The Simpsons: 10 Greatest One-Time Characters
1. Hank Scorpio
The Episode: "You Only Move Twice" (Season 8, Episode 2)
The Voice Actor: Albert Brooks
As the insanely catchy Goldfinger-inspired song that plays over the end credits of this near-perfect episode informs us: "Scorpio! He'll sting you with his dreams of power and wealth!" When said sting is so darn hilarious, though, it's really hard to care!
"You Only Move Twice," a classic Simpsons episode if ever there was one, sees the Simpsons uprooting from their home turf to move to Cypress Creek, where Homer takes a job under the relentlessly charming Hank Scorpio. He's a Silicon Valley-type who also happens to be a crazed supervillain in the James Bond vein.
Scorpio might be bent on world domination, but he's also the world's coolest boss, and it's hilarious watching him interact with Homer. The sad joke here, of course, is that Homer really gets on with Scorpio and is finally appreciated at work, but his family are unhappy in Cypress Creek, so they have to move back to Springfield.
Albert Brooks has voiced a number of Simpsons characters, but it's here that he really shines, offering a flawless vocal performance that feels inexplicably linked to the character on-screen, whilst retaining an improvised edge. It's no wonder that, when probed for best "one-time" Simpsons character, most people think of Scorpio!