Despite the fact that The Simpsons was based around one single family, the ever-expanding universe has given us some fantastic supporting characters and obscure, one-shot episodes. We've scoured through the best episodes of The Simpsons and come back with a frankly huge list of our favourite obscure characters.
5. HANK SCORPIO
Everybody wishes they had a boss like Hank Scorpio. Not only did his company sound amazing - GlobeX, come on! - he also had a fantastic beard, ran marathons and didn't like French people. Who wouldn't want to work for that man? Turning up for just one single episode and voiced by comedy veteran Al Brooks, Hank Scorpio had some of the best one-liners we've ever heard. Bonus trivia question! Where was the hammock district in Scorpio's town? And what was the name of the town itself? Answers on a postcard, please.
4. SUPERINTENDENT CHALMERS
Super Nintendo Chalmers was the perennial thorn in Principal Skinner's side. Constantly turning up at the wrong moment and announcing his presence with his trademark "SKKKINNNNEEER!", the chemistry between Skinner and Chalmers even spawned its own mini-episode involving steamed hams and a burning kitchen. "Aurora Borealis? At this time of year? At this time of the day? In this part of the country, localised entirely within your kitchen?! --Yes. May I see it? -- No."
3. REX BANNER
Much like Hank Scorpio, Rex Banner was a one-episode character that was chock full of classic lines. One of the few better episodes from the later seasons, Rex Banner was sent in to Springfield after the town had voted in favour of prohibition. Banner himself looks like he was taken from 1920's Chicago and placed into The Simpsons. The episode itself even had a newsreel narrator with some fantastic lines. 'Dateline: Springfield. The elusive beer baron continues to thumb his nose at the authorities. Swaggering about in a garish new hat, he seemed to say, Look at me, Rex Banner! I have a new hat!'
2. DR. NICK RIVERIA
Hi, everybody!
1. BIRCHABALD T. BARLOW
Based on US political Republican pundit Rush Limbaugh, Birch Barlow turns up for one episode to act as a campaign advisor to Sideshow Bob Tewilliger and as a radio personality, a lot like his real-life counterpart. The character of Sideshow Bob was voiced by Kelsey Grammer, himself a noted Republican. Birch Barlow shows, amongst other things, just how close The Simpsons cleaved towards satire and just how clever their jokes were.