King of the Hill

For other uses, see King of the Hill (disambiguation).

King of the Hill
From left to right: Boomhauer, Hank, Dale, and Bill drinking in the alley From left to right: Boomhauer, Hank, Dale and Bill
Created by	Mike Judge Greg Daniels
Starring	Mike Judge Kathy Najimy Pamela Segall Brittany Murphy Ashley Gardner Toby Huss Lauren Tom Stephen Root Johnny Hardwick David Herman Jonathan Joss
Country of origin	United States
No. of episodes	207 (list of episodes)
Production
Running time	22 min. per episode
Original release
Network	FOX
Release	January 12, 1997 – present

King of the Hill is a satirical American animated television series created by Mike Judge (creator of Beavis and Butt-head) and Greg Daniels for the FOX Network. It debuted in 1997 and depicts the Hills, a suburban Methodist family proud of its Texas heritage. Unlike some other animated sitcoms that feature wacky or outlandish situations, King of the Hill attempts to retain realism, seeking humor in the otherwise conventional. The series' popularity has also led to syndication by many local affiliates and FX Networks as well as a number of international networks. The show has risen to become one of FOX's longest-running series, with 207 episodes broadcast as of April 22nd, 2007. Only The Simpsons has been in production longer.

King of the Hill documents the Hill family's daily life, regularly forcing characters to question their values when they are confronted with the values of others, including their Laotian neighbors, the Souphanousinphones, or even their son Bobby. Themes include friendship, family, masculinity and gender roles, and episodes have focused on women's liberation, sex education, sexual harassment, drug abuse, ethnic diversity, and patriotism. The title theme was written and performed by The Refreshments.

Production history

The series is the brainchild of Beavis and Butt-Head creator Mike Judge. After a successful run of Beavis and Butt-Head on MTV, he co-created King of the Hill with former Simpsons writer Greg Daniels. Judge is a former resident of Dallas suburb Garland, Texas. However the inspiration for the fictional town name Arlen is Temple, Texas, based on locations noted throughout the show both in word and on maps in various episodes.

Recently, King of the Hill joined the ranks of other FOX series like Futurama and Family Guy in its placement within a questionable timeslot and has faced frequent preemptions from sporting events (mostly The NFL on FOX) featuring overtime play and post-game commentary. The series's tenth season was largely composed of episodes that did not get to air the previous season. The tenth season was also slated to be the last since the show passed the renewal deadline in September 2005 [1], but due to high ratings in the 10th season, the series was renewed[2] by FOX for an 11th season that began airing on January 28, 2007. Beginning this season, the show moved to the 8:30/7:30c timeslot following The Simpsons.

King of the Hill reached its milestone 200th episode ("Edu-macating Lucky") on May 14, 2006. This indicates the hour-long "Returning Japanese" is considered to be one episode by FOX, despite its being split into two for syndication. "Edu-macating Lucky" is episode #201, not 200.-->

On January 25, 2007, it was announced on the official King of the Hill Myspace page that the show has been renewed for a twelfth season.

Characters

Main article: List of characters in King of the Hill

When Mike Judge pitched the series to Fox, he drew the characters as menacing looking, stereotypical "rednecks" with jagged teeth that protruded from their mouths when they spoke; Hank, Peggy, and Bobby were the only three characters whose present form closely resembles their original concept drawings (though originally Peggy was significantly overweight). In a unique move, Mike Judge changed many of the characters to look like the actors and actresses providing their voices: Bill, Luanne, Nancy, and John Redcorn are all physically modeled on their voice actors. Although rumored to be modeled after Judge himself, Dale is based on Robert Patrick, whom Judge had originally wanted to voice the character.[3]

• Hank Hill (Mike Judge) proudly sells "propane and propane accessories" as the assistant manager at Strickland Propane. He resembles -- in both voice and appearance -- the Tom Anderson character from Beavis and Butthead, a character also voiced by Judge. Hank is a generally well-meaning father but is often frustrated and confused by modern trends and the antics of his friends and family members. Hank suffers from a narrow urethra, which made Bobby's conception difficult and kept him from service in the Vietnam War, a constant point of contention with his father. He is uncomfortable with intimacy and sexuality but has a healthy relationship with his wife, as well as the rest of his family. In addition to propane, Hank enjoys car repair and yard work, and is shown in some episodes doing his neighbor's yard work or surreptitiously creating more for himself to do. Hank's trademark wail of distress in times of discomfort and the phrase "I tell you what" are running gags on the series. Hank looks upon his boss Buck Strickland as a mentor, seemingly blind to, or unable to accept, Buck's continual drinking, gambling and womanizing. At the age of 40 Hank learns he was born in New York City, much to his consternation; the similar discovery of a Japanese half-brother produced a comparable reaction. He also has a strange relationship with his dog, Ladybird, and it has been mentioned by Peggy that Hank has an "unhealthy obsession with that dog."

• Peggy Hill (Kathy Najimy), Hank's wife, is a substitute Spanish teacher who can't speak the language (referring to it phonetically as "es-pa-nole"). Peggy is also a freelance newspaper columnist, Notary Public, and Boggle champion. Usually well-meaning and open-minded, she often displays her naïveté and arrogance; she considers herself knowledgeable ,clever and physically attractive but is usually portrayed as being ignorant on the subject about which she is talking as well as obviously ugly (Dale Gribble has even commented to Hank on her lack of good looks). Peggy is self-conscious about her large (size 16 on the right, 16.5 on the left) feet. Peggy frequently speaks the phrases "Ho, yeah!" when she exerts effort into a task and "Oh, Peggy!", a self-compliment after she says something that she finds to be especially clever.

• Bobby Hill, (Pamela Segall, sometimes as Pamela Segall Adlon), Hank and Peggy's husky 13-year-old son, wants to be a famous prop comic when he is older. Bobby displays little interest in gender roles and dislikes playing football. Hank's discomfort with Bobby's proclivities is a regular narrative element in the series, and he has stated this with phrases like "That boy ain't right" and "What has the MTV done to you, son?" Started the traveling sensation known as "The Propaniacs." Bobby has a hard time at life because his father does not appreciate what he does.

• Luanne Platter (Brittany Murphy), Peggy's college-aged niece, is a student at the beauty academy and later at Arlen Junior College. She is often portrayed as an airhead, although she is also an expert mechanic and is good at logic puzzles. Luanne is promiscuous, but she settles down after attending a church-sponsored "second virginity" program and starting a bible study class. In the 10th season finale, Luanne reveals that she's pregnant with the child of her future husband Lucky.

• Dale Gribble (Johnny Hardwick) is the Hills' chain-smoking neighbor, an insect exterminator, conspiracy theorist, and borderline paranoiac. Dale is also his gun club's president and a licensed bounty hunter. Though boastful, he is a coward who recoils in the face of violence. He often uses the alias "Rusty Shackleford." He also drives a minivan (the Bug-a-bago) with a giant bug on the roof, advertising his extermination business ("Dale's Dead Bug"). He is largely amoral, and though he's come to his friends' rescue on several occasions, he's also attempted to sell them out for personal profit on just as many occasions. Although Dale is paranoid, his vulnerability and trust for those he is close to is a plot element in a number of episodes. For instance, he is one of the few major characters in the series not to know about his wife's 14-year affair. He once owned a falcon that dominated Bill 3 times in one episode.

• William Fontaine de la Tour "Bill" Dauterive (Stephen Root) is the Hills' overweight, divorced, clinically depressed neighbor. He obsesses about his ex-wife, and his suicidal tendencies are a running gag on the series. Hailing from the bayous of Louisiana, he speaks fluent French. He is a sergeant barber in the United States Army. At one stage, he became engaged to Luanne's mother "Leanne." He frequently tries to flirt with and woo Peggy. He also had a brief affair with Kahn's mom. Bill also has tendencies to steal Lady Bird's toys, sleeping on Hank's truck and buries his pornography in Hank's backyard. Bill Dauterive was also an ex-football player (very talented) in High school (nicknamed "The Billdozer"), alongside Hank Hill (running back), Dale Gribble (towel manager), and Boomhauer (quarterback). In high school, Bill was respected by Hank for joining the army. Hank even tattooed Bill's name across the back of his head one night, after he got drunk.

• Jeff Boomhauer (Mike Judge) is a womanizing bachelor and classic car aficionado whose mutterings seem borderline incomprehensible, although his associates usually understand him perfectly. In spite of his hedonistic lifestyle and frequent ramblings, he is depicted as one of the more intelligent and introspective characters on the show, occasionally espousing deep philosophical thought; when Buckley dies, he is the only character to comprehend Khan's analagous parable, and demonstrates an eagerness and willingness to forgive betrayal during a car ride with Bobby.

• Cotton Hill (Toby Huss), Hank's father, is a deranged, politically incorrect misogynist with a hair-trigger temper. His shins were blown off in WWII and his feet were reattached to his knees resulting in a short height and stilted gait. At the end of the war he was promoted to the rank of Colonel and is addressed as such by his friends. After divorcing Hank's mother, he marries a much younger, dim-witted blonde nurse and fathers G.H. ("Good Hank", since Cotton considers Hank a disappointment). He calls Peggy "Hank's Wife" (even when talking to her) and frequently makes reference to his (perhaps dubious) wartime heroism, including his killing of "fiddy men." He has a very non-politically correct view of foreigners and the role of women in society; in one episode he asks Peggy "What are doin'? Cookin'? Bakin'? Sewin'? Well, which is it?"

• Kahn Souphanousinphone (Toby Huss) is the Hills' materialistic, Laotian American neighbor. He is prejudiced against whites, southern whites in particular. He frequently boasts his superiority to the others, but Hank bails him out in several episodes. Secretly, Kahn considers Hank his best friend because both men share some of the same principles. Kahn occasionally wrestles with the fact that he has a daughter, and has even referred to her as his son in times of frustration. In the episode "The Blue Grass is Always Greener", Kahn reveals that the reason he pushes Connie so hard is because after she becomes successful, he wants to take her to his hometown to boast. Kahn is an anagram of Hank.

• Minh Souphanousinphone (Lauren Tom), Kahn's wife, is a housewife who grows roses in her front yard. She enjoys making catty comments about the "redneck" neighbors, particularly Peggy. She knows a lot of household tips, acquired from her mother-in-law. She is the archetypal "perfect housewife", who seems to find time to do everything perfectly and show up all of her neighbors.

• Kahn "Connie" Souphanousinphone, Jr. (Lauren Tom) is Kahn and Minh's daughter, and an A student. She is one of Bobby's best friends and sometimes girlfriend. Connie is named for her father because Kahn wanted a son. He often calls her "Kahn Jr." Though classically trained on the violin, Connie has a natural gift for bluegrass 'fiddle' playing.

• Nancy Gribble (Ashley Gardner) is Dale's wife and the weather girl and later anchorwoman for a local television station. She had a 14-year affair with John Redcorn that she ended after falling back in love with Dale. She frequently addresses other characters as "shug" (short for "sugar").

• Joseph Gribble (prepubescent, Brittany Murphy / pubescent, Breckin Meyer) is Dale's muscular 13-year-old son and one of Bobby's best friends. The running gag is that despite Joseph's obvious Indian features and Dale's paranoid conspiracy theories, Dale is oblivious to that fact that John Redcorn is Joseph's biological father, the result of a 14-year affair with Nancy. Most of the people in the neighborhood know this and keep it secret from Dale. Dale has referred to his Jamaican grandmother to explain Joseph's dark complexion.

• John Redcorn (Jonathan Joss) is Nancy's former Native American "healer"/14-year adulterous lover and the biological father of Joseph Gribble; he eventually ended the affair, feeling guilty as Dale had proven to be a loyal friend and supporter of Redcorn's Native American "nationalist" movement. A former roadie for Winger and lead singer of Big Mountain Fudgecake, John Redcorn enjoys classic rock music and hair metal. John Redcorn works out of his trailer as a masseur. He generally works only on women. Jonathan Joss replaced Victor Aaron in the part of John Redcorn because Aaron died in a road accident after completing work on just two episodes of the series.

Episodes

Main article: List of King of the Hill episodes

Texas culture

King of the Hill not only features characters proud of their Texas heritage, but also numerous references to Texas history and culture. Much of the culture portrayed on the series -- the obsession with football, the high school culture -- is reminiscent of suburban and small-town Texas culture, a result of creator Mike Judge's upbringing in Garland, a city near Dallas.

Luly's Cafeteria, where the Hill family sometimes eats, is a reference to the real-life Texas restaurant chain Luby's. Luanne's name is a play on Luby's "Lu Ann" platter. The Waffle Cafe, a reference to the Waffle House chain is mentioned in several episodes, even becoming Peggy's newsbeat at the newspaper. The Texas-based fast food restaurant chain Whataburger appears in several episodes, as well as references to Pinky's, a popular liquor and beer store chain throughout West Texas.

Dale's stand-off with the police in the clock tower of the local junior college with a pesticide spray-gun mirrors Charles Whitman's 1966 shooting spree at the University of Texas at Austin. Bill's family, who lives in Louisiana, is quite wealthy and resides in a lavish antebellum mansion, subtle reference to the large Cajun population in East Texas. While there is no county in Texas named Heimlich County, this is a reference to the large German heritage of Texas. In the fifth season episode "Hank and the Great Glass Elevator", Bill has a brief relationship with Ann Richards, Texas' governor from 1991 to 1995.

In the episode "Hank's Cowboy Movie" from season three, the film crew is filming at a snake farm which is a reference to the real-life snake farm located in New Braunfels, Texas.

Bobby and his friends attend Tom Landry Middle School. Tom Landry was the first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys (1960-1988).

Arlen, Texas

The location of the fictional town (Arlen) relative to real-life locations is never explicitly stated within the series, except in a series of maps throughout various episodes (see more below). Characters refer to Austin and Houston as if they are near, and Hank's preference for Dallas-based sports teams implies that Arlen lies within the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, although artistic license may be a factor here. The Hills rely on Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport for their air travel, which is 213 miles from Rainey Street in Austin (ZIP code 78701). In a Thanksgiving episode Hank says that it will take them four hours to get to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, approximately. In several episodes, Hank's mail shows 78104 or 78701 ZIP codes, the postal codes for Beeville, Texas, and Austin, Texas, respectively, although the 78104 may have been 78704, which would also be an Austin ZIP code. The telephone number painted on the Strickland Propane truck has 409 area code, placing it in southeast Texas. Hank and Peggy have made day trips into Mexico when the peso was devalued, indicating a short distance from the international border. Kahn, Hank's Laotian neighbor, commutes into Houston, which is a three-hour drive from Arlen. Houston is 170 miles from Austin. It is also revealed that on a clear night, residents of Arlen can get broadcast television from San Antonio, some 80 miles away. Austin is near a small bedroom community named Manor (pronounced may-nor) from which McMaynorberry (sic) may be derived, although the two have nothing in common. Much speculation has noted that Arlen, Texas, is probably Temple, Texas, based on distances to Austin, Dallas, and Houston listed in the show. Temple is the location of Scott and White Hospital of Texas A&M Health Science Center, and as such, it is noted that Bobby drove to this hospital, arguably the most recognizable in all of Central Texas. Temple is 3 hours from Houston, but Scott and White is 2.5 hours away. Dallas is 3 hours to Temple, but with the DFW airport 4 hours away due to it being in northern Dallas, and San Antonio as well as Austin are not far away either. Temple is located approximately 200 miles northeast from the Mexican border, allowing for a day trip.

Furthermore, with Bill working on a large army base, the location of Ft. Hood is right beside Temple/Killeen, Texas. On the episode where Dale's wife, the weather caster, forecasted live from a wild fire in order to boost her own ratings at the station, a news station map showed McMaynorberry/Arlen in the exact location of Temple, Texas, when discussing the weekend's weather, as well as in another portion of the episode where discussion arose regarding the "famous tornado" which almost took out Arlen, making Dale's wife famous locally.

In the episode "As Old as the Hills", Hank and Peggy are having their 20th anniversary and Bobby is spending the weekend with Cotton and Didi in Houston. Didi goes into labor and Bobby doesn't know where the hospital is in Houston. He instead drives to the Arlen hospital, which he says is 2 hours away, and a sign is shown that says "Arlen 96 miles." In the episode "Hank and the Great Glass Elevator," Bill tells Ann Richards that Rainey Street is only a few miles from Interstate 35, which runs from Laredo (on the Mexican border), through San Antonio, Austin, and the Dallas-Ft. Worth "Metroplex." Possible evidence against Arlen being near Dallas is that in "Peggy the Boggle Champ", Hank has distaste for Peggy attending a Boggle tournament there, stating that Dallas is full of "crackheads" and ensures his car doors are locked at all times and is even wary of valet drivers.

According to the series, Arlen, one of George Bush's "Communities of Excellence," has a population of 15,900. However, during the episode "Snow Job" as Hank, Peggy, and Bobby are returning to town, they pass a sign that reads "Arlen Population: 1454". It was originally founded as "Harlottown," later shortened to "Harlen," by settlers during the westward migrations of the 1800s. The town was then known for its large population of prostitutes. City leaders renamed the town to its current name as a way to turn around the city's image. Arlen's current major industry is meat processing, and the town is home to at least one major pig processing facility. Most of Arlen's Main Street businesses were forced into bankruptcy after the opening of the local Mega Lo Mart. The chain store closed down Arlen's bait-and-tackle shop (Lay-a-way Ray's), its hardware store, and briefly, its propane supplier. Arlen is also home to several educational institutions such as Roger Staubach Elementary School, Tom Landry Middle School, Arlen High School, Arlen Community College and Arlen University.

In "Apres Hank, Le Deluge" the Arlen flood is on the Upper Brazos River. Hank stops at the "Tut Rampy" Dam and finds it unmanned, and under instructions from a "red phone" call, eventually opens the flood gates, which it is said will destroy 12 homes along the river and an outlet mall. There are 3 dams on the Brazos, all Northwest of Waco. There is no "Tut Rampy Dam." The 3 dams are the "Morris Shepherd" (160 miles NW of Waco) forming Possum Kingdom Lake, "De Cordova Bend" (100 miles NW of Waco) forming Lake Granbury, and the "Whitney" (29 miles NW of Waco) forming Lake Whitney. All 3 dams are close to Dallas/Ft. Worth but south and west of it. In this same episode there is a Flood Warning issued for Heimlich County and nearby Travis County. Austin is the county seat of Travis County, in Central Texas, adding to the belief that it is near Austin. Austin however is far, far away from the Brazos River, let alone the Upper Brazos which is SW of Fort Worth. This episode establishes conclusively, that Arlen is NW of Waco, and Arlen and its strip mall are below a dam on the Brazos River.

Themes and analysis

Hank

The general theme is that Hank is always willing to do the right thing, even when those around him may be more inclined to do wrong for the sake of ease. Hank Hill is the most virtuous character on the series, and, it could be argued, on current television; his character is a modern updating of the type found on 1950s sitcoms such as Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best. For the most part, Hank acts in an honest, loyal manner; his "by-the-book" lifestyle is highlighted in almost every episode. For example, at one point he refuses to tape a Major League Baseball game because it is technically illegal to record televised professional sporting events without expressed written permission from the broadcasting network of the game in question. However, Hank's desire to achieve complete conventionality often leads him to live with fear or shame. Hank disapproves of his son's hopes of becoming a comedian, and the issues of his health conditions (a narrow urethra and "diminished glutes," which render him basically unable to sit down without the aid of a hidden prosthetic) are of great embarrassment to him. Hank is also uncomfortable with intimacy, which is demonstrated on the numerous occasions that he refuses to kiss Peggy in public (instead offering her a firm handshake). At one point, while standing in the alley with Bill, Dale, and Boomhauer, he sarcastically says, "What are we supposed to talk about? Our feelings?"

Politics

Generally, when it comes to politics, the series champions Hank's small-town values and motivations while simultaneously poking fun at his highly traditionalist worldview and addressing issues including global warming, guns, the ACLU and homosexuality. Mega-Lo-Mart, a stand in for Wal-Mart, is a de-facto villain of sorts in the first two seasons of the series, destroying all of Arlen's small businesses and forcing their middle aged, competent owners to go to work at Mega-Lo, where they are debased by high school student supervisors who know nothing about their trade. (Ultimately, the incompetence of the employees results in Mega-Lo being blown up and burned to the ground, when one employee refuses to stop carrying canisters of propane by the nozzle, believing himself to be above Hank's continued warnings that carrying the canisters in such a manner will cause a gas leak). Likewise, the local community of Arlen is often portrayed in a positive light while hefty criticisms are leveled at impersonal, uncaring bureaucratic institutions. There are political and social undertones to many episodes, which often mock liberal political views. In one episode Hank mistakenly hires a drug addict. When he attempts to fire the addict, the addict checks himself into rehab and then threatens Hank with a lawsuit because it is against the law to fire an addict in recovery. The employee continues to show up to work under the influence, always accompanied by a member of the ACLU to remind Hank that the workplace must conform to the employee's special needs. Eventually, Hank's office becomes unproductive as other employees, disgusted at the special privileges which the ACLU is forcing the company to give to a drug addict, themselves begin making up addictions and afflictions to use as excuses to get paid for doing nothing. In the end, Hank "saves the day" by quitting his job, which allows the company to circumvent employment laws because they now have too few employees to qualify as a government-recognized business. In the same episode, Hank questions a job applicant about gaps in his employment history. The applicant, an elderly man, replies "Well, '33 to '45, FDR was President, so I was on the welfare. Then in the '60s you had Kennedy and LBJ, so I was on the welfare, and '77 to '81, Jimmy Carter was in the White House, so I was on the welfare." He is also a gun owner, despite trouble with marksmanship.

Hank is for the most part a staunch Republican; however, he expressed doubts in George W. Bush after being granted a "weak" handshake from him, but later realizes that George W. Bush is a great and honorable leader so Hank regains his confidence in Bush. Hank is a great admirer of Ronald Reagan; he once said in regards to him, "I miss voting for that man." When confronted with the story that Reagan dyed his hair, he replied that it was only "to show his strength to the Communists." When attending a trial, Hank remarked on the judge, "This better not be one of those Carter appointees." After meeting Jimmy Carter in one episode, both Hank and his father Cotton think Jimmy Carter is a good man and like him as a person, but still think he was a terrible president. Hank is also disdained with Bill Clinton. In one episode when Hank drives into Arkansas, and sees a sign proclaiming the home of Clinton. He makes a displeased sound and locks his car doors. In another episode where Hank is suspected of taking drugs, he states that he voted for Bob Dole over Clinton, because the only drugs he used where prescription drugs for his injured back. However like many Texans, Hank often expresses admiration for Democrats of the past, such as Lyndon B. Johnson (Hank's beloved dog Ladybird is named after Lyndon Johnson's wife Lady Bird).

Some might liken the character of Buck Strickland to President Lyndon Johnson. For example, in one episode, there is a photograph of Buck holding his pet dog by the ears (a parody of a now-famous photo of LBJ in a similar pose), and he often holds meetings while sitting on the toilet - perhaps a comment on LBJ's famous crudeness. Like Johnson, Buck is narcissistic, domineering, and often plagued by emotional and personal problems.

Souphanousinphones

The interaction between the Hills and the Souphanousinphones highlights the culture gap that often ensues in immigrant families - particularly those from Southeast Asia. The Souphanousinphones are generally disliked by their neighbors who see them as uppity and snobbish, while the Souphanousinphones look down on the locals as ignorant rednecks. Kahn mockingly refers to the Hills as the "Hillbillies" and is never hesitant to rub his daughter's academic prowess in the faces of the Hills who are less assured about the academic success of Bobby. The interactions between the Souphanousinphones and other Asian American families (like the Wasonasongs) point out that there are divisions within race, just as there are between races. Kahn and Minh regard financial success above happiness and personal fulfillment. They frequently try to forge a romantic relationship between their daughter Connie and Chane Wasonasong, in hopes that this alliance will aide their family; Kahn's attempt to join the exclusive Asian-dominated Nine Rivers Country Club is another example of this (it can also be seen as an inversion of the country club culture of the early and mid twentieth century, which was often highly elitist and racist). They also put immense pressure on their daughter to excel academically and musically, often to the point that it breeds discord between Connie and her parents. Connie envies the Hills, who are much more tolerant of Bobby's interests and predilections. Also, Kahn and Hank, despite their differences, do sometimes get along. (It is not hard to spot that their names are anagrams of one another.) At one point, Hank offers financial support to Kahn when Kahn loses his job and on another occasion, when Hank, Dale, and Kahn were trapped in Mexico, it was Kahn, rather than Dale, who risked his own life to help bring Hank back to the States.

Religion and Culture

The Hills are Methodists. The series is also often critical of the evangelicals, such as in the episode "Hilloween," when an evangelical Christian convinces the town council to ban the celebration of Halloween, and Hank gets his revenge by creating a haunted house in his garage called "Hank Hell's" and when nobody shows up, he puts on his old costume and shouts "trick or treat" soon to be joined by others.

The series sometimes mocks the arbitrary nature of social customs and subjectivity of social appropriateness; in one episode, while visiting a Mennonite town, Hank, often prudish, allows Bobby to hold a girl's hand instead of letting him kiss her. Seconds later, a Mennonite person expresses disgust at what he perceives to be such a flamboyant display of affection.

Continuity errors

The series has had numerous writers and contributors, including guest writers who have developed whole episodes. Given this, along with the fact that the animation is outsourced overseas, it is understandable why such continuity errors exist in the series. Most continuity errors occur when later episodes contradict what had been established in the first and second seasons. Regardless, many of these errors are blatant and inexcusable to hardcore fans who value the shows' usual consistency.

• Peggy Hill is shown to have two different mothers. Prior to the ninth season, whenever Peggy's mother is seen (in the present or in flashbacks), she is portrayed as an older version of Peggy, a stereotypical 1950s housewife with a hatred for the use of contractions; however, in the ninth season's premiere episode, Peggy's mother is a lean, leather-skinned rancher who shows disdain for Peggy and lives on a secluded ranch.
• Peggy's growing up in Montana has been consistent. However Peggy was shown to live in Arlen with her mother when she met Hank during high school (they attended different schools). In the episode "A Rover Runs Through It", Peggy's mother reveals that a post-school Peggy left the family ranch in Montana for Arlen, Texas. This "second" mother never lived in Arlen.
• In the second season episode "How to Fire a Rifle Without Really Trying", Hank is unable to handle a gun, but in the next episode, "Texas City Twister", a shot of Hank's den shows a trophy Hank won for skeet shooting, though shooting skeet with a shotgun and handling a rifle could be considered separate skills. However, Hank's lack of skill is supposed to be the result of a psychological block provoked by his father's criticisms, which Hank now fears to transmit to Bobby.
• In the sixth-season episode "My Own Private Rodeo", Dale's father appears, looking completely different from the character that appeared in a flashback in the first season episode "The Order of the Straight Arrow." It should also be noted that Dale's father was previously shown as having the same voice as Dale in the episode "Now Who's the Dummy?", but in the episode "My Own Private Rodeo", Dale's father has the voice of a flamboyant homosexual stereotype.
• In earlier seasons, Hank's truck is notably identified as a 1993 Ford Ranger. However, in the episode "Chasing Bobby", It becomes a 1983 Ford Ranger, now on its last leg. Regardless, it was shown that Hank bought his truck brand-new slightly prior to Bobby's conception. If one was to subtract Bobby's age from original air dates, neither model year makes sense.
• Hank often reminisces about his experience on his high school football team. Hank, Boomhauer and Bill all played on the team in the early 70s under Coach Sauers who took the team to state. (Dale was the team's towel boy.) Ambiguity also surrounds Hank's position on the championship team. In the episode "Now Whose the Dummy?", Hank's jersey reads 10, a number commonly reserved for quarterbacks. In the episode "Bills are made to be Broken" Hank is seen playing on the offensive line, however it is implied that Hank moved from running back to center in goal-line situations. (Hank is also quoted in other episodes as saying "blocking for Bill"). In the episode "Love Hurts and So Does Art", Hank refers to himself as a running back. And finally, in the episode "What makes Bobby Run?" Hank is seen catching a touchdown reception from the wide receiver position. Usually Boomhauer is the quarterback and Bill is the fullback. In episode 9 of season 3 "Pretty Pretty Dresses", Boomhauer is at quarterback; Bill is at fullback; Hank is at halfback and Dale is towel boy. Hank refers to himself as holding the "single season rushing record" and in the episode "Bills Are Made To Be Broken", Bill is said to hold the record for most career rushing touchdowns as a defensive tackle. This is not uncommon as many high school players play both offense and defense. Boomhauer is again seen at quarterback. Hank can be seen wearing a uniform number commonly associated with running backs, while Bill is wearing one normal of a lineman. Though it should be noted that position numbers are not as stringent in high-school and college football as it is at the professional level.
• In the episode, "Hank's Cowboy Movie", Hank is seen grilling on a barbecue grill and remarks, "I made that barbecue out of two barbecues." This is in direct conflict with Hank's character and loathing for charcoal-based grilling.
• In the episode "A Beer Can Named Desire", the Cajun heritage that explains Bill's middle name is revealed. His relatives in Louisiana are rich plantation owners, which some view as a discrepancy because his father had been described as a semi-abusive lower-to-middle class man. Bill's relatives' status does not constitute a true discrepancy because it is possible his parents/father were of a different economic class. Also, Bill does mention in the episode moving from the area at a young age.
• The trailer park in which Luanne grew up is called "Shiny Pines." But in the episode "Board Games," it is referred to as "Shady Pines."
• In the season 1 episode "Plastic White Female," Hank is seated at the dining table reading the newspaper - its masthead reads the Arlen Courier. However, in all other references to Arlen's daily newspaper (season 3 - "Peggy's Headache," season 9 - "Smoking and the Bandit" and season 10 - "Bystand Me"), the publication's name is the Arlen Bystander.
• In Episode 1 The Child Protection Agency office reads Arlen County, but in all later episodes it is called Heimlich County with the exception of Nancy Gribble's occasional reference to Arlen County in later episode(s).
• Enrique's voice changed to have a more authentic Mexican-American accent in later seasons. He speaks less frequently in early seasons and has a generic non-accented voice.
• In the episode "The Order of the Straight Arrow" (Season 1, Episode 3), a young Hank says he wants to work in propane when he grows up (if his grades are good enough). This contradicts a later episode in which a young Hank is selling blue jeans to a younger Buck Strickland who offers him a job selling propane.
• The events in the episode "SerPUNt" (season 11, episode 2) are at odds with the episode "Not in My Back Hoe" (season 4, episode 8) in which Hank indicates that he has a septic tank instead of a sewer connection. When Bill gets a new tank and they can't find where the old one is, Bill asks Hank where Hank's septic tank is. Hank answers: "Side lawn, eight feet out; nine feet, seven inches from the pavement."
• Hank's barber, Jack, has always maintained the same voice, Brian Doyle-Murray, however he has been drawn in two forms. In earlier episodes he was shown as a middle-aged man with a thin mustache. Later episodes show him as a much older man without a mustache.
• In the episode "Hank's Bad Hair Day" (Season 4, Episode 19), Hank's barber Jack goes crazy and Bill becomes Hank's barber. Although the episode doesn't officially retire Jack, it is assumed that he has at least retired. Since that episode, Jack has appeared in at least two episodes; "My Hair Lady" (Season 8, Episode 11), and "Luanne Gets Lucky" (Season 11, Episode 4).
• All the main white characters worship at Arlen First Methodist Church, as does John Redcorn. The Souphanousinphones are Buddhists and follow the Dalai Lama (Ted Wasonasong converted from Buddhism to the Episcopal Church because it was "just good business"), although in scenes at Arlen First Methodist Church, the Souphanousinphones have been featured worshiping as background characters.

Cameo appearances

File:Koth.jpg

The Hills on The Simpsons with Dale, Bill and Boomhauer in the background

• The series is regularly referenced in The Simpsons. The Hill family was once (briefly) seen in "Bart Star", where Bart Simpson and his football team badly defeat Arlen's team, with Hank making the remark: "We drove 2,000 miles for this?" In "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo", Barney imitates Homer in order to put drinks on the latter's tab at Moe's, saying "D'oh!, woohoo!, uh... that boy ain't right." The last is a catchphrase of Hank Hill, not Homer Simpson. In "Helter Shelter", in which the Simpson house undergoes fumigation, the family questions one another on where to live. Homer decides to stand outside the house and wait. He opens a beer, and the King of the Hill theme tune plays and, as with the theme of King of the Hill, time speeds up and events occur rapidly while Homer takes sips of beer, just as Hank does. Upon finding that only a few minutes have passed, Homer gives up. In "Missionary: Impossible", Hank can be seen at the end of the episode working the PBS-style pledge phonelines for the FOX network. In "Marge vs. Singles, Seniors, Childless Couples and Teens, and Gays", while Bart and Lisa are fighting over the remote control, it stops on one channel and although the viewer cannot see the screen they hear an imitation of Hank's voice saying "Bobby, I've got propane in my urethra," combining three recurring elements of the show.
• In the Family Guy episode "One If By Clam, Two If By Sea", the guys stand in front of the alley and act out the famous "Yep" scene after their bar has been taken over by British people. In "Petergeist", Peter begins to peel off his face in front of a mirror until Hank Hill's face is revealed underneath. He then says "heheheh... propane."
• In the episode "Cartoon Wars Part II" of the series South Park, when Cartman and Kyle are fighting at Fox Studios, they pass through cubicles with signs that say "King of the Hill - 11th Season." Mike Judge has been friends with South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker since he advised them on how to deal with the cult status of a cartoon in 1997 and provided the unmuffled voice of Kenny in South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.
• Hank, Bill, and Dale are parodied on Godzilla: The Series; known as the "Red Neck Hunters", recurring villains who attempt to hunt Godzilla as a trophy.
• In an episode of Spongebob Squarepants, "Squirrel Jokes" when Spongebob tells squirrel jokes, a fish that looks like Hank Hill can be seen in the audience.
• Bobby has a Bart Simpson doll.
• Hank strongly resembles Mr. Anderson, a character from Beavis and Butt-head that is also voiced by Mike Judge.

International

The series airs in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 (S4C in Wales) and FX, and in the Republic of Ireland on RTÉ Two and FX. In Australia it aired on the Seven Network (with reruns on Pay-TV channel FOX8), in Canada it airs both on Global TV (with reruns on the Comedy Network and various local channels) and in bilingual French-English cable television Teletoon. In French-speaking communities, such as Quebec and France (there it airs in specialty channel Série Club), the series is both known by its English title and a French one, Henri pis sa gang ("Henry and his Gang"). In Greece, the show is aired on Mak TV weeknights at 19:30, with new episodes on Sundays at 19:30.

In Spanish-speaking countries, the series is known by various names. Whereas Latin-American countries know it as Los Reyes de la Colina (which translates into "The Kings of the Hill", Reyes being the family's surname in the Spanish translation which translates into Kings), in Spain it is known as Los Hills (The Hills). Something similar happens between Brazil and Portugal. In both countries the series is known by its original title, but in Brazil its dubbed version is called O Rei do Pedaço (the way of translation is similar to Los Reyes de la Colina). Spain: first aired on FX Spain, since 2006 on LaSexta. The series also airs in Italy, Germany, Greece, Russia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Israel, Finland and Sweden.

Trivia

• Tom Anderson, the Beavis and Butt-Head character which inspired Hank's voice, is a butane salesman, yet Bobby tells his friend Joseph that "my dad [Hank] says butane is a bastard gas."
• Dusty Hill from ZZ Top is Hank's cousin.
• Stephen Root, who voices Bill, originally auditioned for the part of Dale. In early seasons (when he was working simultaneously on NewsRadio), he was uncredited.
• Many celebrities have appeared in King of the Hill, though they almost never play themselves. Kelly Clarkson, Tom Petty, Will Ferrell, John Ritter, Brad Pitt, Snoop Dogg, Green Day, Bernie Mac, Nathan Fillion, Willie Nelson, Matthew McConaughey, Chris Rock, Johnny Depp, Johnny Knoxville, Trace Adkins, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Drew Carey, Lucy Liu, Laura Prepon, Brendan Fraser, and Dale Earnhardt among others all have had roles.
• Over the course of the series, most of the main characters' heights have been given: Hank (6' 2"), Dale (5' 10"), Bill (5' 8 3/4"), Cotton (6' 4" pre-war / 5' 0" sans shins), Joseph (5' 4" pre-puberty / 5' 10" currently).
• Nancy Gribble works for channel 84. This is a fictional channel assignment probably chosen as a joke by the writers. The UHF television band in North America formerly had channel assignments up to channel 83, although it now ends at channel 69.
• The Hills address is 123 Rainey Street, Arlen TX. There is an actual Rainey Street in Austin, Texas (the house numbers end at 89) which strengthens the belief of some that Arlen is modeled after the city of Austin.
• Two characters on the series are shown to be keyboard players, Dale and Kahn; however, Dale's talent consists mostly of being able to mimic playing it while the keyboard plays a pre-recorded song. Kahn, however, is shown to have at least a working knowledge of the keyboard in the episode "Maid in Arlen", in which he is able to play the Axel Foley theme from Beverly Hills Cop ("Axel F" by Harold Faltermeyer) while singing "Bev-Bev Beverly Hills Cop/Bev-Bev Beverly Hills Cop/Axel Foley's gonna find those druuuugs!"
• Hank, Dale, Bill and Boomhauer all drink Alamo Beer and Dale smokes Manitoba brand cigarettes, perhaps a parody of Marlboro cigarettes.
• Jazz musician Chuck Mangione has a recurring part as himself. He is featured in eleven episodes as a celebrity spokesman for Mega Lo Mart.
• Boomhauer's voice was inspired by an angry Beavis and Butt-head viewer who left an answering machine message for Mike Judge.
• In one episode, Bill is heard singing lyrics to the Lynyrd Skynyrd song, Freebird.

Inside jokes

• In the episode, "The Perils of Polling" Hank goes to Mexico with Dale because of one of Dale's conspiracy theories. Dale says they change their identities and suggests that Hank is an Ecuadorian rancher. Mike Judge (the voice of Hank) was born in Ecuador.
• Hank (much to his discomfort) learns when he is forty that he was actually born in New York City; this may have been inspired by Mike Judge's discovery that he was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador.

External links

• King of the Hill (Fox Broadcasting Company site)
• King of the Hill at IMDb
• King of the Hill at the Big Cartoon DataBase
• King of the Hill at TV.com
• King of the Hill soundboard
• Article on Mike Judge and his work by Steve Sailer