King Of The Hill’s Newest Season Is Dadcore Perfection

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 10 seconds ago

Growing up, I wasn’t a huge fan of King of the Hill. Sure, I found it enjoyable enough, but I never went out of my way to regularly watch it. To my teenage sensibilities, Mike Judge’s other major cartoon, Beavis and Butt-Head, was more endearing. Fast forward more than a decade later, though, and I discovered just how brilliant this show was. It helped that I had become a father, raising my own son in a tiny Southern town full of colorful personalities. Hank Hill was no longer a character I couldn’t understand; rather, he was someone I knew a little bit better every time I looked into the mirror.

That kinship with Hank is a big part of why I loved King of the Hill’s triumphant return on Hulu. Much of the revival’s first season focused on the relationship between Hank and Bobby, one which had changed since Bobby (much like my own son in the intervening years) had become his own man. Once more, Hank felt like my own reflection: someone trying to find his place in a world where everything changed but him. That consistency is at the heart of the newest season, which uses top-notch characterization to give us the best storytelling in this show’s history.

Bobby Loves Connie

To me, the most exciting thing about the King of the Hill revival was seeing the kind of man young Bobby had grown into. Making him a chef and restaurant owner was a stroke of genius because it highlighted the character’s passion and strengths while also underscoring that he still has more than a few things to learn. Bobby grew over that season in several ways, but none more so than finally beginning a relationship with his childhood crush, Connie Souphanousinphone. These two hooking up was the emotional climax of the previous season, and this season explores how their relationship has evolved.

As usual, the King of the Hill revival approached their changed dynamic with humor and bemusement, like when they wrestled with the decision to give their relationship a hard launch or a soft launch. They faced some predictable relationship woes, including arguments over exes and flirtatious women. All of this felt very real, but the show never resorted to cheap tricks by making us think they are going to break up. They always work things out and always lift each other up. Just as Hank constantly models good fathering, Bobby and Connie model a healthy relationship, and it is just infinitely rewarding to watch this couple do its thing. 

Never Too Old For An Arc

If the King of the Hill revival’s first season had one weakness, it was that it arguably focused a bit too much on Hank and Bobby. While these two are still front and center in most stories, many of the newer episodes focused on other older characters, with a special emphasis on how they have changed over time. For example, we see Nancy finally decide to work on her relationship with Dale rather than constantly cucking her husband with John Redcorn. We also see more of the fallout of Kahn and Minh’s divorce. Heck, even Bill gets major development, both as Kahn’s roommate and as a man suffering from crippling depression.

Giving the older characters these major arcs infuses the new season with a special power. After all, these are characters most fans grew up with, and seeing their evolution is a keen reminder that it’s never too late for any of us to change. Plus, the resolution to these arcs is often emotionally rewarding. My favorite was seeing Hank go all out to help Peggy with her menopause; overwhelmed, she asked him to be the one thing that never changes. It’s a beautiful moment because Peggy’s praise reinforces Hank’s idea of himself. As for Hank, we see his biggest secret: that he’s willing to make major changes to help the ones he loves.

As an avowed wife guy, moments like this are absolutely beautiful. Fair warning: you may want to keep some manly tissues handy because it’s hard not to tear up at the sheer sweetness of these characters.

He Walks The Line

The last thing I wanted to highlight about the King of the Hill revival’s latest season is how well it walks the scariest tightrope of them all: politics. Hank is a conservative character living in a very conservative area, but he is defined more by a personal moral compass than a political compass. The show often emphasizes this by showing how reasonable and moderate Hank is, especially in the face of weird extremism. The mildest example of this is when some Comic-Con nerds mock Hank for being old and out-of-touch; he ultimately bonds with them by watching their favorite nerd show and crafting a hero-quality prop of their favorite fantasy weapon.

The most extreme example involves a hen becoming a rooster, something that is rare but scientifically possible. When Hank innocuously mentions how this is neat, some parents start screaming at him about teaching false gender ideology and how he must support trans kids playing sports. Hank doesn’t pop off a speech about trans rights; instead, he calmly reminds his accusers that they were talking about something entirely different and trying to twist his words. The whole plot is a perfect satire of trans panic, keeping Hank Hill in character while highlighting that the loudest voices on any political issue are more interested in being heard than actually having a discussion.

Time To Grab Some Brews With The Boys

A stinging satire of culture war bullsh*t that doesn’t get preachy and merely points out how stupid extremist positions are? Simply put, there is no other modern comedy (cartoon or otherwise) firing on all cylinders like King of the Hill.

If you were waiting for my TL; DR review, here it is: the new King of the Hill season is television at its finest. You should really drop whatever you’re doing and go stream it on Hulu. And here’s a little recommendation: while you’re up, get in some comfy clothes and grab your favorite drink and coziest blanket. All the episodes are out now, and trust me: you’ll want to binge this bad boy all night long!

KING OF THE HILL REVIEW SCORE