Top 20 TV Quotes Of The 2020s That Will Be Remembered

Television is a writer’s medium, and those writers tend to come up with unforgettable lines that audiences will be quoting for years. From Vision’s musing on the meaning of grief in WandaVision to Luthen Rael’s monologue about the sunrise he’ll never see in Andor, these are the best TV quotes of the 2020s so far.

20

“This Is The Way”

The Mandalorian

While it’s a fun space western following a bounty hunter’s intergalactic adventures, at its core, The Mandalorian is a show about creeds: why people take oaths, why they keep them, and when it’s okay to break them. The Mandalorian creed is summed up in one simple four-word phrase that’s since become a popular meme: “This is the way.”

19

“I Mean To Fight This War, And Win It.”

Rhaenyra Targaryen, House of the Dragon

As the central feud in House of the Dragon escalated, Rhaenyra Targaryen was initially hesitant to start a war. She was hoping to resolve the conflict without resorting to bloodshed on that scale. But when it became personal, she was all in on the war plans, and this simple but badass line encapsulates that righteous fury.

18

“THIS IS MUSIC!!!”

Eddie Munson, Stranger Things

When the ragtag demon-slaying squad of Stranger Things realized the key to defeating Vecna was in the power of music, they went looking for records. As Eddie Munson flips through his heavy metal tapes for some Metallica and Iron Maiden, Robin tells him, “We need music,” to which Eddie furiously replies, “THIS IS MUSIC!!!”

Everyone can relate to the frustration of having their niche musical tastes dismissed and disregarded by mainstream music fans. Eddie had a ton of great lines in Stranger Things season 4, but this one captures the character perfectly.

17

“HBO Basically Gave Me A Blank Check As Long As I Don’t Go Over Budget”

Nathan Fielder, The Rehearsal

Nathan Fielder is an unparalleled master of deadpan comedy, and even as he set out to improve cockpit communication and prevent plane crashes in The Rehearsal season 2, he got in some great dry one-liners. There’s been a lot of discussion about the seemingly unlimited budget that allowed Fielder’s imagination to run wild, and this contradictory quote satirizes that financial freedom.

16

“Put Your Pants On, Johnny, We Need To Talk”

Sofia Falcone, The Penguin

The scene in which Sofia Falcone massacred all her relatives with a toxic gas was both one of The Penguin’s darkest moments, but also one of its most empowering. These people treated her inhumanely, so revenge feels sweet. The casual way she wakes up the only survivor, Johnny Viti, just shows how nonchalant she is about killing her entire family.

15

“What Is Grief, If Not Love Persevering?”

Vision, WandaVision

Every now and then, Marvel Studios pulls a winner out of the bag. With WandaVision, Marvel managed to turn their superpowered homage to sitcom history into a heartfelt meditation on grief. Wanda dealt with her grief over Vision’s death by conjuring up a sitcom dad version in the mold of Rob Petrie or Ricky Ricardo, and he helped her confront that grief.

14

“Those Bowls Are Pricey, Huh?”

Dougie, The Curse

In the penultimate episode of The Curse, Dougie shows Asher and Whitney his first cut of their culturally sensitive property renovation show, Green Queen. It’s been edited in a way to empower Whitney and humiliate and belittle Asher, and Whit even forces Dougie to show Asher the even meaner stuff they’re going to cut out.

You could cut the tension in the room with a knife, and the audience’s discomfort off-screen is matched by Dougie’s discomfort on-screen. In arguably the show’s most hysterical moment, Dougie undercuts the awkwardness with an innocuous throwaway comment about pricey bowls.

13

“I Wear Suits Now”

Richie, The Bear

Richie’s transformation from an underestimated outsider to a table-service superstar has been one of The Bear’s most inspiring storylines to watch. Part of that transformation was to start wearing suits, because, as he puts it, it makes him feel better about himself. This throwaway line explaining his newfound proclivity for dressing up epitomizes the change he underwent while working at Ever.

12

“I Know What Kind Of God I Need To Be… For You… For All Of Us”

Loki

At the end of Loki’s season 2 finale, the titular God of Mischief makes the ultimate sacrifice. After finally making some friends, he realizes his own worst fear of ending up alone so he can wrangle the stray timelines and keep the multiverse alive. This line sets up his triumphant transformation into the God of Stories, one of the 2020s’ most epic TV scenes.

11

“I Got Into All Of This ‘Cause I Love Movies… Now, I Have This Fear That My Job Is To Ruin Them”

Matt Remick, The Studio

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s The Studio is a spot-on satire of the absurdity of the modern Hollywood film industry, but the key to its longevity is that it also makes you feel bad for studio head Matt Remick. He sums up the frustrations of his job perfectly in this line from the pilot: he loves the art of cinema, but now, he’s in charge of the bottom line.