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Eeeexcellent... Join us as we count down and rank every major character voiced by the legendary Harry Shearer on "The Simpsons!" From background fixtures to Springfield's most iconic faces, we're putting them all under the microscope. Which of Shearer's unforgettable voices reigns supreme? Let us know in the comments below!
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00:04Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're ranking all the major characters that Harry
00:09Shearer has played for over three decades on The Simpsons.
00:14I'll keep it short and sweet. Family. Religion. Friendship. These are the three demons you
00:20must slay if you wish to succeed in business.
00:2314. Scratchy Many fans might not even be aware that Harry
00:28Shearer voices this character, mainly because of how little he speaks.
00:37The hapless kitty largely functions as Itchy's perpetual punching bag, with every skit inevitably
00:43leading to a violent climax. The few times we do hear him speak usually involve Scratchy
00:48falling for one of Itchy's painfully obvious traps. For the most part, though, Shearer's
00:53role is to bring voice to Scratchy's many exaggerated screams, yelps, or howls of agony as we watch
01:00the poor cat bite in a wide assortment of brutal ways.
01:04You're beautiful. Oh, somebody's in love. That means you'll have to be neutered.
01:12No!
01:14Number 13. Eddie. We can't blame you for thinking Eddie was a silent character.
01:20Look, I didn't steal that copper wire. I just thought they were throwing it out. Here, take it.
01:25No, no, sir. We're here for your son. He's coming on a ride-along.
01:29Good for you. Maybe this will straighten a boy out.
01:31After all, this cop barely even opens his mouth, let alone speaks, often lingering in
01:36the background instead. His role mainly involves accompanying Chief Wiggum and Lou now, but there
01:41was a time when Harry Shearer did flex his vocal chords for the character. As the straight man to
01:46Wiggum and Lou's incompetence, his sensible remarks balanced out the pair's eccentricities. While Eddie
01:52doesn't go far when it comes to delivering memorable sound bites, he is familiar enough
01:57to be a regular fixture for The Simpsons' experience.
02:00I had an idea, Chief. Why don't we check out that suit Burns was wearing when he got shot?
02:05Did you have the same backwards-talking dream with the flaming cards?
02:08I'll drive.
02:09Number 12. Jasper Beardsley. The show wouldn't have its distinct identity without its equally distinct
02:15side characters. Among those to add a particular touch of color to The Simpsons' canvas is...
02:21Jasper Beardsley.
02:23Paddling the school canoe? You better believe that's a paddling.
02:28As one of Springfield's oldest residents, Jasper usually finds himself in bizarre predicaments.
02:34More than landing himself in any of these unfortunate situations, though, Jasper's comedy comes from
02:40his blasé attitude. Shearer adopts a thicker, lower register for the character, which goes perfectly with
02:47his continually unbothered behavior. Whether locking himself in a freezer or promising to deliver a
02:52paddling to students, Jasper's oddball mannerisms have made him a hit with audiences, even if he
02:58isn't seen quite as much.
03:00Is that you, Appu? Whoa! Time has ravaged your once-useful looks.
03:07Number 11. Kang Johnson. Always seen alongside Kodos, Kang is a staple of The Simpsons'
03:14Treehouse of Horror Halloween specials.
03:30The duo's ever-changing, confusing backstory and motives are always played for laughs, whether
03:36portrayed as siblings or an alien couple. Where Kodos is the more slapstick of the pair,
03:42Kang takes on the role of the dry, deadpan source of comedy. From trivializing preparing the family
03:47for dinner to calmly announcing plans for subjugating humanity, Kang makes everything sound
03:53like part of a casual conversation. Much of the humor comes from Harry Shearer's pairing with Dan
03:58Castellaneta's Kodos. It's true. We are aliens. But what are you going to do about it? It's a two-party
04:06system.
04:06You have to vote for one of us. You're right. This is a two-party system.
04:11Well, I believe I'll vote for a third-party candidate. Go ahead. Throw your vote away.
04:18Their chemistry turns even these two bizarre extraterrestrials into a consistently entertaining
04:24Halloween highlight. Number 10, Dr. Julius Hibbert. Springfield's resident physician is always on
04:31call to deliver one of his unhelpful anecdotes. Dr. Hibbert's trademark incompetence and professional
04:37detachment usually turns serious medical situations into dark comedy. Your brain is cushioned by a layer
04:43of fluid one-eighth of an inch thicker than normal. It's almost as if you're wearing a football helmet
04:48inside your own head. Why, I could wallop you all day with this surgical two-by-four without ever
04:52knocking you down. But I have other appointments. Although rarely part of any major storylines,
04:59Dr. Hibbert's charm comes from popping when least expected. His signature chuckle bookends
05:04every scene, right after delivering bad news with casual nonchalance. Shearer brought a memorable edge
05:10to a character who could otherwise have been forgettable, much like Judge Schneider. Another
05:15recurring character by Shearer, Dr. Hibbert's voice acting duties have since been handed over to
05:20Kevin Michael Richardson. As your doctor, I am deeply concerned by your behavior.
05:25I left you a message regarding your- Not now, doc. I've got to change the world.
05:30Number nine, Kent Brockman. This just in. A satire on certain media's tendency to sensationalize and
05:37inflate every current event, Kent Brockman is Springfield's resident TV personality.
05:42So what's the answer? Ban all music? In this reporter's opinion, the answer, sadly, is yes.
05:48With little regard for facts or nuance, it's all about the ratings where the news anchor is
05:53concerned. From his irresponsibly splurging lifestyle to his Botox-enhanced features,
05:58the show also parodies celebrity excess through Brockman's outlandish behind-the-scenes reveals.
06:03His frequent on-air meltdowns and over-the-top rants are equally entertaining, as Brockman's
06:08true personality bursts out in the ugliest and funniest ways. At the risk of editorializing,
06:14these women are guilty and must be dealt with in a harsh and brutal fashion. Otherwise,
06:19their behavior could incite other women, leading to anarchy of biblical proportions.
06:24It's in Revelations, people!
06:29Shearer adopts the stereotypical, booming newscaster voice for the character,
06:33as Brockman thrives on both stretching out the truth and his time on screen.
06:38Number eight, Lenny Leonard. As one of Homer's co-workers and regular drinking buddies,
06:44known for his laid-back demeanor and easy-going personality.
06:47Hey, Homer, what'd you do, get a haircut or something?
06:49Look closer, Lenny!
06:52Oh, I know what it is, you're the biggest man in the world now! And you're covered in gold!
06:5714-tarot gold!
06:59More specifically, he's defined by his odd-couple friendship with Karl Karlsson,
07:04with the pair rarely ever seen without the other's company. Lenny's humor comes from his knack for
07:08putting his foot in his own mouth, usually blurting out the wrong thing at the worst time. Of course,
07:13there's also the running gag of him getting things in his eye, no matter how mild or random they are.
07:23Unlike most of his other characters, Harry Shearer uses a slightly higher cracked vocal delivery for
07:29Lenny, giving him his trademark whiny voice that fans know and love.
07:34Number seven, Reverend Lovejoy. Working as a perfect contrast to the ever-enthusiastic Ned Flanders,
07:41and the bane of his existence, Reverend Lovejoy might be the ultimate cynic.
07:46Marge, you are a real time-saver. Do you know, thanks to you, I've rediscovered a form of shame that's
07:51gone unused for 700 years?
07:54He may be the local minister, but don't expect any wisdom or words of advice. As the Reverend himself claims,
08:00he simply stopped caring in the 80s, and people just stopped noticing.
08:04With Flanders always calling with one mundane emergency after another, Reverend Lovejoy's dry
08:09hello, Ned ended up becoming his catchphrase. Shearer plays him with as much pent-up frustration as
08:15possible, his voice layered with quiet irritation under every line.
08:19Look at that, right on Ned's lawn. Now how could you do such a thing?
08:23Good boy, don't stop now. Bad dog, I condemn you to hell.
08:27Better get the old snow shovel back from Homer, huh?
08:31Good boy, don't stop the music. That might sound pretty bleak on paper,
08:35but from the Simpsons' lens, it just becomes another ingredient for comedy.
08:41Number six, Otto Mann. The Springfield Elementary bus driver is the perfect definition of an ultimate
08:47underachiever. Otto, I think you should get a job. Look, the only thing I was ever good at was driving
08:52a bus. Now the man says I need a piece of paper to do that. So get that piece of
08:57paper. I tried,
08:59oh lord, how I did try.
09:02Less inclined to apply himself and more just to rock out, asking Otto to take life seriously is
09:09an exercise in futility. Still, his incredible chill vibes and mannerisms have their own charm,
09:15and it's not hard to get dragged into the same kind of mentality. Although he's a throwback to simpler
09:20times, Otto's love for things like cassette tapes and Game Boys prove his tendency to live in the past.
09:26While Harry Shearer can usually be singled out among his other characters,
09:30many fans might be surprised to learn that Otto's slacker drawl belongs to the same voice box.
09:38Number five, Rainier Wolfcastle aka McBain. As the show premiered smack dab during the height of
09:45Arnold Schwarzenegger's Prime, it only made sense that Springfield got an Arnie of their own.
09:50From here they appear to be tied, but I will go in for a closer look.
09:56Taxi! To the airport!
10:01On closer inspection, these are loafers.
10:05Turning up the actor's signature mannerisms up to eleven, McBain is pure meme material. While pop
10:12culture may have moved away from the machismo that the character originated from, McBain remains
10:16hilariously frozen in time, and yet his outdated bravado provides just about the same gags as he
10:23did when he was first introduced. Up and at'em. Up and at'em. Up and at'em. Up and
10:30at'em. Up and at'em.
10:34Better. Shearer clearly has his fun mimicking the Terminator star, delivering everything from absurd
10:40one-liners to hilarious non-sequiturs. Number four, Seymour Skinner. It just wouldn't be the
10:48Simpsons if we didn't have the principal of Springfield Elementary. What is happening in there?
10:52Aurora Borealis? Aurora Borealis. At this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country,
11:01localized entirely within your kitchen. Yes. May I see it? No. From his never-ending rivalry,
11:10with Bart to his awkward love life, his constant fear of Superintendent Chalmers, and his undying
11:16devotion toward his toxic mother, Seymour Skinner has a lot on his plate. And with a bumbling and
11:21incompetent personality to boot, Skinner remains treated like a doormat with no way around. Still,
11:28his harmlessness is why we love him, as his habitual attempts to keep all parts of his life intact make
11:33up the character's humor. Harry Shearer's brilliance lies in playing Skinner like someone who believes
11:52he's the voice of reason, never realizing how his own quirks reveal just how eccentric he really is.
11:58Number 3. Waylon Smithers. As weird as it might be to hear, but the actor that Harry Shearer has
12:05shared the greatest chemistry with is himself. As both Smithers and Mr. Burns, Shearer creates a
12:12dynamic where one character remains hopelessly in love with another, who couldn't care less.
12:32For Smithers, Shearer adopts a soft, polite tone of voice to convey the character's affable and
12:38unassertive personality. For the most part, the comedy comes from watching Smithers crash and burn
12:43as he tries to win Mr. Burns' favor. Smithers? What's the meaning of this slacking off?
12:48There's a bee in my eye, sir. And? I'm allergic to bee stings. They cause me to, uh, die.
12:57Despite constant pratfalls and embarrassing mishaps, Smithers' enduring devotion toward his boss might be
13:03one of the most strangely wholesome hallmarks of the show. Number 2. Ned Flanders.
13:09Let's face it. We all have a Ned Flanders in our own lives. That one person who's always friendly
13:16and well-meaning, yet can't help but get on your nerves. Can you believe it? It almost seemed like
13:22those folks were making fun of old Steady Nettie. Well, you may be a bit cautious, but what's wrong
13:27with that? Some people like chunky peanut butter, some like smooth. Mm-hmm. And some people just steer
13:33clear of that whole hornet's nest. When it comes to portraying true-to-life mannerisms,
13:37Harry Shearer never does it any better than Flanders. He may be the nicest guy in Springfield,
13:43yet his lack of social filter, unwavering positivity, and rigid lifestyle make him the
13:48perfect foil to characters like Homer. Whether lecturing people with his beliefs or greeting
13:53everyone with his signature howdily-doodleys, there's no escaping Flanders. However, Shearer has
14:00also brought incredible depth to the character, playing Ned's vulnerable moments with a palpable sense of
14:06warmth and emotion, giving the Simpsons' neighbors remarkable layers beyond his happy-go-lucky facade.
14:11Boy, Grandma! We're not going anywhere. But you said… Sometimes to keep from hurting someone's
14:17feelings, but you have to say things that aren't exactly… Lies made baby Jesus cry.
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14:401. Mr. Burns
14:43Who else but Charles Montgomery Burns himself? The tyrannical owner of the Springfield nuclear
14:49power plant basically functions as the show's main villain.
14:52Ooh, their flower powers! It's no match for my glower power!
14:58But far from making him any kind of detestable, Harry Shearer's breakout character is among The Simpsons'
15:03most iconic. His sinister voice and cadence are so hard to pull off that, according to Shearer,
15:10playing Burns requires him to drink tea and honey to smooth out his vocal cords.
15:14Not that Shearer's complaining, though, as the actor considers Mr. Burns his favorite character,
15:19because he is pure evil. Along with unanimous praise from fans for decades,
15:24Burns also won Shearer the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Character Voice Over Performance.
15:28If I should slip something into your pocket, what's the harm?
15:32Oh my god, he is coming under me.
15:35After all, negotiations make strange pedfellows.
15:40And to this, what else can we say but excellent? Which Harry Shearer character do you love the most?
15:48Let us know in the comments.
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