Who doesn’t love a good TV series? Especially when the dialogue is impeccable, loaded with relatable, meaningful, or comedic lines, which just add a little extra to it. Some of these lines have a way of sticking with the viewer, ensuring that they remember them for the rest of their lives, often resulting in them bringing up the line whenever it is applicable online or in social circles. This works especially well if their friends or family are also fans of the series.
Quotable moments aren’t exclusive to any particular genre of television or film, nor are they exclusive to good TV, because even bad TV can have its “so-bad-it’s-good” moments that result in funny quotes. Even horror shows can be filled with great dialogue, from punchlines to morals, but either way, these horror shows, specifically, are the most quotable of their kind.
10
‘Goosebumps’ (1995–1998)
Most iconic quote: “I’ll be seeing you real soon… cousins.”
The original ’90s run of Goosebumps is an untapped goldmine full of quotes, but this likely wasn’t done on purpose. The series marketed itself as a horror show for kids, based on the book series by R. L. Stine. Being made in the ’90s and geared towards kids, this show was extremely cheesy, even for its time, bearing unintentionally hilarious moments masked as terrifying scares. It doesn’t matter which episode you watch; there’s just no more room for any more awkwardness in any of them.
One of the funniest moments is when, at the end of an episode, a boy is leaving his cousins’ house, only for his head to turn completely around like an owl before stating “I’ll be seeing you real soon… cousins.” There’s no way the showrunners wanted it to be as funny as it was, and this is just one example of moments like this. Every single episode has some real knee-slappers that really deserve the meme treatment, and one only has to check it out before they’ll be able to quote it on a daily basis.
9
‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’ (2015–2018)
Most iconic quote: “Everybody dies here, it’s just a rule: death, taxes, and more death… and I don’t pay taxes.”
The Evil Dead franchise of horror films has always dabbled in comedy and action right from the get-go. Sam Raimi’s original films had loads of highly quotable moments that are still in circulation decades later, including the famous line Ash (Bruce Campbell) uses in the third film, where he calls his trusty shotgun his “boomstick.” As such, Ash vs. Evil Dead, a continuation of the original story in a serial format, utilizes this same quirky sense of humor with a side of cheesy ’80s action hero.
Sure, it’s a story about the Necronomicon and demonic resurrection and zombies, but Raimi really knows how to keep a story packed with action and hilarity, which is evident in the writing. The many fantastic quotes this show produced helps keep it fresh, and is a nostalgic homage to the movies that came out decades earlier. Bruce Campbell certainly hasn’t lost touch with his character either, as he reprises his original role.
8
‘The X-Files’ (1993–2018)
Most iconic quote: “I’m old school, Mulder. Pre-Google.”
The X-Files had a pretty long run, and was brought back for a revival series not once, but twice, due to increasing public interest and a constant flow of positive reviews. The alien investigation series is largely about the chemistry between its two main characters, a duo of detectives that begin unraveling alien conspiracies and encountering some pretty creepy villains in their efforts.
Heck, the theme song of the show itself has received the meme treatment, and is commonly used as a reaction sound effect whenever something is mysterious or strange, thanks to its signature aura of intrigue. Even aside from its theme song, there’s a plethora of quotes to be found in the show, some funny, some insightful and meaningful, but all equally memorable. This has allowed The X-Files to earn its right as one of the all-time greats in the sci-fi genre.
7
‘Chucky’ (2021–2024)
Most iconic quote: “Hey kid, I’m gonna go kill your sister. Wanna come?
The Chucky TV series was birthed from a slasher series of films, each involving a murderous child’s doll with a mind of his own. The slasher franchise has since become the epitome of kitsch, with the doll constantly swearing its little head off and toying with his victims in often hilarious ways. The franchise has definitely evolved to accept itself as a sort of comedy aside from just a horror, bearing a lot of gallows humor and absurdist elements.
As with the film series, most of the series’ greatest punchlines come from Chucky (Brad Dourif) himself, as he is brutally abrasive and foul-mouthed. A perfect example is when he bluntly tells his owner, “Hey kid, I’m gonna go kill your sister. Wanna come?” He says it like he’s just going to pop down to the corner store or something, which is why it’s so brilliant, because it downplays the gravity of what he’s about to do. It’s lines like these that make this horror series a hilarious affair with a lot of easily quotable moments.
6
‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ (1997–2003)
Most iconic quote: “I may be dead, but I’m still pretty.”
Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an absolutely essential series of the late ’90s and early 2000s, which has amassed a huge following that still actively discusses it in internet circles. As is expected, the show is frequently referenced in a humorous context within these circles and forums, many of them making jokes from the show or using some of its deeper lines as sound life advice, even if it might sometimes be bad advice.
Buffy isn’t super chock-full of comedy, but it does have the occasional joke to keep things interesting, much in the same way that it has some emotionally devastating moments that leave deep scars that never really heal. For both of these extremes, Buffy has produced relatable and replicable quotes, some of which have become memes, and others which are just plain easy to reference in a variety of settings. It’s not just one of the most quotable horror shows, but one of the more quotable fantasy shows, too.
5
‘What We Do in the Shadows’ (2019–2024)
Most iconic quote: “F***ing guy!”
What We Do in the Shadows is a comedy horror show based on a 2014 movie of the same name. A pseudo-sequel to the film, the show revolves around four vampires living in present-day Staten Island, and how they go about their lives, resulting in a series of misadventures and absurd moments that are sure to tickle anyone’s funny bone. Each of the characters in the show seems to have their own catchphrases, a trope that almost always makes for quotable moments, no matter what show or movie they’re in.
Even aside from its catchphrases, many of the punchlines, acerbic humour, sarcasm, and dry wit are extremely amusing, and can easily be used in every day life. One doesn’t always need to be a fan to do it, either, as even devoid of context, these quotes are hilarious. There’s a bottomless well of quotes to be found in What We Do in the Shadows, which is part of why fans love and miss it so much.
- Release Date
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2019 – 2024
- Showrunner
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Paul Simms
- Directors
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Kyle Newacheck, Jason Woliner, Jackie van Beek
4
‘The Last of Us’ (2023–)
Most iconic quote: “You’d just come after her.”
The Last of Us is certainly not a comedy show. It is deeply serious in nature, dealing with a lot of heavy topics like loss, sacrifice, family, and some more cynical aspects of human nature like greed and selfishness. As such, most, if not all, of its many memorable quotes tend to be emotionally profound, usually bearing some sort of moral or commentary about life, family, or society as a whole. These quotes aren’t limited to just one character either, and are intended to be tearjerkers.
Perhaps one of the most famous quotes is what Joel (Pedro Pascal) says to Marlene (Merle Dandridge) when the latter begs Joel to let her live as he escapes the Fireflies with Ellie (Bella Ramsey). Joel considers, before saying, “You’d just come after her,” indicating how he knows Marlene is lying, how she isn’t worth letting live, and how much Joel has come to see Ellie as his own daughter, despite having no blood relations. Many other quotes from The Last of Us have stood the test of time as being brilliantly written, both in the show and in the video game upon which it was based.
3
‘The Walking Dead’ (2010–2022)
Most iconic quote: “Carl!”
The Walking Dead takes place in a zombie apocalypse, and really isn’t prone to comedic moments all that often. Many of the quotes that come out of it are either social commentaries or, like The Last of Us, emotionally profound, speaking to the overall narrative of the show and the original graphic novels it was based on. However, there is one repeated line in particular that has become an internet meme.
In particular, it’s about the way Rick (Andrew Lincoln) says Carl’s (Chandler Riggs) name. For some odd reason, it always sounds like Rick is saying “coral” rather than Carl, and this quickly became a recurring meme that was plastered all over the internet, usually accompanied by dad jokes. When this meme was at its height, there wasn’t a single person out there who wasn’t calling their friend Carl “coral” for a while, even if they had never seen the show before. Even aside from this ridiculous moment, though, there are still plenty of other memorable, profound quotes to be found throughout the show.
2
‘Supernatural’ (2005–2020)
Most iconic quote: “Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cakehole.”
Supernatural has a little bit of everything for everyone. It’s technically a horror in the sense that it tackles many creatures typically associated with the genre, such as ghosts, vampires, and werewolves, but it can easily be considered a fantasy, too. However, one of the main reasons it attracted such a huge following that allowed it to carry on for 15 years is its many moments of comedy, which are seamlessly integrated into the script.
There’s an endless amount of Supernatural memes out there, consisting of a wide variety of moments from each and every season and episode. Many of these moments of comedy are highly relatable and easily applicable to everyday life, which is why the show has become a popular source for reaction gifs and is easily referenced in social settings. While it’s not the single most quotable horror show ever made, it’s definitely up there.
1
‘Stranger Things’ (2016–2025)
Most iconic quote: “She’s our friend and she’s crazy!”
Stranger Things is the Netflix sci-fi thriller series that took the world by storm when it debuted in 2016. This series follows a group of kids in a sleepy little town in the ’80s who investigate a local boy’s disappearance, which leads them to conspiracies and, of course, aliens. These kids are a tight-knit group of friends, and throughout the series, audiences get to watch them and the actors who play them grow.
As friends are wont to do, they often goof around with each other, producing jokes, subtle jabs, and harmless pranks aimed at each other, making for some moments of light comic relief in what is otherwise a serious and dark narrative. With how huge this show has become and with how iconic its characters are, there’s no shortage of great quotes to be found in every single episode, and its ageless status means it’s likely to stay the most quotable horror show ever made.