The Dark One

The Dark One arrives in Futurama's sprawling universe as a name more than a presence, a figure whose title promises menace or mystery long before the show fills in specifics. Voiced by David Herman, he slots into the show's habit of tossing off oddball one-off characters with total conviction.

Futurama's genius has always been in throwaway names delivered with total deadpan commitment, and David Herman is one of the vocal cast's most reliable utility players, sliding into odd roles like this without ever winking at the audience. The joke is in the seriousness of the delivery against the absurdity of the title.