Hello! Justin here and welcome to the Otaku Mind. So. . .King of Hill. What can I say about King of Hill? Well, it’s my all-time favorite animated sitcoms. Created by Mike Judge in 1997, King of Hill aired on Fox and served as one of the building blocks for their Sunday night program. The show primarily focuses on Hank Hill, his family, and friends, and their day to day lives in Arlen, Texas. The show ran for 13 seasons and had a grand total of 259 episodes. King of the Hill was one of those shows that a lot of people watched but didn’t appreciate it until after it was done airing or when they got older. I should know, I was one of those people. Unlike Fox’s other animated shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy, and American Dad which aired around the same time, King of the Hill was different. It didn’t have over the top stories or situations, it dealt with real world dilemmas and situations. Hank wasn’t your stupid, selfish or ignorant dad who always learned his lesson at the end of each episode, he was an honest and hard working conservative who loved his family, propane, and his truck. He had his faults such as having a hard time expressing his feelings and being set in his ways but overall he was a good husband and dad. In fact, Hank is one of the best TV dads out there. The humor was like a slow burn. While it had its laugh out loud moments, the humor required you to pay close attention and catch the jokes. It was normal to watch an episode when you were young only to come back and watch it again as an adult and get the jokes. With the reboot set to come out in August, I figured I talk about this show. Normally, I would do a top 11 naming my favorite episodes, but honestly, I really don’t have a favorite episode of King of the Hill. It’s like The Simpsons and South Park, there’s just so many great episodes that it’s hard for me to pick my favorites and rank them. So instead, I’m going to talk about my favorite episodes and the ones I recommend to everyone. Side note, this list goes in no particular order. I’m Justin and these are my favorite King of the Hill episodes.
Now Who’s the Dummy?
Let’s start off with a funny one and a personal favorite of mine. When Bobby starts taking up ventriloquism he uses it as an opportunity to bond with Hank. He creates Skip, a sports-loving dummy who Hank takes an interest in. At first, things seem to be going well as Bobby and Hank are hanging out, but Hank soon becomes more interested in Skip than he does Bobby. On the one hand, this is a testament to Bobby’s talents and abilities. The mark of a good ventriloquist is when they can create a character so real that everyone forgets it’s a dummy. On the other hand, you feel bad for Bobby. It’s no secret that he and Hank have a hard time finding common ground with each other so to see them bond with each other was nice if only for a short while. The episode does end on a good note with Hank making a new dummy for Bobby and showing that even though he doesn’t understand Bobby entirely, he still loves him and will always be in his corner. While all of that is good, the real comedy of the episode comes from Dale who is afraid of dummies and freaks out every time he sees them. He even puts a hit out on Skip and eventually destroys him leading to one of my favorite moments from the show (https://youtu.be/YoPk5zewDz8?si=zGVgL5C7uewJMa27) and giving us the best end credit sequence (https://youtu.be/HsVxNDaQCVU?si=iHdA7I6FBYMq7Vo0). While there are better episodes out there, this one remains a personal favorite of mine.
Plastic White Female
The final episode of the first season. While the first few episodes were a little wonky, they were still funny and started to find their grove near the end of the season and this episode in my opinion is the best from that season. When Joseph says he’s going to have his first boys and girls party, Bobby panics as he’s not used to being around girls. In order to get ready for the party, he starts to practice on Luanne’s model head from beauty school. He talks to it, practices kissing it, and develops confidence. When Peggy catches Bobby kissing the doll, she and Hank freak out and misinterpret what he’s doing with it. Leading to all sorts of funny and awkward moments through the rest of the episode. Rather than just out right talk to him about what’s going on, Hank and Peggy are too uncomfortable and close-minded and take drastic measures. You do relate to Bobby in this episode. I had a tough time engaging girls around that age as well. He’s not in love with the head nor any romantic interest in it. He’s just using it as a crutch to build confidence for when he engages the opposite sex. The episode is relatable, funny, and ends the season on a bold note while setting up a future relationship down the line.
Pretty, Pretty Dresses
There’s been a number of episodes centered around Bill. Often the butt of every joke, Bill serves as a prime example of someone’s life falling apart and being unable to fix the shattered pieces. It’s the Christmas season in Arlen and everyone is excited for the holiday except Bill. Not wanting to spend another holiday alone, Bill tries to commit suicide only to fail. Everyone decides to keep an eye on Bill where they see he’s waiting for the day Lanore will come back to him. After Hank gives Bill some tough love and shows him how disillusioned he is, Bill finally breaks and starts dressing up as a woman. He’s decided that if he can’t be with Lanore then he’ll become her. When he goes to a party dressed as her and gets mocked for it (it’s Texas in the 90s, what did you expect?) it’s Hank who comes to his rescue and helps him return to normal by giving him closure. It’s a sad and hard-hitting episode as it shows Bill was never able to get over the failure of his marriage and didn’t know how to seek help in dealing with it. This episode serves as a stern reminder not to live in the past and to seek help if you’re having a hard time moving on from it.
Lupe’s Revenge
While I may not have a favorite episode in King of Hill, I will admit that season 6 is my favorite. There’s a lot of good episodes in this season and while this episode may not be one of them it is an episode I recommend checking out. For some fans Peggy is considered the most hated character on the show. She’s egotistical, competitive (in a bad way) annoying, cares too much about the opinions of others and refuses to admit when she’s wrong. While I find some of her antics amusing, this episode shows Peggy at her worst. While substituting for a Spanish class, Peggy completely ignores protocol and takes her students into Mexico without the school’s permission. Not only is her Spanish bad and she can barely speak/understand it, but she accidentally kidnaps a Mexican girl and brings her back to Texas. When she returns the girl she gets arrested for kidnapping and put on trial. The quickest fix for this situation would be for her to just admit that she sucks at Spanish, but her ego won’t allow it. This leads to a funny and cleaver ending where Hank not only proves his wife sucks at Spanish, but does it in a way while keeping her ego intact. Peggy in this episode is asinine but at the same time her belief in herself and misunderstanding is so comical that you can’t help but laugh. When you see Peggy’s mom and what she grew up with you understand why she’s the way she is, but at the same time don’t excuse her behavior and actions. For me, Peggy has always been the third worst character. As for one and two, well-
Nancy Boys
John Redcorn and Nancy are easily the worst characters in my book. For years the two had an affair behind Dale’s back and even had a kid together which Dale is convinced is his. I consider cheating on someone the biggest slap in the face and disrespect to that person. It just shows you never really cared for them or their feelings. Since the show began Dale has been oblivious to the obvious affair while everyone else knows about it and keeps their mouth shut because they don’t want to deal with the fall out. Dale being suspicious of everything except the most obvious thing right in front of him is the joke here. However, this episode changes everything. When John Redcorn asks for a night off, Nancy goes on a double date with Dale and the Hills and has a good time. I’ve always wondered how someone like Dale was able to woo someone like Nancy and this episode gives us an idea. Nancy displays signs of a needy person and Dale shows he can be a suave guy who views her as this goddess he is lucky to be with and worships. These two obvious had feelings for each other early on in their marriage, but somewhere down the line Dale became busy with his side projects and stopped paying attention to Nancy which led to her having an affair with John Redcorn. Anyway, Dale and Nancy start going out on more dates together and she starts to remember why she fell in love with him in the first place. Just when she’s about to forget about John Redcorn he shows up and gets knocked out by Dale becoming the odd man out. When Dale goes to apologize, he and John Redcorn develop an unlikely friendship and John Redcorn even apologizes for the affair in a way that flies over Dale’s head. In the end, John Redcorn decides to end the affair with Nancy now that he and Dale are friends and Nancy falls back in love with Dale. This whole episode just feels like one big apology to Dale for keeping this joke going for so long. While I think it’s wrong that these two never face the consequences of their affair I don’t want to see Dale sad or hurt and I’m glad they ended the affair on a good note with Nancy choosing Dale. She likes John Redcorn but in the end, she loves Dale.
Revenge of the Lutefisk and Cotton’s Plot
He killed 50 men. Next to Dale, Cotton may be the funniest character in the show. He strikes a nerve with some people out there because of his misogynistic views and the way he treats Hank, but overall he does care for his family and these two episodes show it. In Revenge of the Lutefisk, Bobby accidentally burns the church down and Cotton is the prime suspect. Overcome with guilt, Bobby confesses to his family what he did, and gets ready to confess to everyone. Knowing that this will ruin his life, Cotton opts to take the fall in order to protect his only grandson. It’s the first time we’ve ever seen Cotton act selflessly for someone else and shows that he cares for Bobby and will do anything to protect him. It’s often said the worst parents turn out to be the best grandparents and I think that statement applies to Cotton. He may have been a terrible father to Hank, but he’s a great grandpa to Bobby.
Cotton’s Plot serves as the second episode to season 4. A bit of context, at the end of season 3 Hank and Peggy go skydiving where Peggy’s parachute failed to open and she plummets to the ground. Peggy survived the fall and is now going through rehabilitation to walk again. Unsatisfied with the physical therapy, Cotton offers to help Peggy walk again and she accepts. If you’ve ever seen an interaction between these two then you would know how much they hate each other and to see Cotton of all people helping Peggy is surreal and too good to be true, which it is. It turns out Cotton was using her to write a glowing review so that he can get a war hero’s grave in the state cemetery which she ultimately does after talking to Hank. Even though Cotton was using her to benefit himself, he does help Peggy gain the confidence to walk again and they celebrate by dancing on his future grave. Cotton is a man with many faults but in his own messed up way he does love his family and had a unique way of showing and expressing it. These two episodes are the reason why I can’t hate him.
The Redneck on Rainey
This is my favorite Kahn episode. Kahn has always been a thorn in Hank’s side. Always looking down on him and the others, and bragging about his life and job as a means to belittle them, but whenever he’s in trouble Hank is always there to help him. After Connie gets rejected from a prestigious summer school program because she’s an over-achiever (reverse discrimination), Kahn and Minh decide to stop trying so hard and embrace the redneck lifestyle. When they’re about to lose their house and everything, it’s up to Hank to talk some sense into Kahn and pull him back from the brink. I sympathize with what Kahn is feeling and going through in this episode. When I was in school it always felt like I had to go the extra mile in my work to be acknowledged and that if I screwed up they would use it as an excuse to get rid of me. Even now, I still feel that way sometimes in my job. Kahn did everything right. He worked hard, got a good job and raised a smart daughter. Instead of being praised for his good work, they punish him and his family for being successful. It’s a sad reflection of what goes on in the real world and an issue I fear my children will face one day.
Night and Deity
When the neighborhood becomes infested with pigeons, Dale calls in a female exterminator named Shelia to get rid of them. As the two work together, Shelia develops feelings for Dale and Nancy takes notice of this. Afraid that Dale will cheat on her the same way she cheated on him, she tries to keep the two separated only to fail at every turn and decides to let Dale go to her accepting whatever consequences as poetic justice for her past mistakes. However, Dale proves his loyalty to Nancy by rejecting Shelia showing that he loves Nancy more than she loves him. There’s not a whole lot of laughs this episode, it’s just a good Dale episode that shows how lucky Nancy is to have someone like Dale in her life and how she truly doesn’t deserve someone like him given her past actions.
Aisle 8A
Oh yeah, you knew this episode was coming. This is one of the most infamous episodes from the show. When Kahn and Minh go on a business trip, they leave Connie with the Hills. While staying with them Connie gets her first period and it’s up to Hank to guide her through this difficult part in her life until someone with better knowledge shows up. This was an episode I watched as a kid and didn’t know what the hell was going on, but now that I’m an adult and have full knowledge this episode hits different. You really do feel bad for both characters here as neither one knows what to do, but Hank being a good person that he is does his best to be there and comfort Connie through this process. This is easily the boldest episode in the show and they manage to tell their story without shaming anyone, showing how hard and awkward the situation is for everyone, and still finding a way to get a good laugh out of this situation. Well done.
A Beer Can Named Desire
After winning a beer contest, Hank along with his family and Bill travel to Louisiana for a chance to win a cash prize. While that story is okay, the real story is with Bill and his relatives. Bill becomes the object of affection for three lovely women at his family’s chateau. Being one of the last males in his family, the ladies are hoping to sire an heir to keep the family name going. However, one of these three ladies is Bill’s cousin and he has to figure out which one it is. This story is also okay as is the whole episode. So, what makes this episode worth remembering, Gilbert. Bill’s cousin, and the only other male to the family name. This guy is hilarious. He is just a mood throughout the whole episode. Every line he speaks gets a chuckle out of me, no matter how many times I watch this episode. That’s David Herman voicing him. He’s voiced a number of the characters from the show including Buckley, Jimmy Wichard, and Dale’s Dad, but this is easily his best character. What can I say, this guy makes the episode memorable in my book and why I keep coming back to watch it.
Lost In My Space
This was an episode that was way ahead of its time. When Buck decides to use MySpace (the Facebook before Facebook for you zoomers out there) to attract more customers, he puts the accountant, Donna, in charge since she’s familiar with it. Rather than promote the company, it just becomes a platform to show the shameless antics and dirt everyone has and Hank doesn’t like it. After a failed flash mob attack, Donna gets fired, and turns the company page into an anti-propane one slandering the company. Like I said, this episode was way ahead of its time. You talk about The Simpsons predicting the future, King of the Hill predicted internet culture before there was one. Almost everything they make fun of in this episode is happening right. Flash mobs attacking people over posts, Donna not knowing how to engage in offline conversations, people posting stupid videos that expose themselves for everyone, and Peggy catfishing. It’s amazing and scary how much they got right in this episode. And the fact that it was King of the Hill one of the most grounded animated sitcoms of all-time predicting this makes it funnier in my book.
And lastly. . .
Returning Japanese Part 1&2
Like I said season 6 is my favorite season and the finale to that season was great. The show has only done a few two-parter episodes and this one is hands down the best. When Cotton starts to feel guilt over the men he killed in WWII, he and the Hills travel to Japan so that he can apologize to the widow of a soldier he killed. Only to discover that it’s not a widow but instead a nurse he had a fling with before he was forcefully shipped out. During this trip, it gets revealed that Hank has a half older brother who rejects the Hill blood within him prompting Cotton to declare war on Japan. When he plans to spit in the emperor’s face during a ceremony, it’s up to Hank and his half brother Junichiro to stop him before it’s too late. This is a great episode. Cotton’s story feels like something out of a movie. You can tell that Cotton really did love this woman, wanted to make things right with her, and in another timeline the two probably could have been together. Junichiro being a Japanese version of Hank is good, and even Bobby gets his own little love story with a Japanese girl through dance dance revolution. Along with this story, we get some good laughs from Dale and Bill who are watching the house, and Luanne who thinks she accidentally killed Ladybird and got another dog only to see Ladybird is alive. This is easily the best story out of all the episodes for a lot of people and one of their favorite episodes. Season 6 had a lot of great episodes and these episodes stand out the best season in my opinion.
And those are my episodes. There’s a lot more and maybe some day I’ll talk about them. But for now these are episodes I recommend checking out before the new season. What new stories will they tell in this new world and will it be just as good as the previous seasons? We’ll just have to wait and see. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.