The Hills are Back in Town!
After years of that long-term propane gig in Saudi Arabia, Hank and Peggy Hill are finally back in Arlen, and boy howdy, has everything changed. Their little boy Bobby is all grown up and a chef in Dallas. The town’s got newfangled everything, from scooters in the street to gender-neutral bathrooms, and Hank’s trying his best not to get a dang aneurism over all of it. He’s still our same old Hank, clinging to his values like a bulldog to a pork chop, but he’s got to navigate a world that’s decided to go and change the recipe on him. It’s a real test of his good-natured Texan patience, which we all know runs a little thin, bless his heart.
And the best part is, the show doesn’t try to make fun of Hank for being…well, Hank. The humor comes from the way the world has changed around him, and his honest, albeit confused, reactions to it all. He’s not the only one, either. Peggy, in all her confident glory, finds her self-identity challenged, and even Dale’s conspiracy theories seem to blend in with the general craziness of the modern world. The revival is a welcome homecoming that reminds us why we fell in love with these characters in the first place, while still moving their lives forward in a way that feels natural and earned. It’s like putting on a comfortable pair of worn-in jeans—you know what you’re getting, but it feels right.
Review
The cast of this season is the real deal. Mike Judge is back as Hank and Boomhauer, and it’s like he never left. Kathy Najimy‘s Peggy is still as wonderfully full of herself as ever, and Pamela Adlon‘s Bobby, now a 20-something chef, is still a lovable goofball. It was also great to hear Johnny Hardwick as Dale Gribble for the first half of the season, and Toby Huss picks up the mantle seamlessly. A special shout-out to Jonathan Joss as John Redcorn; it’s bittersweet knowing this is his last performance. It’s also great to see Stephen Root back as Bill, who, in true Bill fashion, is still down on his luck. The new voice of Kahn, Ronny Chieng, is a welcome addition, and he really makes the character his own.
The animation style got a little facelift, but it still has that classic Mike Judge look. It’s a bit cleaner, a little more modern, but it doesn’t lose the soul of the original show. You can tell they put a lot of care into making it feel right, and the subtle changes only help the show feel like it’s aged gracefully, just like its characters.
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Characters
Characters and how they feel years later:
Hank and Peggy feel the same with just some expanded horizons pretty normal reminds me of my parents aging. Not a fan of some of the crude language, I am sorry but Peggy just shouldn’t say the F word. It was brilliant having them travel to be the opportunity to grow. Hank becoming a soccer fan was not on my bingo card but is sweet and fits the theme of change going on here.
Bobby, I really like his growth, he has somehow stayed the same while growing up and having a great work ethic (14 hour days) and kept his sweetness which is kind of hard to do. I really love the storyline with Bobby like the restaurant and rooming with Joseph and how he still treats Connie. Just a great well written character.
Connie… in just one word. Disappointed. I REALLY did not like that get some on the side storyline.
Dale is still that weird guy who is super into conspiracy theories but it just doesn’t hit the same now. Something isn’t hitting right with this character, or maybe I am just broken from the fact that we have a bunch of real life Rogan’s I mean Dale’s now.
Bill, I don’t know he has always made me a little uncomfortable, I am not sure the barbershop storyline helps that.
Boomhauer it feels like they made a concerted effort to keep him on the down low,
Luanne doesn’t even get a mention. I know the actress is gone, but she deserved some kind of a send off.
Khan and Minh: Meh… just not interested in that weird storyline at all.
Overall Character Changes and Development: I don’t really like the fact that the boys just really don’t interact together on their own very much, the men outside drinking beers and BBQ while the ladies were in the kitchen talking together as well, that really tied the old show together, I miss that. It feels kind of like all the characters no longer really have a reason to exist on this show except Bobby, Hank and Peggy.
Synopsis and Plot Breakdown
Episode 1: “Return of the King”
Hank and Peggy return to Arlen after their time in Saudi Arabia. They find the town is a lot different than they remember, with new people, new rules, and a whole lot of weirdness. Meanwhile, Bobby, who is now a chef in Dallas, runs into his childhood friend Connie. It’s a perfect reintroduction to the world and the characters, showing us how much they’ve changed and how much they haven’t.
Rating: 5/5
Episode 2: “The Beer Story”
Hank and Bobby get into a little father-son spat over the “right” way to make beer. Hank is all about traditional home-brewing, while Bobby is into these new-fangled craft beers with added flavors. They decide to settle it in a home-brewing competition in Dallas. It’s a classic Hank vs. Bobby episode that shows off their new adult dynamic while still feeling familiar.
Rating: 4.5/5
Episode 3: “Bobby Gets Grilled”
Bobby is looking for the perfect kind of charcoal for his restaurant, and he’s accused of “cultural appropriation” for using a specific kind of wood. Hank and Dale get into some trouble at the George W. Bush Presidential Library, and it’s a perfect display of Dale’s conspiracy-addled mind in the modern world.
Rating: 4/5
Episode 4: “Chore Money, Chore Problems”
Hank decides to try out a handyman app, which sounds like a great idea, but it turns out to be a huge headache when he has to deal with customer ratings. Meanwhile, Bobby is having his own social issues when he learns that Connie is dating a mutual friend. This episode is a good example of the show’s ability to update its humor to fit the modern world without losing its heart.
Rating: 4/5
Episode 5: “New Ref in Town”
Hank gets roped into becoming a soccer referee, a job he hates, but he keeps it a secret from his friends, who would never understand his betrayal of American football. Bobby tries to buy a car and ends up with a whole lot more than he bargained for.
Rating: 3.5/5
Episode 6: “Peggy’s Fadeout”
Peggy has a bit of an identity crisis when her new business ventures don’t go as planned, and she struggles to figure out who she is now that she’s “retired.” It’s a good episode that lets Kathy Najimy really shine.
Rating: 4.5/5
Episode 7: “Any Given Hill-Day”
Bobby and Hank go to a Dallas Cowboys fantasy football camp to bond, but Bobby’s girlfriend Willow tags along and ends up getting closer to Hank, which makes Bobby feel left out. The conflict comes to a head in a very messy and public way.
Rating: 4/5
Episode 8: “Kahn-scious Uncoupling”
The Souphanousinphones throw a huge anniversary party to hide a secret from their friends, and Hank is the only one who knows what’s really going on. Bobby is stressed trying to cater the party while also dealing with drama from Connie.
Rating: 4/5
Episode 9: “No Hank Left Behind”
Hank takes his dog, Good Hank, to a men’s camp to instill some good values in him, but he discovers the camp is nothing like what he thought it would be. Meanwhile, Peggy stays at Bobby’s apartment after getting an MRI, and the two get to spend some quality time together.
Rating: 4/5
Episode 10: “A Sounder Investment”
Hank and the guys try to make a new “sounder” for the beer cooler in the alley. It’s a classic slice-of-life episode that shows the guys just being guys and getting into a little bit of trouble.
Rating: 5/5
Conclusion
Season 14 of King of the Hill is a triumph. It’s funny, it’s got heart, and it updates the characters and the world in a way that feels right. The humor is just as sharp as it ever was, but it’s a little more thoughtful and a little less mean-spirited. It’s the kind of show that reminds you of how much you’ve missed these characters and how they can still be a comfort in a world that’s always changing. It gets an overall grade of an A+ from me. It’s a rare revival that not only lives up to the original but also manages to feel fresh and necessary. It’s a good dang show.
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