Early into the season premiere of King of the Hill Season 14, the taciturn and set-in-his-ways Hank Hill (Mike Judge) is confronted with a latest phenomenon of the 2020s: The all-gender public toilet. It’s a clumsy second for him, however when he talks to his spouse Peggy (Kathy Najimy) about it later, he’s not indignant — he’s simply frightened a couple of girl strolling in on him whereas he’s doing his enterprise. “That’s the way you get canceled,” he says. It’s an alternate that does a tidy job of capturing the spirit with which King of the Hill returns: Able to acknowledge the methods through which the world has modified for the reason that authentic sequence led to 2010, however with extra kindness than you may count on.
When a revival of Greg Daniels and Choose’s long-running animated comedy was formally confirmed in January 2023, it was simple to think about the lazy jokes that might consequence, the satirizing of “woke-ness” that could be anticipated in a time when the pink state vs. blue state battle has solely gotten extra intense. As an alternative, it’s a pleasure to say that King of the Hill has a sort coronary heart beating in its chest, and thus it continues to be a candy, character-focused comedy. The present does sort out loads of politically appropriate touchstones, however the focus stays on the Hills and their mates, simply doing their greatest to get by in sophisticated occasions.
Whereas there have been no onerous date stamps on the unique King of the Hill episodes, the primary 13 seasons did exist largely in a Simpsons-esque bubble where time didn’t pass much — Bobby might have been 11 when the sequence started and 13 when it ended. Quite than hold the Hills in that bubble, the brand new present jumps ahead by eight years within the characters’ private chronology.
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For those who had been to do some math primarily based on when Season 13 completed airing (2010), that will theoretically set the present in 2018. However we’re undoubtedly in a post-pandemic 2020s period when Hank and Peggy return to Arlen after dwelling overseas for years. It’s a intelligent manner so as to add some fish-out-of-water stress to the sequence, as they deal with the modifications that even their small Texas city has skilled.
Whereas their home stays the identical (due to their neighbor Brian, voiced by the all the time welcome Keith David) and the again alley stays a hot spot for drinking beer with your buds, the established order has been altered in a single dramatic manner: Bobby (Pamela Adlon) is now 21 years previous and working his personal Japanese-German fusion restaurant in Dallas. Whereas turning into a enterprise proprietor has helped Bobby develop up quite a bit, he’s nonetheless fairly younger in different methods, and an enormous a part of the brand new season is concentrated on him navigating his relationship together with his mother and father as a quasi-adult. (He’s additionally courting now, and his mild spirit makes his quest for love simple to root for.)
Hank’s small cluster of mates have additionally gone by means of their very own experiences whereas remaining comparatively true to themselves — like, of course conspiracy-loving Dale (voiced by each the recently deceased Johnny Hardwick and Toby Huss) was an anti-masker, and candy shy Invoice (Stephen Root) didn’t deal with the stress of the pandemic properly. By means of them and others, the present does an admirable job of each reflecting immediately’s vibe whereas additionally protecting the deal with the humanity of those characters. Even a vegan character launched halfway by means of the season isn’t outlined solely by her food plan and various viewpoints — she will get a full backstory and actual dimension by the tip.
King of the Hill (Hulu)
The animation type stays clear and easy, precisely the way you keep in mind it, whereas the jokes nonetheless pop and the tales nonetheless ship some sudden twists. (The decision to an episode the place Peggy opens up a free lending library is wry, ironic, and hilarious.) And each Hardwick and the late Jonathan Joss are memorialized correctly by the present, after delivering performances that solely spotlight how a lot they’ll be missed.
The most effective side of those 10 episodes is that they do lean onerous into the way in which society has advanced, even whereas Hank’s core values haven’t — seeing the way in which his dedication to these core values run up towards ideas like “males’s rights” is the place a few of the present’s greatest jokes and most attention-grabbing stress comes from.
Later within the season premiere, Hank and Peggy run throughout some Lady Scouts promoting cookies, and Hank asks in the event that they’ve acquired any Samoas. One of many ladies informs him that these cookies are actually referred to as Caramel Delites, to be extra delicate to folks from Samoa. “That’s a superb change,” Hank says earlier than shopping for a field. “It’s good to be good,” the Lady Scout agrees. Phrases that really feel particularly good to listen to proper now from anybody, however particularly from a present like this.
King of the Hill Season 14 premieres August 4th on Hulu. Try the trailer beneath.
