King of the Hill

[Avaitor]

I remember when season 11 premiered, I wasn't too excited. I thought KOTH dropped in quality over the past couple of seasons, and this would only continue the trend. That's how most shows work, anyway. There's an article from Cracked about this that I'll try to find later.

But wow, I was blown away when the first few episodes aired. My faith in the show was fully restored and I became an even bigger fan than I was before. Season 12 impressed me even more, but it's still amazing how well the show recovered this late in it's run.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I'm not really sure what happened to KOTH in seasons 11-13, but it was a clear second wind where everything seemed to work and make sense. I find these seasons are more down to earth and slower burn in their ideas, but they hold up remarkably well to rewatchings and are easily the most consistent the show had been since season 6.

The smaller run might have helped with that focus, but season 12 is even better.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I'm in the mood to tackle season 12 now, so here it is in all it's glory.

Season 12

While season 11 was a remarkably consistent return to KOTH's better days that no one expected, season 12 is even better with more ideas and remarkably fresh execution that might fool anyone who never saw the show before into thinking it was a new one. We see new sides to established personalities and relationships, more interesting pairings that help add to both the plots and the characters, and it all still remains funny throughout. Don't believe me that a season 12 could stack up to a season 3 or a series? Check this:


214. Sweet Smells Of Excess

The gang (with Bobby) attend one of the biggest Uni football games of the year and accidentally end up effecting it's outcome. It's a big episode that manages to be really funny, and most importantly is that it's a really big episode that works marvelously for a premiere. Despite the scope of it, the episode remains small enough to focus on the characters and their reactions to the events of what's going on. We see little quirks brought out and solved throughout and this is just a joy to watch. Excellent premiere.


215. Bobby Rae

Bobby tries to impress a girl by being someone he's not. Simple idea, right? The reason this episode works is that there is a ton of political and social commentary throughout all tucked into character reactions and the way the plot folds out. This is classic KOTH through and through. Sure it ends with Hank "fixing it" (as some like to complain), but that's only natural considering who he was dealing with at the time.


216. The Powder Puff Boys

An interesting twist on the Hank and Bobby relationship. Usually Bobby wants to do something weird and unmanly and Hank disapproves, this time it's the other way around where Bobby doesn't want to do it and Hank wants him to. One thing I liked about this season is how Bobby seemed to grow up a bit through it. He seemed more level-headed like Hank with the enthusiasm of Peggy. Seeing him as the voice of reason over Hank is quite the treat. A great character episode.


217. Four Wave Intersection

Boomhauer learns what it means to lose your place as the "cool" one during a heatwave. Bill becomes an icon for people suffering in the heat, and Bobby and the gang suffer at the water park. A lot happens in this episode, and it works great as a fun summer based episode. It's got a great scope to it and the humor is fantastic. There's something particularly weird about surfers screaming "locals only" in a freaking water park. Also we learn that Boomhauer was never really cool, he was merely the coolest in his group of friends which makes it more believable that he would hang with Hank with the guys. An episode like this would fit perfectly in season 4, and that's as great a praise as I can give it.


218. Death Picks Cotton

What to say here? Easily one of the best episodes of the entire series, Cotton Hill joins the rest of his war buddies like Topsy and Erwin Linker as he dies in a hospital bed. It's a surprisingly touching episode as Cotton who simply refuses to die is finally given his once over as a character as we finally learn all there is to learn about him. The only knock would be that the sub plot can get a bit annoying, and that we never see Bobby's reaction to Cotton's death, but that's inconsequential as by the end of the episode everyone's relationship with Cotton is totally laid to rest and we have quite possibly the best ending of any episode in the series. There was nobody quite like Cotton. Another excellent episode.


219. Raise The Steaks

An interesting social commentary on the importance of organic foods in our society while at the same time decrying the sometimes overbearing culture surrounding him. It's a pretty nice episode overall, even if it doesn't stand out quite as much as the ones before it. A quieter episode is nice to have.


220. Tears Of An Inflatable Clown

Season 12 focused a lot more on the school than other seasons, and it was all well deserved. This episode shows exactly what can lead to school being so lame and awful at times, and precisely the reason why this episode is so relate-able. The sub-plot too is quite awesome in how weird it is. Lucky fits in quite well with the gang, better than I personally thought he could.


221. The Minh Who Knew Too Much

We hadn't seen many Minh focused episodes before, and this one was well worth the wait. It also weirdly established Dale and Minh as friends, which is not something we would have expected before this episode. We also learn that Minh is not nearly as harsh a person as she puts off to others, and is actually quite the softy underneath it all. A nice subplot tying up with Kahn and Minh finally getting into Nine Rivers, leading this to be quite a good episode. The subplot is also surprisingly funny once again focusing on a trivial aspect of the Hill's life but made funny due to the characters. And Lucky has some bizarre logic. Season 12 continues the streak.


222. Dream Weaver

A smaller scale episode focusing on Dale finding a new passion outside of exterminating. I always love episodes where Dale is fascinated by such seemingly weird things and Hank has to adjust to it. It's not a particularly big episode, but for a smaller scale episode it's quite the fun watch. The sub plot is great, too. "We've had monkeys in here who have weaved better baskets. And by 'monkeys', I mean 'high school students'."


223. Doggone Crazy

Probably the best episode focused on Ladybird, and on the idea of mortality in pets, this is kind of a touching episode as we realize Ladybird might be approaching the end. It works specifically because Ladybird doesn't die by episode's end as it would probably cheapen the emotion involved. The relationship between the seniors and Ladybird in particular is adorable, and the final revelation is satisfying. All in all, this is probably one of the best episode's of the series.


224. Trans-Fascism

A hilarious episode dealing with morals over the law, and having some of the funniest moments all season with Strickland's competition with Rooster, this is another tight episode focusing on social commentary through the characters. It's a far lighter episode than you'd expect however, and that works to its favor.


225. Untitled Blake McCormick Project

An interesting twist on John Redcorn's old cheating days where we learn just how much he was sleeping around. Also, this borders a bit on being creepy for really weird reasons, and it only adds to the whole aspect of the past cheating relationship. It's a hard episode to watch, but in a good way. Once again I feel sorry for Bill by episode's end.


226. The Accidental Terrorist

This is quite the unique episode. Hank gets pulled into a simple plot the snowballs out of control. Similar in execution to Dog Dale Afternoon, but not as wacky, this time it's Hank who is tricked into becoming part of a nutjob activist's extreme scheme. Special attention should be made for the beginning of the episode where we learn just how much of a sucker Hank can be, as he really is naive when it comes to "business" talk. The guy is simply too honest.


227. Lady & Gentrification

More hipster bashing (always love that) and more of Enrique which is always a treat. We also see more of Peggy's job which is always a source of good material. Giving her this job was a fantastic idea. Something else I love is more of Enrique pushing Hank into being his friend more and more. Those two have a weird relationship.


228. Behind Closed Doors

More on the schools, this time on how bad parenting is the root of all evil. Only, of course, it isn't really. Peggy is branded as a bad parent simply because she couldn't get in direct contact with Bobby and ends up smothering her family in order to be labeled a good parent. It's good social commentary, and once again packed with some good jokes. Also gotta love how Dooley is the source of all the trouble. He's such a jerk.


229. Pour Some Sugar On Kahn

No wonder Kahn is such a hardass. Look at what he has to stack up to! Minh's father is quite a tyrant and brow beater that makes Kahn so miserable, and when he finally finds something that makes him happy, he tries to take that away from Kahn too. Quite a good character episode that introduces a really good character, this is quite a good episode. Also worth it for the singing alone.


230. Six Characters In Search Of A House

Even more of Peggy as a realtor, she is given even more of a push in her job and now has to race to sell her houses. It's been a while since we've had an episode that really pushes Peggy to her limits, so this was more than welcome. Special attention has to made for the family in the house Peggy has to sell who are even beyond the rednecks Lucky hangs out with. This episode also has tons of memorable dialogue and lines. "Obviously babies aren't as stupid as they look."


231. The Courtship Of Joseph's Father

Dale once again has no idea how to properly provide for his family, and is of course willing to give his family the best he can as long as he is given the most in return (remember that episode?). This time Dale is forced to reconsider what it is he considers truly important for his family, and it's quite a good dilemma even if he and his son can get a bit overly obnoxious in this one.


232. Strangeness Of A Train

Finally, a mystery style episode that we haven't had in a while. This time of course, we know the culprit, but we get to watch how other characters come to their own conclusions. It's quite the unique episode in that there is no other episode like it in the series in both execution and setting. More of a focus on Peggy and Hank's marriage and their relationships with everyone outside the marriage, this is easily one of the highlights of the season.


233. Cops & Robert

Man, this episode is weird. Both the sub-plot in the Falling Down-style idea of revenge and the main plot with Bobby being paired up with a washed up cop, but as weird as those are it doesn't touch the downright creepy plot of Dale trying to become a Hooters-style waitress. But despite the creepiness the episode isn't unrealistically wacky (well, the Dale plot might be, but barely) and quite down to earth in it's bizarreness. It's also, once again, really funny.


234. It Came From The Garage

Honestly, this is probably the weakest episode of the season in that it does not offer nearly as much as the other episodes of the season. It remains funny with the season's standard of great writing, but the boring plot pulls it down under the rest. Solid episode overall.


235. Life: A Loser's Manual

A great finale where we finally meet Luanne's father and learn just how much of a screw up he is. Lucky once again grows up as a character, and the pieces are finally put together with how Luanne became who she is and why she has such an obsession over having a real family. Peggy and Hank are more mother and father than her actual parents were and she is lucky to find someone like Lucky considering the way her relationships were affected by the way her father and mother treated her over the years. Honestly, this episode is probably the best one to close out Luanne's character arc, and in progressing Lucky's as well. The sub plot is another of Dale's long sought after dreams that is finally fulfilled... er, sort of.


So yeah, that's season 12. A remarkably great season after the remarkable comeback of season 11. I remember even at the time people being legitimately surprised about how such a long running series could manage to gather such a strong second wind so late in its run, but somehow it happened here. There's a remarkable scope to season 12, it has a few emotional and introspective episodes, big and zany (but not too zany) episodes, and quieter character based episodes mixed in with a healthy dose of social commentary. It remains one of the best seasons of the series even now, and well, there was really little else for it to go after this, which is why season 13 was the best place to finally wrap it all up.

So stay peeled for when I tackle the final season of King Of The Hill where character arcs are closed and sub plots are finally resolved leading to the absolute best way for the show to end. It's a doozy.

[Avaitor]

Season 12 definitely holds up to the rewatchability test. I remember not liking "Four Wave Intersection" when it first aired, but another viewing, and it's higher up now. And then a lot of these never get old.

I also think the weird episodes really work. "Untitled Blake McCormick Project" and "Cops and Robert" are hilarious and have a lot to offer. IIRC, even Foggle really liked the latter.

Easily one of the best.

[Spark Of Spirit]

The reason the weird episodes work so much better here than in say, season 7, is because they are still based around the characters and their realistic universe where the "cartoony" moments are in their reactions to the situations and not the situations themselves.

In season 11 they finally realized that again and improved upon it even more in season 12.

One thing that kind of annoys me about season 13 is the way FOX threw it together. All the season 12 holdovers are thrown to the front of the season which throws off the pace of the season. For instance, the first real season 13 episode is actually perfect for a premiere slot, but I guess because that's the only season done in widescreen (production wise) they kind of messed it all up. Not even mentioning the episodes that were pointlessly held over for syndication, two of which are some of the best episodes of the series.

Oh well, at least it was allowed to end right.

[Spark Of Spirit]

"We talked on myspace and it turned out he was as obsessed with Weezer as I was."
"What's 'Weezer'?"
"Exactly."

Ha, I forgot about this episode.

[Spark Of Spirit]

I'm going to do season 13 in two parts since it's a very odd season in how it's split up. The first 7 episodes are all holdovers from season 12 and really don't follow with season 13's themes at all. They are also separated by about 3 months before season 13's premiere (all of season 13 proper is in widescreen) and are hard for me to lump together. I also need to rewatch more of the second half of the season.

Season 13

We're nearing the end of the road here. The holdovers from season 12 are all very similar in structure, which is a bit odd. Most of these are all social commentary episodes focusing on different characters, but nothing really happens outside of that. I'm sure these were all lumped together because season 12 was not all done in widescreen, but they would have been better off if they were parceled out throughout season 12 instead of all packed together like this. As a whole, the episodes are good, however.


236. Dia-BILL-ic Shock

A very nice Bill episode and a good commentary on how some doctors in the medical field are completely clueless on the common man and how easy it is to set off a large chain of events leading in disaster. But mostly its about how Bill is able to overcome his own disabilities and kick the crap out of that doctor Cotton-style. It's a pretty good one overall.


237. Earthly Girls Are Easy

The best part about this episode by far is how upfront Hank is about how much of a screw up Buck Strickland is, even saying it to his face several times. Otherwise it's another Buck (and Dale) screw up episode, but it's funny enough. This time it's about going 'green'.


238. Square-Footed Monster

Commentary on McMansions, mainly. It's a good thing it's so funny, because if it wasn't for the writing, this probably wouldn't stand out too much.


239. Lost In MySpace

A good Strickland Propane focused episode about the relationship between the online world and the real one. We also learn a lot more about Donna than we ever thought we needed to know. The sub plot is pointless, though. I'm not really sure why it's here.


240. No Bobby Left Behind

Probably the best of the holdovers, this one is a great commentary on the school system and how utterly busted it can be. What really makes this shine is how Carl Moss is finally in the limelight, and we get to learn exactly how great of a character he is. The episode gains points for actually using "Kids In America" the right way, as most don't tend to really understand the irony of the song.


241. A Bill Full Of Dollars

Apparently Peggy, Minh, and Dale hang out regularly. Who knew? Another Bill focused episode, this time on his constant need for attention. This one is mostly about the stock market, and is pretty clever overall, but this is about the time when the episodes start to blend in a bit too much.


242. Straight As An Arrow

This is another one of those episodes that I would probably hate if it wasn't so funny. Hank culture clashing with another is always great, especially when we learn that Hank was actually wrong in the end, but this episode kind of goes against things that were already established before. It's a minor quibble, but it does make watching it a bit annoying.


There's still more to come, of course, but for now I'm going to take a break before diving in to the real season 13. Normally I would have just lumped these in, but they are so different from the theme and general tone of season 13, that I can't really put them together. Up next, the final part.

[Avaitor]

I remember when the McMansion episode aired, another one of the Fox shows did an episode on those, as well. I forgot if it was Simpsons or Family Guy, but it wasn't anywhere near as good as the KOTH one, and didn't even attempt to make a point.

The first half of season 13 is good, but not as great as 12. You can tell that these were leftovers from then, and they do feel a little samey. They're done well enough to make them all entertaining and rewatchable, though. But it's the latter half where things get really interesting.

[Daxdiv]

I remember when the McMansion episode aired, another one of the Fox shows did an episode on those, as well. I forgot if it was Simpsons or Family Guy, but it wasn't anywhere near as good as the KOTH one, and didn't even attempt to make a point.

It was The Simpsons, FTR. But then again, The Simpsons are caught up in trying to be way too relevant to today's audience, so it doesn't surprise me that their episode sucked. At least KotH showed as to why they think that McMansions are bad thing overall.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Oh yeah, I remember that. I think that was around the time I was lamenting that this was KOTH's last season yet the other FOX shows continued on despite being nowhere near as good.

It is funny how two different shows tackled the same concept so differently and on the same night.

[Spark Of Spirit]

And we finally reach the end of this saga:

Season 13 (Production Run)


243. Lucky See, Monkey Do

This is a great "real" season premiere for the show. Luanne has her baby and everything changes. We meet Lucky's sister who is quite the interesting anti-Peggy while still being very similar in ideals. Special mention should be made of the sub plot which is as bizarre as it is hilarious. This is the first episode in the only season filmed in HD, and it well deserves the distinction.


244. What Happens At The National Propane Gas Convention...

The episode where I feel Hank openly dismisses Buck Strickland as the pathetic idiot he is, and learns that while he may have some good qualities (business qualities, really) that he should not have to put up with his overbearing behavior anymore. When Hank realizes he is little more than a glorified babysitter for Buck, is when he finally learns to let it go. Over the years, Hank was searching for a father figure of his own be it Buck, Cotton, Coach Sauers, or even Tom Landry, and here it felt like he didn't need one any more as he was no longer a boy (and was taking care of full grown adults of his own) and by episodes end, he had finally moved on from his ideal vision of a father he didn't have and grew up into the father he wanted to be. Ray Roy (great continuity nod there for those who noticed) is a great character, too. Fantastic episode.


245. Master Of Puppets

This is an inventive comedy episode focused on Bobby tricking his parents, and for that it's great. It's nice having a fun episode like this (which ALSO doesn't manage to be a rehash), as the low key moments are on their way.


246. Bwah My Nose

The best part of this episode is the allegory of Hank's nose to the situation at hand. He's afraid. He doesn't want to face the past, to close the chapter on his youth that ended in disaster and meant so much to him. Why does he act this way? I'm not 100% sure myself since I've never been in a situation like that, so I can't relate to him, but it comes across really well in the moments near the final game. When Hank does win with the boys, it's probably one of the best moments in the entire show's run, closing the book on Hank's youth forever as he was now officially a better person (yes, at sports, but it's a metaphor) and had come a long way since he was a kid. He no longer needed to yearn for the olden days, as the now he was living in was far superior. One of the best episodes in the entire show.


247. Uncool Customer

Another light comedy based episode, once again managing to not rehash previous material and just be funny with the comedy. Again, nice balance of episodes so far. The sub plot is a lot funnier than you'd figure, too.


248. Nancy Does Dallas

This episode is quite a character revelation. The best Nancy episode in the series, we learn that Nancy was a very horrible person in her youth and it was Dale, of all things, that kept her honest. It also perfectly explains her former relationship with John Redcorn, and exactly why it is that she doesn't seem as aware of outside things like she should. Great character episode, and the perfect end to that sub plot of Dale and Nancy's relationship.


249. Born Again On The 4th Of July

Now, while I could easily just dismiss this as yet another really funny light comedy episode, it's a bit more than that. This episode deals with the central theme that has run through the entire series and is even used in the finale of the series. The importance of community in life is what holds us all together, and it is not something to take for granted or forget, the allegory with the 4th Of July is also a nice touch.


250. Serves Me Right For Giving General George S. Patton The Bathroom Key

This is probably one of the best episodes in the series (again), this time dealing with Cotton's remains, in more ways than one, but also Dale and Bill's bizarre relationship that actually seemed to escalate strangely over the seasons. Hank deals with his father's remains in the only way he knows how (by following orders from his father), and in the process learns a lot more about his father than he ever did in life. It's bittersweet when Hank finally gets to say goodbye to his dad, since he never really got to know him, but this episode does a better job honoring the character than a funeral episode would, and it's emotional punch is about as subtle as its ever been for KOTH. The sub plot is also surprisingly effective with how it ties in as well. This is another episode I have to rewatch to catch more things, but the only fault I can see is the lack of GH who was unfortunately overlooked here.


251. Bad News Bill

This is a cute little episode that uses the "Hank's right" formula (Haven't seen that AT ALL this season, though) to surprising effect. The moral of this episode is obviously about moderation, but it's a very welcome break from the underlying theme of ends for the season, so I'll take it.


252. Manger Baby Einstein

... Oh man, this is a depressing episode. This is the episode where Luanne finally leaves her days of being a kid behind her and grows up into the mom her child needs. She learns this by taking the only thing in life she was successful at beyond her job (hair stylist) and pushed it as far as it could go only having it end in disaster. It's a bittersweet episode, ending with the deaths of the most beloved puppets of our generation, but all things must come to an end. Even dreams must take a backseat for those who need us. As a whole, though, this is a positive step forward in Luanne's life. This is also the last appearance of John Redcorn who finally finds his place in the world after struggling for so long.


253. Uh Oh, Canada!

Not doing this. 


254. The Boy Can't Help It

Easily the worst episode of the season. Very cliche plot and characters, though at least it is funny in typical KOTH fashion. This should not have aired over the syndicated 4, though.


255. The Honeymooners

While we had already realized it before, Hank now realizes it himself. Letting his parental figures go, he's now the adult and his days of having to rely on his parents is long past, it is now up to him to look after them, as is traditional of most societies. He finally begins to understand his mother after years of closing his ears at her in order to preserve her as the person he wanted her to be, unlike Cotton who was too... Cotton for that. Hank is finally able to see people for who they are, and not as he perceives them here as his perception of his mother's new fiance is completely blown. Sooner or later we're the ones who have to become the adults and take control of our own lives and accept that you can't change people who don't want to be changed. This should have aired on FOX with the finale.


256. Bill Gathers Moss

The episode where Carl Moss is fully fleshed out as a character. Hysterical episode that could only have come at the end of the series, but I'm glad it was made. There isn't really much to say here, just that I'm happy it exists at all.


257. When Joseph Met Lori, And Made Out With Her In The Janitor's Closet

This is... kind of underwhelming, actually. It's again, funny, but it doesn't really tell us as much about Dale as it probably should. It has the virtue of being funny, and not cliche, but it's surprisingly shallow for what it could potentially offer us and to the KOTH universe.


258. Just Another Manic Kahn-Day

Probably second to De-Kahnstructing Henry as the best Kahn episode, but man is this a good one. The final piece of the puzzle slides in where we learn just exactly why Kahn is as weird as he is. At the same time, it also manages to be really, really funny. This is really the perfect capper episode on Kahn, as they could never, ever top this one.


259. To Sirloin With Love

And we come to the end of the road. 13 seasons, 259 episodes, dozens of character moments, plot points, crazy ideas, screwy moments, and fun times were had. Here we end with Bobby and Hank finally coming to terms with each other after slowly becoming more and more connected over the years, they finally share a common interest together. The episode is not a huge rush of fan wank, nostalgia, or OOC reveals to satisfy fans, but it does tie everything up in a neat way with final character moments where the community finally comes together through all their problems and realize just how important they all are to each other, and how far they have all come over the entire run of the show.


So that's KOTH in a nutshell. Is it the perfect show? It's probably as close to it as you can get, really. The show was one of the few to not suffer due to network interference for more than a season or two, it remained consistent in its goal from day one through to the end, despite the clashing goals of the two series creators, it never managed to feel like it was fighting between these two extremes. KOTH was the first show to really to create a fully fleshed out "realistic" world and explore it for all it was worth. It contains ups and downs just like our own, but in the end it all comes down to how important relationships are and how important they are to life.

I wouldn't say it was knee-slappingly hilarious all the time at every moment, but I would say it proved that cartoons could have depth, character, and mature storytelling without resorting to a pie in the face or blood and guts. In my mind, it's probably the most consistently great thing to ever come out of the FOX network, and I don't think that will ever change.

[Avaitor]

Man, I loved these. So much fun to go through.

Now what are you going to do?

[Spark Of Spirit]

I'm not exactly sure, but it was fun to do. Honestly I most enjoyed doing the last season since it always seems to be totally overlooked.

[Avaitor]

Yeah, the season 12 leftovers from the first half and the fact that 4 of the better ones were saved for syndication didn't really do much to give the last season the credit it deserves.

But still, the show was still able to pull out quality like that in it's final year over a decade on. That alone should give it a grand legacy to live on.

[Spark Of Spirit]

It's actually too bad the last season was in HD widescreen like that, because it threw off the pacing by throwing all the holdovers together like that, but the actual production season of 13 is easily one of the show's best because it focused on finishing off character arcs and giving the show the endings it deserved.

The more I think about it, the more I'm glad it ended when it did.