We've Got Ourselves a Blank

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In gritty cop television shows the people are treated to a repetitive phrase uttered by two separate, yet equally gritty types of government officers: The police, who portray the bitterness of their depressing routine. And the medical examiners, who need to make it clear to the viewer that they are even more dulled down than the enforcing officers.

This is that stock phrase.

"Looks like we've got ourselves a... live one."

Dead one, overdose, psychopath, rape victim, kiddy-lover, serial killer, homicide, suicide, matricide, regicide, genocide, deicide, unclecide, puppycide, tropercide, pesticide, younameitcide.

This will usually be preceded by a cop waving around his torchlight until he spots something in the corner just out of the camera's view, so that he can stand there looking all filled with piss & vinegar. He will then shout something along the lines of "Lieutenant, you might wanna see this...". The officer in question will stroll up, take a quick look and deliver the appropriate version of the aforementioned cliché. Then it's on to the commercials.

Many variations to the standard theme exist, of course. With irate cops faced with the disbelief of their captains shouting "Look boss, we've got a psychopath on our hands here!", to medical personnel springing into action while doggedly remarking 'they've got themselves an overdose' there really seems to be no limit to what ends script-writers will go to use it.

As a side note, it is of course never pronounced the way normal people would. Anyone who has seen enough NY police drama shows knows that nobody in a lower government function talks normally over there. It should be pronounced: Lookslaw'gattasefsalaw'n

We've Got Ourselves a List of Examples

Music

• "Mercy sake's alive, looks like we got us a convoy." C. W. McCall's 1975 song "Convoy".

Western Animation

• Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius: "We've got ourselves a bogie."