Hermes Conrad

The rule-bound accountant who keeps the chaotic Planet Express company from collapsing under its own weight.

Hermes Conrad (voiced by Phil LaMarr) is a workaholic bureaucrat and the accountant at Planet Express. He is from Jamaica and speaks with a heavy accent. He manages the Planet Express delivery business with responsibilities that include paying bills, giving out legal waivers, and notifying next of kin.

Quick Facts

Role: Planet Express Accountant

Lore & Background

Hermes is very enthusiastic about the Limbo and was once an Olympic limbo athlete. An accident in the 2980 Olympic Games in which a fan broke his back trying to emulate Hermes left him traumatized, and he could not bring himself to limbo again until decades later when it was needed. The series also alludes to Hermes using cannabis, though he is never seen using it, partially due to prime-time television censorship standards at the time of Futurama's original run.

Hermes frequently admonishes the staff for not working hard enough, and strongly dislikes Zoidberg, often treating him as a "thing" and not a person. Zoidberg is generally oblivious to this, considering Hermes his friend, but upon learning the truth in "The Six Million Dollar Mon", he callously calls out Hermes for his treatment of him. Later episodes show them building an uneasy rapport, with Hermes slowly softening to Zoidberg. He is also known to dislike labor unions, once referring to Labor Day as created by "fat-cat union gangsters", though seconds later he exclaims "Hot damn, a day off!" upon learning that it was that very day, and consulting Glurmo about firing the entire crew and replacing them with Grunka-Lunkas for half the pay.

Reader's Guide

Hermes Conrad first appears in the pilot episode of Futurama as the Planet Express accountant. As a human male, he is characterized by his intense love for bureaucracy, rules, and order, often acting as the show's straight man amidst chaos. His personality is defined by a rigid adherence to regulations, which frequently puts him at odds with Fry's carefree nature. He possesses a signature catchphrase regarding 'rules' and often expresses frustration through nervous tics or shouting when procedures are violated.

His major character arc involves learning to loosen up and embrace the unpredictability of life while maintaining his core identity as a responsible provider. Throughout the series, Hermes navigates complex family dynamics with LaBarbara and their son, exploring themes of work-life balance. He occasionally faces moral dilemmas where his love for rules conflicts with doing what is right, often finding a middle ground that highlights his growth as a character.