Mr Burns has been a central figure in The Simpsons since the animated series began in 1989, voiced in English by Harry Shearer as the greedy owner of Springfield's nuclear plant. His drawn-out excellent, often delivered while steepling his fingers, became one of the show's most imitated catchphrases. The Spanish-language excelente version circulates widely as a short reaction clip, shared in memes, edits and messaging chats whenever a cunning plan succeeds. Its brevity and instantly familiar villainous tone have kept it in regular use long after its original episodes aired.