10 Lessons We Learned From King of the Hill
When Mike Judge set about creating a new animated sitcom set in the American South, with realistic
characters and themes, Fox weren't entirely convinced.
Judge had already established himself as a satirist with Beavis and Butt-Head on MTV,
so Fox executives brought Simpsons writer Greg Daniels onboard, to help with the emotional
aspect of character development.
King of the Hill became an instant hit, striking all the right chords, emotionally and comically;
at once challenging, compromising and humanizing in the cultural conflict between conservative
and liberal values.
It's Judge's genuine, lived experience of the South, and its people, alongside Daniels
vivid portrayals of human emotional growth, that makes the show live on as a favorite
of millions, even today.
I'm Kyle with WickedBinge.
And these are the top ten lessons we learned from King of the Hill.
10.
Country Music is Some Damn Good Music, I Tell You What - The Bluegrass is Always Greener
Mike Judge started Tales from the Tour Bus in 2017, to share his love for country with
a new generation.
When it came to King of the Hill fans, his work was probably already done.
Hank's distaste for anything but wholesome, god-fearing music exposed the show's audience
to the joys of banjo-plucking, washboard-scraping, fiddle-sawing Bluegrass.
In the episode The Bluegrass is Always Greener, the guys form a band with Connie, who shows
an innate talent for playing country-style on her violin *cough* on her fiddle.
The Dale Gribble Bluegrass Experience eventually collapses when Hank turns out to be no less
pushy than Connie's own father.
But dang it, even Kahn can't resist that catchy tune.
9.
Being a Parent Isn't Easy - Keeping Up With Our Joneses
Lots of shows tackle parenting.
What makes King of the Hill different is that it delves deeper into a parent's paradoxical
instincts.
On the one hand, they want to help their children develop; on the other, they hold a deep-rooted
fear of being supplanted.
Likewise a child needs to coax out every bit of knowledge they can, before usurping their
primary role model.
Although as a war veteran, Cotton hasn't had the easiest life himself, it's pretty clear
that he's been a crummy father.
Hank knows this and is determined to do a better job of raising his own son.
So when he catches Bobby smoking, Hank congratulates himself on forcing Bobby to finish an entire
carton of cigarettes, in order to stamp out the habit.
His plan goes awry when the whole family becomes addicted to that sweet, sweet nico *cough*
*splutter*.
Don't smoke, kids in the end, it's their trailer-trash adoptee, Luann, who puts an end to their nicotine
binge.
Hank's vanity and pride blinded him to the fact that Bobby was never addicted to begin
with.
But doesn't ladybird look cute, aww.
8.
Life's Not Always About Winning - How to Fire a Rifle Without Really Trying
It's an old cliche to say it's the taking part that counts but we can't all be winners
every time.
When Bobby develops a talent for shooting, it gives Hank a rare opportunity to take pride
in his son for succeeding at something he can easily respect.
However, once again, Hank's pride gets in the way when he remembers he's a hopeless
shot.
Threatened by showing himself up in the Father/Son funshoot tournament", he tries to squash Bobby's
passion rather than face up to his fears.
Eventually, Hank bites the bullet and joins up anyway.
With a little help from a sports psychologist, Hank cobbles together a passable performance
in the competition but ultimately chokes in the tiebreak.
All his fears being realized, Hank sinks his head in shame.
Then, in one of the show's most heartwarming moments, Bobby becomes the immediate antidote
to his disappointment.
Overjoyed at their second-place finish, the prodigal son charges towards the show's hero,
clutching his certificate with pride and they agree to try again next year *sniff* I'm okay.
Please continue to look at the screen
7.
Victory Is Sweet - And They Call it Bobby Love
Oh, Yeah!
While winning isn't everything, it's a damn sight better than losing.
Bobby's first love is short-lived, as he struggles to navigate the challenges of dating someone
more mature and sophisticated she's two grades above him at middle school.
Nevertheless, the broken-hearted boy gets some break-up advice from Hank that puts him
on the right course get it?
Uh Bobby's carnivorous display puts a stake in the heart of his plant-eating ex during
a chance meeting.
Uh When her parents joint the applause, it really twists the knife.
*boos* I'll be leaving now.
6.
Know Your Audience - Meet the Propaniacs
Hank doesn't always approve of Bobby's theatrical aspirations but even our propane-pushing protagonist
can't help cracking a smile when Bobby starts telling jokes about the efficient, clean-burning
gas.
Bobby incorporates Hank's propane knowledge into his comedy and saves a grill sale, winning
his father's genuine admiration.
In fact, the episode Meet the Propaniacs', might be the most we ever see Hank laugh.
Things take a turn when Charlie Fortner, president of the Texas Association of Propane Dealers,
takes a diaper joke personally (on account of wearing one himself).
It shows how we can all enjoy comedy until the joke lands on ourselves.
When the comedy troupe re-unites to perform on a Sunday night at The Arlen Mall, the bemused
shoppers stare blankly in confusion at the propane-centered material.
Hank's still laughing though way to go, Bobby.
5.
Kick Some Ass - Returning Japanese
If there's one thing Hank never fails at, it's dispensing a well-deserved ass-kicking.
Without advocating violence, the show makes a good case for doling out a beating when
polite, yet firm, words just won't cut it.
When Hank meets his Half-Japanese older brother who bears a striking resemblance to himself
there's just one ingredient missing.
Junichiro Hill learns that, despite his typical Japanese reserve, sometimes it takes a little
brawn to get your own way.
Then again we still wouldn't back him in a fight against his all-American kid brother.
Are you still talking?
4.
Put Pride Aside - Peggy Hill: The Decline and Fall
Peggy Hill might be the most divisive character in the show.
While she's a devoted wife and mother, her pride verging on arrogance has provoked some
fans into suggesting she should have been killed off!
Despite the haters, Peggy's not one to go down easy.
At the start of season four, she survives an eight thousand foot drop, when both her
parachutes fail to deploy.
This episode also gives us an opportunity to see the three-time substitute Spanish of
the year in a more vulnerable light.
Witnessing Peggy come to terms with her limited abilities, while immobilized by a full-body
cast, teaches us the essence of humility.
Does it make Peggy more humble in the long run?
Uh not exactly.
But deep down, we know her heart's in the right place.
3.
Self-Defense - Bobby Goes Nuts
With great power comes great responsibility.
When school-bully Chane Wassanasong starts picking on Bobby, Hank sends his son to learn
self-defense at the YMCA.
Although it seems like justice when Bobby uses his newly-honed martial abilities to
exact revenge on Chane, the power soon goes to his head.
Bobby's despotic reign of terror culminates in a significant blow to his already-thin
chances of ever having a sibling.
Got-dang it.
The revelation that Peggy doesn't possess the same Achilles heel as his previous opponents
ultimately brings the rampage to an end.
That's not the only self-defense technique on the show either.
Dale gets bonus points for announcing his pocket sand right before using it, like it's
some kind of Pokemon attack.
2.
Be Skeptical - Hilloween
In the age of Twitter, the political climate might be more polarized than ever.
King of the Hill managed to satirize suburban life in the American south without malice
or mockery.
Many episodes revolve around Hank's conservative instinct to reject all kinds of hysteria.
And he's often vindicated, at least in part, for doing so.
When a member of the church starts a crusade against Halloween, calling it a celebration
of evil, Hank takes a stand to defend the harmless tradition.
Despite a seeming lack of support for the protest, Hank is eventually joined by a silent
majority who resent the ban on festivities.
The show has always been enjoyed across the social and political spectrum.
With talks of a revival in 2018, perhaps Mike Judge thinks Hank's no-nonsense attitude could
be the perfect antidote to a world of extremes.
1.
Nobody's Perfect
What makes King of the Hill's characters likable is their flaws.
Of course it helps that they make us all laugh as well, but their humanizing flaws are what
makes Arlen's residents so relatable.
Although Peggy might have a perfect self-image, we recognize it's a front for some deep-rooted
insecurities and questionable linguistic ability; Luann's good looks and um other assets don't
protect her from her own emotional vulnerability and naivety; Bobby's a hopeless underdog and
Hank, while he may be the hero of the show, is constantly forced to navigate a world he
increasingly struggles to understand.
On the other side of the coin, even antagonists like Kahn are softened by humor and humanized
in the show.
Kahn cruelly teases his neighbors whenever they suffer any pain or embarrassment.
However, he doess't seem to have any friends of his own and is always snubbed in his attempts
to flatter Ted Wassanasong, his fellow Laotian and social superior.
In season thirteen, he is revealed to suffer from manic-depression the final piece of evidence
that his external arrogance hides a more vulnerable side.
And of course, my favorite character, Cotton Hill despite being a bad father, as well as
seemingly void of morals and proudly offensive there's no denying that he's just fun.
And although he usually filled with hate, he does genuinely love Bobby.
And he also killed fiddy men.
King of the Hill isn't the first show to have complex, human characters with flaws, and
nor is it the last.
But its ability to weave the struggles of emotional expression, family relationships
and pride, with so much humor and compassion, is what makes it one of the greatest animated
shows of all time.
But what do you think?
What is the greatest lesson that King of the Hill taught you?
Let us know in the comment section below.
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