The Most Memorable TV Lines From Our Favorite Black TV Shows

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To a television writer/creator, nothing beats hearing your written words come to life through a gifted and talented actor. When that actor carries your words to new heights, creating ad-libs on the fly and adding depth and charm to their character, it’s icing on the cake. That collaborative, creative TV magic translates to viewers at home who, thanks to that process, remember and repeat story lines, dialogue and specific details of their favorite shows like nobody’s business, and for years to come. From simple salutations to catchphrases and hilarious or heartfelt moments, here are some of the most famous lines from the following beloved TV shows.

Martin

Any fan of Martin knows the line “Damn, Gina!” and probably uses it in everyday parlance, just ‘cause.

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Martin – Take 2

You didn’t think we’d stop there, did you? Another favorite Martin reference comes to us courtesy of Bruh-Man from the fifth floor. He’d always appear at the most inopportune times and when Martin asked Bruh-Man what he was doing, his answer was always, “Nothing. Just chillin’.”

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Will tried to help Ashley ward off a school bully by teaching her how to feign a tick while screaming, “Back up! Back up! Mind your business, that’s all! Just mind your business!” And the rest, as they say, is history.

Good Times

After the death of her husband James, Florida tries to keep things together, but the grief is too much to bear. While cleaning up in the kitchen, she throws a punch bowl on the ground and screams out, “Damn, damn, damn!” Second to James’s “Dyn-o-mite,” that’s easily the show’s most famous line.

Diff’rent Strokes

“What you talkin’ bout, Willis?” is arguably one of the most famous lines in television history, uttered by none other than Arnold, played by the late Gary Coleman.

Family Matters

Steve Urkel started out as a minor character on Family Matters but he stole the show with his squeaky voice, nerdy attire and uncanny penchant for annoying the heck out of the Winslows. Oh, and his unforgettable line, “Did I do that?”

A Different World

She plays Ruby on Black-ish now but when she was on A Different World, Jenifer Lewis’s character Dean Davenport never failed to write a supposedly disobedient student’s name down on her ever-present clipboard. She practically lived to say, “You’re on my list!”

Sister, Sister

Roger must have learned a thing or two from Steve Urkel. That’s why Tia and Tamera always gave him the boot by yelling: “Go home, Roger!”

Sanford and Son

Only Fred Sanford would fake a heart attack…over and over again. He sealed the deal by clenching his chest and calling out to his late wife, “I’m coming, Elizabeth!”

In Living Color

Full of sketch comedy gold, In Living Color birthed so many memorable characters and lines of dialogue. One of our faves? Homey D. Clown’s catchphrase, “Homey don’t play that!”

Image: YouTube

In Living Color – Take 2

When Jamie Foxx joined the In Living Color cast, his crazy Wanda character stole the show with her catchphrase, “I’ll rock your world.”

Chappelle’s Show

“I’m Rick James, b—ch!” will forever be equated with comedian Dave Chappelle. But the real Rick James said it first, of course.

The Parkers

There are two lines we will forever associate with Nikki Parker and her daughter, Kim: “Hey, professor!” and “Dang, Mama!”

Kenan & Kel

Kel couldn’t contain his passion for a certain drink. He’d always break out into song and dance when he asked himself, “Who loves orange soda?”