I'll Take That as a Compliment

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.

Kind of between the Insult Backfire and Compliment Backfire, the reaction of smart people when addressed with an ambiguous compliment (which can be, often intentionally so, a genuine compliment and a backhanded one at the same time).

Examples of I'll Take That as a Compliment include:


Film

James Bond: You know I was just wondering what South America would look like if nobody gave a damn about coke or communism. It always impressed me the way you boys would carve this place up.
Felix Leiter: I'll take that as a compliment, coming from a Brit.

Sharpay Evans: When did you become... one of them?
Ryan Evans: You know, I'll take that as a compliment.

Piggy: Gee, you're the biggest cow I've ever saw!
Maggie: Well, if you're in charge, I'll take that as a compliment.

  • Amy

Bill Trendle: Jesus, lady, you're worse than my wife!
Tanya Rammus: I'll take that as a compliment.

  • Flash III: Deadly Nightshade

Dr. Desmond Powell: (wolf whistles)
Rebecca Frost: I'll take that as a compliment, you sexist pig.

Literature

  • In the third Ciaphas Cain book, Cain says that "there's only room for one lethally dangerous woman in [his] life". This is accompanied by a footnote from the book's in-universe editor, Cain's close personal friend Amberley Vail: "Which I decided to take as a compliment."

Live Action TV

Doctor: Blimey, you look beautiful...considering.
Rose: Considering what?
Doctor: That you're human.
Rose: I think that's a compliment...

Dalek Caan: You think like a Dalek.
Mr. Diagoras: I'll take that as a compliment.

Dr. Zimmerman: Well, the last beautiful woman to walk in here turned out to be him.
The Doctor: I'll take that as a compliment.

Dr. Phlox: My children all left the nest years ago, captain.
Archer: I would have never guessed. You don't look that old.
Dr. Phlox: I'll take that as a compliment.

    • "Azati Prime"

Ensign Travis Mayweather: (Instructing Archer in flying the Xindi shuttle) Good. You're starting to think like an Insectoid.
Captain Jonathan Archer: I'll take that as a compliment.

Vic: Once upon a time I was a pretty decent chef.
Debbie: 'Decent?' He was another Sara Lee!
Vic: I'll take that as the compliment I'm sure was intended.

Dave: Bill is certainly not John F. Kennedy.
Bill: I'll take that as a compliment, because if I was, I'd be dead now.

  • Holby City episode "Invasion"

Percy 'Abra' Durant: You're a fine surgeon, Mr Jordan. But you have the charm of a salt-encrusted slug.
Nick Jordan: I'll take that as a compliment.
Percy 'Abra' Durant: I knew you would.

Lady Grantham: You are quite wonderful the way you see room for improvement wherever you look. I never knew such reforming zeal.
Mrs Crawley: I take that as a compliment.
Lady Grantham: I must have said it wrong.

  • CSI episode "Fannysmackin' "

Greg: Sara...
Sara:I didn't think you could see me
Greg:I can't...I know that Sidle scent...
Sara:I'll take that as a compliment.

Strudwick: Dick, without your cowardice and courage we wouldn't be right back where we started!
Dick: Thank you, Strudwick, I'll take that as a compliment.
Strudwick: I meant it as an insult!
Dick: Too late, it's a compliment!

Tabletop Games

  • Dungeons and Dragons; in general, if you call a drow a traitor or betrayer, she will be flattered. Their society is hinged on this, and it's almost a certainty that a drow in a position of authority got there by double-crossing whoever previously held the post.

Video Games

Terra: Brother? At first glance, I thought he was some bodybuilder who had strayed from his gym...
Sabin: I'll take that as a compliment.

Squall: Typical dirty Chaos trick.
Kuja: I'll take that as a compliment.

FBI Agent Norman Jayden: Blake, you are an unbalanced, psychopathic asshole!
Lieutenant Carter Blake: I'll take that as a compliment.

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