Even if some of us think local TV is past its heyday, we must also acknowledge that Mediacorp Chinese dramas have given us plenty of unforgettable lines in the past few decades.

The lines are memorable due to repeated use and have become cliches, but there's nothing like consistency to make these exchanges stick and be relied upon for practically any production.

Here are 13 perennial Channel 8 drama lines that get repeated so often they are hallmarks of our homegrown productions:

1. “你们要我走是吗？好，我走！”

("You want me to leave? Fine, I'll leave!")

The rest of the cast looks slightly guilty, but continue to eat their dinner while debating who should fetch the fuming character back.

2. “爹， 是我错了。。。是我对不起你！”

("Father, I was wrong... I've let you down!")

Followed by pleas of "please forgive me" and dramatic sobbing.

3. “不要再喝了！ 你已经醉了！”

“你别管我！让我喝！”

(Stop drinking! You're already drunk!"

"Don't stop me! Let me drink!")

We love that this scene is between two male leads, and not between a man and woman that ends in a drunken love making. Refreshing, really.

4. “不要再打他了！我叫你不要再打了！”

(Stop hitting him! I'm telling you to stop hitting him!"

Tugs my heartstrings (no sarcasm, please).

5. “我知道是我的错。 我没要求你原谅我。。。 我只要你知道真相。”

("I know I'm at fault. I don't expect you to forgive me...I only wanted you to know the truth.")

LIES. We all know you want to be forgiven. And we all know you'll be forgiven in the last episode.

6. “你没事吧?”

“我没事。”

“你不要骗我啦。”

“我都说没事吗！”

("Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Don't lie to me"-

"I already said I'm fine!"

MediaCorp did this (albeit in a less romanticised manner) before The Fault in our Stars made it a thing, ok? Ok.

7. “你别过来！要不然我就死给你看！”

("Don't come over! Or I'll kill myself right in front of you!"

Sometimes the character gets persuaded to climb off the ledge. Other times the character drops off the building by accident. Which will it be? Ah, the suspense.

8. “我一定是瞎了眼才会嫁给你！”

("I must have been blind to have married you!")

Fun fact: Marriage is the leading cause of divorces.

9. “你别冲动！有事慢慢商量！”

(Don't be hasty! We can discuss this over!")

We could, but that'll cost us one episode of drama.

10. “记得要定时吃药”

("Remember to take your medicine on time")

And so on and so forth. To be fair there are only so many ways you can ask someone to take their medicine, and MediaCorp has managed to come up with many variations.

11. 你为什么要救我？给我死掉算了！

("Why did you have to save me? You should have just let me die!")

The best of the best can look great on screen while contorting their faces convincingly.

12. “小玲， 你听我解释 － 事实不是你想像中那样的。”

("Xiao Ling, listen to my explanation - things are not what you imagine them to be.")

Of course they're not. Xiao Ling has pretty limited imagination, thanks to the script.

And the number one classic:

13. "站住！别跑！”

(Freeze! Stop running!)

*Antagonist freezes* *Antagonist caught and jailed* *Series ends*

Related articles:

Songs from Mediacorp Ch 8 shows we can still sing along to because they don’t make them like they used to

Channel 8 drama theme songs 1980s kids still have in their hearts

Top image adapted from Toggle

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