So many EXCELLENT catchphrases…
Some of the best episodes of The Simpsons are among the best episodes in television history, and one reason for that would be the catchphrases. There have been so many over the decades that it’s difficult to even keep track of them all. Homer alone has at least four, and so does Bart. Characters outside the Simpson family can have more than one as well, including Mr. Burns and Krusty the Clown. Even Maggie sucking her pacifier counts, showing how even a character who can’t speak can still have an iconic sound that fans instinctively link her to.
Of course, it’s not a contest. Having a catchphrase doesn’t inherently make a character great. Likewise, not having one doesn’t make a character any less interesting (case in point: Lisa). But the iconic phrases are a big deal, and have been for quite some time. There was even an episode that ends with a nod to the Simpson family’s oft-repeated sayings. The greatest catchphrases in the cartoon aren’t necessarily the most famous, though; they need to be inherently funny, significant to their given characters, and tend to leave room for fresh variations.
The Simpsons
- Release Date
- December 17, 1989
- Cast
- Dan Castellaneta , Julie Kavner , Nancy Cartwright , Yeardley Smith , Hank Azaria , Harry Shearer
- Main Genre
- Comedy
- Seasons
- 36
- Studio
- Fox
10 Principal Skinner: “Superintendent Chalmers!”
Voiced by Harry Shearer
Springfield Elementary is not a very good school, and Principal Skinner (voiced by Harry Shearer) is always trying to hide that from Superintendent Chalmers (voiced by Hank Azaria). When the two meet, Skinner welcomes his boss with a hearty “Superintendent Chalmers!” and tries to deflect his attention away from whatever’s going wrong. Superintendent Chalmers is never in very high spirits though, and the way Skinner sucks up to his boss is perfectly summed up by how he greets him.
But it’s even funnier when Principal Skinner is caught by surprise. Suddenly his exclamation “Superintendent Chalmers!” is more panicked than sycophantic, especially because he gasps upon seeing his boss. Arguably the best variant is in the season 7 premiere, “Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two),” when Chalmers runs into the principal in disguise and Skinner gives his identity away out of sheer reflex.
9 Dr. Nick: “Hi, everybody!”
Voiced by Hank Azaria
Sometimes a big smile and cheerful demeanor are all someone needs to get away with fraud. Look no further than “Doctor” Nick Riviera (voiced by Hank Azaria), who is so uneducated that he mispronounces anatomical words that even Marge knows (abdomen, for example). She points this out in the character’s delightful debut, “Bart Gets Hit By a Car,” but his incompetence continues throughout the series. Every time this man enters a room, he jovially waves a hand and says “Hi, everybody!”
“Hi, Doctor Nick!” is usually what everyone says in response, making this one of the catchphrases that is more like one half of a whole. It’s charming every time. The viewer might think that someone who has been wanted by the police would keep a low profile, but not Dr. Nick. He goes on television, too, where the audience greets him with just as much enthusiasm. One of the best variants of his catchphrase is when he gets mortally wounded by an enormous shard of glass in The Simpsons Movie and waves, “Bye, everybody!”
8 Troy McClure: “Hi, I’m Troy McClure. You may remember me from…”
Voiced by Phil Hartman
Actor Troy McClure (voiced by Phil Hartman) has starred in a seemingly endless number of obscure movies and instructional videos, including “Gladys the Groovy Mule,” “Here Comes the Metric System,” and “Dig Your Own Grave and Save.” Whenever he shows up, either on video or on live television, he introduces himself in a way that’s both predictable and totally unpredictable: “Hi, I’m Troy McClure. You may remember me from…” He then proceeds to name a few hilariously bad titles that the audience probably doesn’t remember him from.
The Simpsons has some of the best parodies in animation history, and Troy McClure is one of the reasons why. His character alone lampoons so many kinds of mediocre acting gigs (including an educational video about bunnies going through puberty and a live show to promote Dr. Nick Riviera’s pitiful Juice-Loosener) that he represents one of the entertainment industry’s lowest-level performers. The titles of these movies never get old, and his introduction establishes him as one of the most consistently funny background characters in the sitcom.
7 Mr. Burns: “Release the Hounds”
Voiced by Christopher Collins in Season 1, and Harry Shearer since
Mr. Burns (originally voiced by Christopher Collins but replaced by Harry Shearer) is one of the best villains in animation history, and one of his trademarks is when he tells Smithers to “release the hounds” on his guests. He never has to, but he does it anyway. Whether he’s impatiently kicking a whole crowd out of his own party or refusing a private request, this man’s immoral fiber is perfectly encapsulated by this three-word command.
But his tone isn’t always so villainous. In fact, one of the best variations on this catchphrase is when he finds out that Homer and Marge have been using a fake doctor (Dr. Nick) for their trial in “Bart Gets Hit By a Car.” Suddenly in high spirits and eager to kick the Simpsons out of his house, he immediately tears up his substantial offer, gives them a quick farewell, and casually tells Smithers to release the hounds. It goes to show how an epic catchphrase can be delivered in more than just one tone of voice.
6 Flanders: “Okely dokely!”
Voiced by Harry Shearer
The most upbeat person in Springfield and nicest neighbor-ino of all time is Ned Flanders. His incessantly cheerful demeanor is never better expressed than when he says “Okely dokely,” which is even more goofy than the informal “Okey dokey.” Flanders is such a perfect opposite to Homer, what with his devout faith in God, impeccable manners, orderly family, and exceptional patience. Flanders also tends to add “iddly” and other alliterative phrases to words, much to Homer’s disdain.
One of the best modifications of his catchphrase is in one of Homer’s best episodes, “You Only Move Twice.” As the Simpson clan is about to depart, Flanders asks Homer if he’s going to be needing the items that Homer borrowed from him over the years. After Homer says yes, he eggs Flanders on to say “Okely dokely” like he normally would. A hysterical summary of Flanders’s various speaking idiosyncrasies can be found in season 16’s “Midnight Rx,” where Flanders runs into a Canadian version of himself. It’s mind-bending.
5 Homer: “Mmm…”
Voiced by Dan Castellaneta
Some Simpsons jokes are subtle, but this one is not: Homer eats too much, to the point where he sues an All-You-Can-Eat Seafood Buffet for kicking him out. When he especially enjoys something, he tends to close his eyes and say “Mmmm,” usually followed by a food. It’s often something he’s just eaten or is about to eat, like barbecue, pancakes, beer, or even “free goo.” But it could also be something in his imagination, like The Land of Chocolate in “Burns Der Kaufen der Kraftwerk.” Hilarious.
Sometimes just an adjective will do, though. In “Homer the Heretic,” Mr. Simpson puts a toothpick through a stick of butter wrapped in burnt waffle batter and says (eyes open) “Mmmm, fattening.” This catchphrase is so versatile that sometimes Homer uses it for things that aren’t even edible. For instance, he daydreams about using some extra money to get a car wash and says “Mmmm, hotwax.” The deep contentment in this man of such simple needs is exquisitely encapsulated every time, and it never gets old.
4 Marge’s disapproving grumble
Voiced by Julie Kavner
Marge (Julie Kavner) dislikes many things that other members of the Simpson family do and say, but often not enough to take decisive action. In these cases, it’s likely that she’ll grumble to herself. In a way, this is the catchphrase of common sense, as Marge tends to be one of the very few voices of reason on the sitcom. She stands in for the viewer, who can also tell when Bart or Homer or whoever is going to do something stupid. Marge’s ability to cope with constant antics in a polite and nonjudgmental way is not only integral to her character but makes for a funny contrast to her surroundings.
In Season 5’s “Marge on the Lam,” Marge tells herself to say “something reassuring and noncommittal” to a friend who’s in trouble with the police, and chooses her patented grumble. It’s a cool self-aware moment that puts the nuance of Marge’s catchphrase into words, though her tone is usually more annoyed and disapproving. This grumble is so influential that Lisa sometimes does it, too, further displaying the mother-daughter bond they share.
3 Krusty’s Long Sigh
Voiced by Dan Castellaneta
Krusty the Clown’s best episodes demonstrate how he’s funniest when he says and does things that show his depravity. When faced with a problem, Krusty will often sigh with his hoarse, cigarette-plagued voice. For example, when he gets heartburn while onstage for the Little Miss Springfield pageant: “Ughhh, that brisket’s not sittin’ right.” Sometimes it comes out more like an “Ohhh,” but it’s the same effect—whether he just lost a big wager, or gets peed on by a monkey.
The best examples are when it’s less of a sigh and more of an outburst of great distress. In “Lisa’s First Word,” for instance, Krusty learns that he stands to lose 44 million dollars from his Krusty Burger Olympic Sweepstakes, letting out an “Ughhh” with much more force and regret than usual. The viewer (almost) understands why he angrily announces on air that he plans to spit in every 50th free burger. These moments show how Krusty’s sigh is key to his character, hysterically showing the realities of the performer when he’s not trying to play to an audience.
2 Smithers: “That’s Homer Simpson, sir. One of your [insults] from Sector 7G.”
Voiced by Harry Shearer
Mr. Burns always forgets who Homer Simpson is, and Waylon Smithers (Harry Shearer) is always there to remind him. Typically, the two are staring at a screen in Mr. Burns’s office, at which point Mr. Burns will point at Homer and ask who he is. Smithers usually replies, “That’s Homer Simpson, sir: one of your [insults] from Sector 7G.” Burns says, “Simpson, eh?” and then the long series of catchphrases is finally over. It’s one of the show’s funniest bits, and the best part arguably belongs to Smithers.
The put-down that Smithers uses to describe Homer changes every time, illustrating just how superior the two most powerful men at the power plant view themselves in comparison to their employees. A few great examples include Homer being called “one of your drones,” “carbon blobs,” “organ banks,” and “chair moisteners” from Sector 7G. Thanks to these dehumanizing metaphors, the legendary string of phrases between Mr. Burns and his sycophantic henchman never grows tiresome.
1 Homer: “D’oh!”
Voiced by Dan Castellaneta
Homer J. Simpson has several catchphrases, but the best is a word so iconic that the Oxford English Dictionary included it in 2001: “D’oh!” Homer often says it when something goes badly for him, or he suddenly realizes that he said or did something stupid. This makes the word convenient in a variety of contexts, as Homer can be expressing anger, self-pity, minor annoyance, and other emotions. Undoubtedly, it has helped cement him as one of the most iconic cartoon characters of all time.
One of the catchphrase’s best moments is when the Simpson clan does some spring-cleaning around the house in “Bart Gets an Elephant.” Homer calls the basement, and no one objects. The realization that he just made a mistake and his confusion about why is perfectly conveyed when he says to himself, “D’oh?” Another cool thing about the word is that it’s contagious: other Simpsons occasionally use it, too. Originally written in the script as “annoyed grunt,” “D’oh” was inspired by a similar exclamation by actor James Finlayson; and it still makes viewers crack up to this day.
This article was originally published on collider.com