991-1999)

Starring Tim Allen as TV show host Tim Taylor and centering on his family, social, and professional life, Home Improvement spans 8 seasons. It features Earl Hindman as the wise, elderly next-door neighbor, Wilson W. Wilson, Jr., and a running gag is that his face is always partially covered by an object or by the fence separating his house from the Taylors’. Besides always being there for every member of their household, he often greets Tim with a resounding and folksy, “Hi-De-Ho There, Neighbor!”

Home Improvement

Release Date

September 17, 1991

Cast

Tim Allen , Earl Hindman , Richard Karn , Debbe Dunning , Zachery Ty Bryan

Main Genre

Comedy

Seasons

8

Stream it on Disney+

16 "Cool." – Butt-Head, Beavis and Butt-Head (1993-2011)

Beavis and Butt-Head

Comedy

Animation

Music

Release Date

March 8, 1993

Cast

Mike Judge , Tracy Grandstaff , Adam Welsh , Toby Huss , Randall Kaplan , David Spade , Tabitha Soren , David Letterman , Gilbert Gottfried , Bobcat Goldthwait , Frank Welker , Kristofor Brown , Thomas MIddleditch

Created by Mike Judge for MTV, Beavis and Butt-Head is an adult and lowbrow-comedy animated series featuring a couple of apathetic, obscene, unintelligent, and reckless teen slackers infatuated with hard rock and heavy metal, both voiced by Judge.

Besides uttering enlightened statements like, “I’ve got a rock formation in my pants,” and “The bowling ball isn’t human! It can’t be reasoned with,” Butt-Head often repeats ominous lines like, “Uh huh… This is gonna be cool,” usually followed by a disaster.

The show was revived on MTV in 2011 and on Paramount+ in 2022 and produced two films in 1996 and 2022.

Stream it on Paramount+

15 "I’m the baby; you gotta love me!" – Baby Sinclair, Dinosaurs (1991-1994)

Produced by Michael Jacobs Productions and Jim Henson Television in association with Walt Disney Television, Dinosaurs is a family sitcom that aired on ABC for four seasons and centered on a family of anthropomorphic dinosaurs in 60,000,000 BCE, the Sinclairs. Voiced by Kevin Clash, Baby Sinclair amused fans by constantly hitting his father on the head with a frying pan or a pot and repeating lines like, “I’m the baby; you gotta love me,” “Again,” and “Not the mama.”

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14 "You know what I’m sayin’?" – Will, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990-1996)

NBC’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air features Will Smith as a teenager from Philadelphia who is sent to live with his wealthy and stern uncle Phil in his Bel-Air mansion to keep him off the streets and straighten him out.

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Release Date

September 10, 1990

Main Genre

Comedy

Will is a lazy troublemaker who doesn’t care much about studying or social etiquette and is only interested in girls, basketball, and rap music. His most popular catchphrase whenever he tries to swing somebody his way is, “You know what I’m sayin’?”, which rarely goes as planned, especially with Phil or the sarcastic butler.

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13 "Damn fine cup of coffee!" – Agent Cooper, Twin Peaks (1990-1991)

Twin Peaks

Release Date

April 8, 1990

Cast

Kyle MacLachlan , Sheryl Lee , Mädchen Amick , Dana Ashbrook , David Lynch , Lara Flynn Boyle , Ray Wise , Billy Zane

Main Genre

Crime

Twin Peaks is a surreal mystery crime drama created by Mark Frost and David Lynch for ABC and starring Kyle MacLachlan as eccentric FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, who arrives in the titular small town to investigate the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer. He loves the local diner’s cherry pie but especially the black coffee, as evident by his repeated phrase, “Damn fine cup of coffee!” after the first sip.

The show generated a strong cult following, spawned a prequel movie, Fire Walk with Me, and was revived in 2017.

Stream it on Paramount+

12 "Serenity now!" – Frank, Seinfeld (1989-1998)

Seinfeld

Release Date

July 5, 1989

Cast

Jerry Seinfeld , Jason Alexander , Michael Richards , Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Main Genre

Comedy

See Also

The 12 most memorable football quotes of the 1990s

Created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, Seinfeld is a sarcastic sitcom “about nothing” in particular that chronicles the daily lives of a group of friends in NYC with distinct characters and mannerisms: Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer. In order to keep his blood pressure down, George’s father, Frank Costanza, always holds his arms up and yells, “Serenity now!” whenever something particularly irks him. Jerry himself has popular catchphrases, such as “Hello, Newman!” and “Yada, yada, yada.”

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11 "Eat my shorts!" – Bart, The Simpsons (1989-)

The Simpsons

Release Date

December 17, 1989

Cast

Dan Castellaneta , Julie Kavner , Nancy Cartwright , Yeardley Smith , Hank Azaria , Harry Shearer

Main Genre

Comedy

Created by Matt Groening for Fox, the satirical animated series The Simpsons centers on the dysfunctional Simpson family who reside in the fictional town of Springfield: Homer, Marge, and their children, Bart, Lisa, and Baby Maggie. Voiced by Nancy Cartwright, Bart is a rebellious and brash boy who enjoys skateboarding, television, and video games and doesn’t take kindly to certain orders or requests, hence his iconic catchphrase, “Eat my shorts!”

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10 "Feeny! Fe-he-he-heeny!" – Eric, Boy Meets World (1993-2000)

Boy Meets World

Release Date

September 24, 1993

Cast

Rider Strong , Danielle Fishel , Maitland Ward , Ben Savage , William Daniels , Will Friedle , Matthew Lawrence , Lindsay Ridgeway

Main Genre

Comedy

ABC’s hit coming-of-age sitcom Boy Meets World follows Ben Savage as Corey Matthews, a street-smart and funny pre-teen boy, as he navigates through school, family, and social life. His main teacher also happens to be his next-door neighbor, Mr. George Feeny, portrayed by William Daniels. As for Will Friedle, he plays Corey’s older and scatterbrained brother, Eric, who is mostly remembered for his irreverent Feeney Call, which goes like this: “Feeny! Fe-he-he-heeny!”

The Feeny Call made its way to the sequel, Girl Meets World (2014-2017).

Stream it on Disney+

9 "Is that your final answer?" – Host, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (1998-2002)

Created by David Briggs, Steven Knight, and Mike Whitehill for ITV, the British quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire started airing in September 1998. It spawned an American version, whose first seasons ran from 1999 to 2002, before being picked up again in 2004, 2009, then from 2020 to 2021.

The American show won 7 Daytime Emmy Awards and had seven hosts over the years, from Regis Philbin to Meredith Vieira to Jimmy Kimmel, and the most iconic catchphrase was “Is that your final answer?” to give the contestant a last chance to either change or confirm their choice.

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8 "It stinks!" – Jay, The Critic (1994-2001)

The Critic

Reality TV

Comedy

Release Date

January 26, 1994

Cast

Gerrit Graham , Maurice LaMarche , Charles Napier , Nancy Cartwright , Judith Ivey , Nick Jameson , Jon Lovitz , Christine Cavanaugh

The Critic is an adult-animated sitcom that originally aired a single season between 1994 and 1995 before being revived in the form of a web series for a second season in 2001. The show follows New York film critic Jay Sherman, voiced by Jon Lovitz.

Its distinct opening sequence features him being awakened by a phone call or a news report, then watching a parody of a renowned movie before concluding, “It stinks!”

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7 "Are you hungry, dear?" – Marie, Everybody Loves Raymond (1996-2005)

Everybody Loves Raymond

Comedy

Release Date

September 13, 1996

Cast

Ray Romano , Patricia Heaton , Doris Roberts , Peter Boyle , Brad Garrett

Created by Philip Rosenthal and starring stand-up comedian and screenwriter Ray Romano, the beloved sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond won 15 Primetime Emmys. It centers on sports columnist Ray Barone, who lives with his wife Debra (Patrician Heaton) and their kids across from his parents, Marie (Doris Roberts) and Frank (Peter Boyle) Barone.

Marie is intrusive, possessive of her two sons, and extremely critical of Debra, whether it be for her cooking or cleaning skills. That is why whenever Ray visits her, the first thing she asks him is, “Are you hungry, dear?” to infer that his wife’s food is subpar. The show features many memorable quotes and catchphrases from every main character, including Frank’s “Holy Crap!” and Debra’s “Idiot.”

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6 "You Dumb Babies!" – Angelica, Rugrats (1991-2004)

Nickelodeon’s Rugrats is one of those iconic shows that every '90s child remembers. It centers on a few South Californian toddlers: Tommy, Chuckie, Angelica, and the twins Phil and Lil, who can turn everyday activities into games and adventures.

Voiced by Cheryl Chase, Angelica is the primary antagonist: she is conceited, spoiled, and greedy, and she often shows her disapproval with, “You dumb babies.”

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5 "I’m Doctor Frasier Crane, and I’m listening." – Frasier (1993-2004)

Frasier

Release Date

September 16, 1993

Cast

Kelsey Grammer , Jane Leeves , David Hyde Pierce , Peri Gilpin , John Mahoney , Jack Cutmore-Scott , Anders Keith , Jess Salgueiro , Toks Olagundoye , Nicholas Lyndhurst

Main Genre

Comedy

Frasier is a witty sitcom that aired on NBC for 11 seasons. It centers on Doctor Frasier Crane, portrayed by Kelsey Grammer, an ethical and sophisticated psychiatrist who is the star of a radio show that receives calls from troubled listeners. He always says “I’m/This is Doctor Frasier Crane, and I’m listening” in his live program to maintain trust and credibility with his fans.

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4 "Do it!" – Captain Janeway, Star Trek: Voyager (1995-2001)

Star Trek: Voyager

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Release Date

January 16, 1995

Cast

Kate Mulgrew , Robert Beltran , Roxann Dawson , Jennifer Lien , Robert Duncan McNeill , Ethan Phillips , Robert Picardo , Tim Russ , Garrett Wang , Jeri Ryan

Star Trek: Voyager is the fifth series in the iconic space opera franchise, and it follows the crew of the USS Voyager under the command of Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) as they attempt to return to Earth after being stranded in the Delta Quadrant, more than 70,000 light-years away.

Resolute, impulsive, compassionate, and proactive, Janeway is a woman of few words whose answer to most technical or tactical suggestions is a simple, “Do it!”

Stream it on Paramount+

3 "Engage!" – Captain Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994)

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Action

Adventure

Sci-Fi

Release Date

September 28, 1987

Cast

Patrick Stewart , Jonathan Frakes , Brent Spiner , Marina Sirtis , LeVar Burton , Gates McFadden , michael dorn

Portrayed by Sir Patrick Stewart, The Next Generation’s Jean-Luc Picard is a different kind of captain altogether from what Star Trek fans had previously become used to with William Shatner's Captain Kirk.

Level-headed, collected, and diplomatic, he has an affinity for elocution and pomp, given his (and the actor’s) thespian background. His most iconic repeated lines on the bridge are “Engage!” and “Make it so.”

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2 "How rude!" – Stephanie, Full House (1987-1995)

Full House (US)

Comedy

Family

Release Date

September 22, 1987

Cast

Bob Saget , John Stamos , Dave Coulier , Candace Cameron Bure , Jodie Sweetin , Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen , Lori Loughlin , Andrea Barber , Scott Weinger

Created by Jeff Franklin for ABC, Full House was one of the most popular family sitcoms in the '80s and '90s. It centers on the Tanner household, where Danny (Bob Saget), a widower, raises his three daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and Michelle, with their uncle Jessy and Joey, a friend.

While D.J.’s most repeated line is “Oh, Mylanta!” and Michelle’s is “You got it, dude,” Stephanie’s (Jodie Sweetin) is the classic “How rude!” whenever anybody annoys, upsets, or interrupts her. A phrase she would bring back into the Fuller House reboot and that is still repeated to her by fans at conventions.

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