Category: Television

“I hope that either all of us or none of us are judged by the actions of our weakest moment. But rather by the strength we show when and if we’re ever given a second chance.”

From: Ted Lasso

Genre: Television

Who said it?: Ted Lasso

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote from Apple TV comedy-drama show Ted Lasso. The show focuses on the titular character, an American football coach, getting hired to coach a European fulbol/soccer team. Although he knows nothing about fulbol/soccer, Ted Lasso manages to endear him to the entire team thanks to his optimism and folksy wisdom.

The quote comes from the 11th episode of the 3rd season, Mom City. Ted Lasso (played by Jason Sudeikis) tries to convince his assistant coach, Coach Beard (played by Brendan Hunt) to forgive Nathan “Nate” Shelly. Coach Beard is hesitant as Nate backstab Ted and the entire team. This is when Ted shows Coach Beard the security footage of how Nate, even after destroying their “Believe” sign, still was nice enough to allow the team to celebrate. Ted then delivers the quote to Coach Beard as a way to remind him of his own past.

Geek wisdom: Everyone deserves a second change to redeem themselves. We all make mistakes and it does seem unfair that most people will only think of the bad things we have done and not the good. If someone is trying to do better, we should encourage them to do so and not putting them in a box for whatever wrongs they have done.

“The choices are yours and yours alone!”

From: Legends of the Hidden Temple

Genre: Television

Who said it?: Olmec

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the Nickelodeon show, Legends of the Hidden Temple. Essentially a kid’s game show akin to shows like American Gladiators and Takeshi’s Castle, Legends of the Hidden Temple has the contestants perform games in order to win the chance to trek through the aforementioned Hidden Temple.

The quote is actually kind of a catchphrase of Olmec (voiced by Dee Bradley Baker), the stone face affixed to the Hidden Temple. Before the final game, the Temple Run, Olmec tells the contestants of the paths they can take through the Hidden Temple. He then gives them the option regarding which path to use via the quote.

Geek wisdom:  We all make are own decisions. While we may be given options and we also may be given suggestions on what to do, we ultimately are the ones which path to take in life.

“Is you taking notes on a criminal fucking conspiracy?”

From: The Wire

Genre: Television

Who said it?: Stringer Bell

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote from the HBO crime drama series, The Wire. The show features an ensemble cast and each season is a deep dive into how crime and the criminal underworld affects society as a whole.

This week’s quote comes from the season 3 episode entitled “Straight and True.” Stringer Bell (played by Idris Elba) holds the first meeting of the New Day Co-Op, which assembles the drug dealing gangs of the neighborhood in order to minimize gang fighting. After the meeting, Bell notices Shamrock recording what was said during the meeting and admonishes him by delivering the quote.

Geek wisdom: Things that are supposed to be kept secret should be kept secret.

“Men: We Don’t Know What We Did”

From: Family Guy

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who Said It?: Jingle singers?

The Story Behind The Quote: This week’s quote comes from the Fox animated sitcom, Family Guy. Created by Seth MacFarlaine, Family Guy revolves around the Griffin family, usually around Peter Griffin, the patriarch and the titular “family guy” of the show. One of the main features of the show is the use of non-sequitur cutaway gags sprinkled throughout the episode.

This week’s quote does come from a cutaway gag shown in the Season 9 episode entitled “Brothers and Sisters.” It shows a teenage girl walking up to a boy and asking him if he’ll be going to class. When the boy says he will be, the girl runs off in tears and jumps out a window. Her friend then tells the boy how awful he is while the boy is clueless as to what happened. This is when the narrator chimes in and a jingle plays with the quote in question.

Geek Wisdom: Communication is always key. We cannot read minds so, if we do something wrong, we can only make corrections if someone can explain what we did. This goes for both men and women, by the way.

“I have enjoyed parts of our time together.”

From: Parks and Recreation

Genre: Television

Who said it?: Ron Swanson

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote from the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. The show generally revolves around the small town of Pawnee, Indiana. Specifically, the tiny Parks Department, led by Leslie Knope (played by Amy Poehler), of the town.

The quote comes from the episode entitled “Ann and Chris,” which has Ann Perkins (played by Rashida Jones) and Chris Traeger (played by Rob Lowe) leaving the town. Leslie throws the two a farewell party and, as Ann receives well-wishes from everyone. She then talks to Ron Swanson (played by Nick Offerman) who delivers the quote, making Ann break down in tears from the sentiment.

Geek wisdom: No relationship is perfect. We will all have our ups and downs and we will share good and bad times together. Still, we have to focus on the good times while remembering the bad as it’s this mixture of both experiences which bonds people together.

“I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It’s not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love.”

From: A Charlie Brown Christmas

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who said it?: Linus Van Pelt

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from A Charlie Brown Christmas. Based on the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Shultz, this classic cartoon Christmas special focuses on Charlie Brown trying to deal with his feelings of depression despite it supposed to be the happiest time of the year.

The quote comes near the end of the special. Charlie Brown tries to decorate the skinny tree he got but, because of how heavy the ornament is, the tree bends. Charlie Brown walks away, thinking he killed the tree. The rest of the Peanuts gang then gather around the tree, with Linus Van Pelt looking at the tree and delivering the quote before the group starts decorating the tree themselves.

Geek wisdom: Sometimes, even the most difficult people just need a little bit of love and care in order for them to do better. You may just need to put a little more effort in people in general instead of just giving up on them.

“Geoffrey, break out Lucille.”

From: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Genre: Television

Who said it?: Uncle Phil

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the 90’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show is all about Will Smith (played by Will Smith) who, when a couple of guys, who were up to no good, started making trouble in his neighborhood, got into one little fight. Because of this, his mom got scared and told Will he was moving in with auntie and uncle in Bel-Air.

The quote comes from the from the 22nd episode of the 1st season, Banks Shot. After losing his Uncle Phil’s car in a bet, Uncle Phil (played by James Avery) and Geoffrey, the family butler and played by Joseph Marcell, go to the pool hall where Will lost the bet. It looks like Uncle Phil gets goaded into making another bet for more money, which he loses. When Uncle Phil hesitantly tries to make another bet to both get the car as well as more money, the hustlers agree. This in when Uncle Phil delivers the quote, showing he is actually more than just good at playing pool.

Geek wisdom: Never judge a book by its cover. Nor should you judge a person by their appearance. You never know their history so you should never underestimate their abilities and skills.

“We have to go back!”

From: Lost

Genre: Television

Who said it?: Jack Shepard

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the sci-fi drama Lost. Released in 2004, the show deals with the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 who crash landed on a mysterious island that seems to have some kind of mystical powers.

The quote comes from the Season 3 Finale episode, entitled “Through the Looking Glass.” In one of the show’s big twists, it turns out that, instead of the usual flashbacks you see throughout the previous seasons, what the viewers have been seeing regarding Jack Shepard (played by Matthew Fox) was a flashforward, a glimpse of how his life has become very miserable after actually making it off the island. Jack meets up with Kate Austen (played by Evangeline Lilly) and Jack proclaims they weren’t supposed to escape, delivering the quote.

Geek wisdom: Sometimes, we will desire to go back to a time when things were better or, at the very least, better than your present circumstances. However, we can never go back. All we can do is more forward and deal with the hand we were dealt with. We have to make the most of what we have right now.

“I can see! I CAN FIGHT!”

From: The Fairly Oddparents

Genre: Television, Cartoons

Who said it?: King Arthur Liebowitz

The story behind the quote: This week’s quote comes from the Nickelodeon animated series, The Fairly Oddparents. The show features Timmy Turner who gets into various adventures because he has two fairy godparents, Wanda and Cosmo, who can grant his every wish. And these wishes usually backfires, leading to Timmy to un-wish whatever it was to return everything to its status quo.

The quote comes from the episode entitled “Knightly Knight“. Timmy wishes to be transported to the actual Camelot and he encounters Arthur Liebowitz while saving his parents from being eaten by a dragon. Thinking Arthur would be happier to look at his impending doom, Timmy gives him his father’s glasses. This corrects Arthur Liebowitz’s vision and gives him the constitution to fight as he exclaims the quote.

Geek wisdom: A change in one aspect of someone’s life can lead to even more changes in that life. You learn one simple skill and this enables you to learn a more complex skill. Small steps can lead to bigger steps.

“Don’t take life too seriously. You’ll never get out of it alive.”

From: Looney Tunes

Genre: Cartoons, Television

Who said it?: Bugs Bunny

The story behind the quote: We think of Wile E. Coyote as the main antagonist of the Road Runner. We also think of him as someone that cannot talk (being a coyote and all). However, Wile E. Coyote actually didn’t just chase after very fast birds. He also has a taste for rabbits as well as he has chased Bugs Bunny on several occasions. Oh, and he’s very articulate as well.

This week’s quote comes the Looney Tunes short, Rabbit’s Feat. As per their other outings, Wile E. Coyote tries to outsmart Bugs Bunny throughout the cartoon. However, their last encounter, which involves tricking the carnivore into jumping into a rabbit hole with an explosive, has Wile E. Coyote finally quit. This is when Bugs Bunny delivers the quote. 

Geek wisdom: Life is very short so don’t forget to sneak in some fun here and there.