King of the Hill

[Avaitor]

Check this out!

[Lord Il]

^Nice find!
Couldn't make out the date so I gave it a Google looksee... July 12-18, 1997

[source]

Didn't fully come to the realization until now that Hank and the gang had such a really nice run.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I hope ensatsu-ken is still planning to marathon this over the summer.

Anyway, of all the "waves" of prime-time animation that has happened since the Flintstones first came out, I think the late-90s wave (that happened around South Park's early popularity) was the most interesting. It was certainly the most varied.

King of the Hill had a great run, though it was a shame that it never quite reclaimed its early popularity even if it has had quite a strong afterlife with audiences.

[Daxdiv]

Am I the only one here whose curious as to what the centerfold looked like?

[Lord Il]

Am I the only one here whose curious as to what the centerfold looked like?

There's presently a copy of that very issue for sale on ebay....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/TV-GUIDE-JULY-12-1997-HANK-HILL-KING-OF-THE-HILL-DARIA-DR-KATZ-NO-LABEL-/380689681065?pt=Magazines&hash=item58a2df8aa9

You should buy it and tell us what you find.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Did you guys ever get this added back to Netflix? We still haven't gotten it at all yet.

[LumRanmaYasha]

Nope. It still hasn't been re-added yet.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I can't believe I never did this before, but here we go.


Season 1 - 7/10

All things considered, this is fairly characterless outside of a few shining spots. That said, it's still fairly solid across the board and is an enjoyable show. "Peggy The Boggle Champ" is the clear winner for best episode here.


Season 2 - 8/10

This starts out as a continuation of season 1, only better, though as soon as "Jumpin' Crack Bass" rolls around, it's easy to tell that this show is going to be something special. This is where King of the Hill starts to form into the show that managed to last 13 seasons spread over ten years and deserved every bit of that air time. I've never met anyone who didn't think "Three Days of the Kahndo" wasn't hysterical and wasn't on the edge of their seat after "Propane Boom" aired. From this point on, it only gets better.


Season 3 - 10/10

The best season of the show. Everything finally comes together to form a remarkable season covered in highs without a low to be found. Sure people always go on over how The Simpsons had a pretty spotless run between season 3 and 9 (or 8, depending on who you are), but King of the Hill managed a run just as strong. Between "Death of a Propane Salesman" and "As Old As the Hills", you will find some excellent television waiting for you. And yes, "A Firefighting We Will Go" is enough to make anyone a fan for life.


Season 4 - 10/10

This is more of a world-building season with more episodes focused on side-characters, and they basically all work. The writing quality remains high throughout and there's tons of fun to be had. Though "Hillenium" is easily the most dated episode in the show, and as such is probably the weakest episode here, it's still remarkably strong with many great lines. "There isn't a Mrs. Chappy, is there?"


Season 5 - 10/10

As a whole this might be the second strongest season after 3, but it has a bit of a darker edge to the episodes. Characters frequently have to deal with the dark side of life and make it out through the other end. Though about every episode is successful ("The Exterminator" is one of the best), one is the clear weakling with "Twas the Nut Before Christmas" being a rather infuriating episode with an ending that sort of pops out of nowhere and should have happened much sooner. Nonetheless, it's another home-run season.


Season 6 - 10/10

You getting tired of these ratings yet? Give it a bit longer. This is probably the funniest season of King of the Hill on a gag basis. That is my purse, after all, and I'm not quite sure I'm aware of who you may be. While deeper plots and ideas take a backseat to comedy, it all manages to work here.  "Old Jane! Blonde Jane!" It all ends in an excellent two-parter that has a downside to it. That being the fact that this is the last two-parter in the entire run of the show.


Season 7 - 7/10

Oh, man. Now, this isn't a bad season. There are quite a few classics here ("Megalo Dale", "Texas Skillsaw Massacre", and "Dances With Dogs"), yet it also contains the most boring premiere episode (Not worst, just most boring) in the show's run as well as the blandest finale. It also contains the single worst episode in the show's entire run. That hurts it. The network apparently caught wind that the KOTH writers were trying to establish a world and made them go back to Simpsons-styled "What's continuity?" which ended up hurting the show in the long run. It isn't until season 11 that they got it back. That might also explain the death of two-parters.


Season 8 - 8/10

Second wind in a major way. One of the best premiere episodes followed by a strong batch of episodes, season 8 is fairly underrated being that it's between the disappointing seventh and ninth seasons. It's not up to the standards of season 3 through 6, but it's a step-up. Unfortunately, the lack of continuity lead to a limit on how far this format could go.


Season 9 - 7/10

I almost gave this a six, then remembered how the season was far better by the end and gave it a seven. The season starts with three of the worst episodes in the show (The third more uninspired than bad) and steadily slogs forward until "Enrique-cilable Differences" where it makes a quantum leap forward. "Redcorn Gambles With His Future", "Smoking & The Bandit", and "Bobby On Track" are too excellently done to push it down further than a 7. But that first half is rough.


Season 10 - 7/10

Same ranking as season 9 because it has the same issues. Though the lows are nowhere near as bad as season 9, there aren't as many highs as that season either. That said, "24 Hour Propane People", "Hank Fixes Everything", and "Portrait of the Young Artist as a Clown" are all top notch.


Season 11 - 9/10

While the premiere isn't anything amazing, and the finale could have gone further, the season is the beginning of the second wind of KOTH. "SerPUNT", and "Grand Theft Arlen" being particularly absolutely hysterical. The best part? This is the only season that doesn't have a low point or weak episode. Watch any episode here and you're guaranteed to have fun. This season pretty much saved the show from obscurity.


Season 12 - 10/10

Yep, I went there. Season 12 is one of the best seasons in the show's whole run. There isn't a blemish to find here. It has the scope of season 4, the deeper aspects of season 5, the explosive comedy of season 6, and even the focus of season 3. Should I pick favorites? No need. Just sit down and watch them all. This might be the only show in history where the 12th season might be considered one of the best of the show's entire run.


Season 13 - 9/10

The season suffers from holdovers from season 12 to kill its tone (the only reason I dropped its ranking), but if judged on the episodes specifically made, it might be another 10. There are no bad episodes. Still, front-loaded by seven holdovers does effect it as it is about a third of the length. This is one of the best final seasons I've ever seen all of which close things off that have been danging for years ("Bwah! My Nose", "Serves Me Right..." and "The Honeymooners" especially) and others are just really well done episodes with a touch of melancholy in the knowledge that soon it'll be over. Some episodes could have been stronger in this aspect ("Joseph met Lori" would have been fine in an earlier season, but here it's out of place) and the holdovers are fairly average, but when it ends, it feels satisfying. The ending of "To Sirloin With Love" is one of my favorite endings of any show.


So, as a whole I'm clearly a fanboy. That said, it's probably always going to be one of my favorite shows. Nothing really tops it in consistency or the incredible highs. If you haven't sat through the 250+ episodes of this show, you're missing out. Don't believe the lame-oids who call this show boring, or the hipsters that tell you its second to Beavis & Butthead or The Office for the creators' other works. They're wrong.

Give this show a chance. It's one of the best animated shows ever.

[Avaitor]

I was using my uncle and aunt's on demand service the other day, and [as]'s section had a handful of later season 3 episodes. Wow, that year was on a roll. But it's a shame that we never saw Tilly's friends again.

I'm not sure how I'd do my rankings (they'd probably be very similar to yours), but 3 and 4 are definite 10's.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yeah, I'd really dig a complete series set, but at least I got the first six seasons. You can really sit down and enjoy about every episode on them, but man, I'd really like the last seven, too.

Season 3 is undoubtedly the peak, but it says a lot that a chunk of the later seasons manage to live up to it.

[Skeeter Valentine]

I have links to the entire series in iTunes quality (including 720p for the HD episodes).

You guys want them?

[Spark Of Spirit]

I already have ways of watching 'em. But, thanks. 

[Kiddington]

It's so disappointing that the back-end of the series isn't more readily available. You'd think something that ran this long would be a little more appreciated.

..........anyway, great post. I think I'd give Season 11 a perfect 10 just for Grand Theft Arlen alone though. Definitely one of my all-time favorite eps; "where's the button to turn myself in?"

[Kiddington]

Yeah sorry, I just had to.

Anyway, one other thought I wanted to add; reading through this all again, Dax mentioned something to you about maybe doing a Top 10 best and worst episode list, which I think would be a pretty cool idea. Racist Dawg and Ms. Wakefield obviously go without saying, but I wanna see your other 8 worst eps.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I already did a top and bottom 10, but I think I'll adjust it a bit.

1. A-Firefighting We Will Go
2. Serves Me Right for Giving General George S. Patton the Bathroom Key
3. And They Call It Bobby Love
4. Nine Pretty Darn Angry Men
5. Bwah, My Nose
6. Three Coaches and a Bobby
7. To Kill A Ladybird
8. Death Picks Cotton
9. Patch Boomhauer
10. Three Days of the Kahndo


My bottom 10:

1. Racist Dawg
2. Mrs. Wakefield
3. 'Twas The Nut Before Christmas
4. A Rover Runs Through It
5. Junkie Business
6. I'm With Cupid
7. Orange You Glad I Didn't Say Banana?
8. The Petriot Act
9. The Texas Panhandler
10. Be True To Your Fool (It was a coin toss between this or "Bill's House")