Long John Longjohns

A minor figure glimpsed in the sprawl of Futurama's background gags, Long John Longjohns arrives as exactly what the pun promises: a character built entirely around his own name. He turns up, delivers his moment, and lets the joke do the work, never asking to be more than a passing bit of nonsense.

The pleasure here is Maurice LaMarche's range showing through even in a throwaway role — his voice work gives a one-note pun character real comic shape and timing. Futurama's genius was always this generosity toward its margins, and Longjohns is a tiny, satisfying example of a show that never wastes an opportunity for a good name.