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In the meantime, there are 13 seasons of King of the Hillthat viewers can enjoy, with no less than 259 episodes from which to choose. It’s tough to pick out a few of the best, and it’s interesting to see how much the show changed since it started in 1997, and how much it has stayed the same.
Updated May 14, 2022 by Kristy Ambrose: It’s been confirmed that a new series featuring Hank Hill and his friends is currently simmering on the animation backburner at Bandera Entertainment. That gives fans of the show a chance to catch up on a few more classic episodes before the rebooted revival hits our favorite streaming services. The vintage show has plenty of fans from years ago along with new viewers, and we’ve added a few more of the best King of the Hill episodes to the list for everyone.
11 Season 1, “Keeping Up With Our Jonses”
Sometimes good intentions backfire, especially when it comes to raising children. That’s what happens when Hank decides to teach Bobby a lesson about smoking and gets addicted himself.
This escalates into both Hank and Peggy becoming smokers again while Bobby also takes up the habit, and the whole family is hooked. It’s Luann that saves them using the same technique that worked to keep Ladybird the dog from eating her organic cosmetics. It’s one of the best and funniest King of the Hill episodes not only because of the satire but also the grim reality of nicotine addiction.
10 Season 6, “Bobby Goes Nuts”
Bobby is getting pushed around at school, and Hank concludes he needs a boost in his self-confidence. Of course, a kid who gets bullied at school would benefit from a few self-defense courses. What could go wrong?
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A moment of confusion lands Bobby in a self-defense course designed specifically for women, and for a clue to the signature move that he learns, take a second look at the episode’s title. The pendulum swings back, however, and Bobby starts to take his newfound power too seriously. He’s finally checked by that bane of every pre-adolescent child; his mother.
9 Season 1, “Shins Of The Father”
This episode starts with a pretty good laugh, with Bobby addressing a letter to his grandfather Cotton with the city as “Hell” because Peggy told him her father-in-law was the Devil. Previously, Old Man Cotton had only appeared in a few of Hank’s unpleasant childhood flashbacks, but this was the first episode in which the character appeared.
Cotton comes to visit for Bobby’s birthday, but given how Peggy feels about him, he probably wouldn’t be welcome for any other reason.
8 Season 2, “How to Fire a Rifle Without Really Trying”
This is one of the best King of the Hill episodes that features Bobby and Hank trying to bond in some way, this time through the magic of firearms. They manage to come to a better understanding of each other even though their attempt isn’t exactly a roaring success.
Bobby is a crack shot and Hank can’t hit the broad side of a barn, which wouldn’t be an issue except that Hank wants to enter a father-son competition with Bobby and he can’t let his son down. It’s not just a lack of skill that’s the problem but a traumatic childhood experience that Hank has to get past.
7 Season 2, “Hank’s Dirty Laundry”
Speaking of a time capsule of sorts, this episode is a reminder of a before-time when physical video rentals were a thing. It seems simple, but it was amazing how fast renting a simple VHS for the weekend would have dire future consequences.
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Hank finds out his credit rating is at an all-time low, and the culprit is an overdue account at the local video rental store. The plot thickens when it’s revealed the tape in question was pornography, and Hank insists he never rented the tape. He doubles down and starts his own personal protest, but when he enlists Dale’s help, things really get silly.
6 Season 5, “Ho Yeah!”
The title is an innocent reference to Peggy’s catchphrase, but in the context of this very special episode, it has a slightly different connotation. Tammi needs a place to live, and her friend Peggy offers her a place in her own home. Hank isn’t exactly up for Peggy’s friend staying in their den, to begin with, and when several gentleman callers turn up it becomes clear that Tammi is a prostitute.
Rather than judge Tammi or kick her out, Hank and Peggy stand up for her. In fact, Hank shows how savvy he can be when he catches on quickly to the game and comes up with a plan to free Tammi from the clutches of an evil pimp forever.
5 Season 4, “A Beer Can Named Desire”
The setting for this episode is New Orleans, hence the title, but it’s not high art that brings the Hills to Louisiana. Luanne decides she’s going to take a beer from Hank’s fridge, and when she finds out it’s the winning can for a contest, Hank takes the can because she’s underage and probably wouldn’t be able to claim the prize.
What follows is a series of trials for Hank as he learns how to throw a football through a giant novelty beer can, which is what he’ll have to do at a televised football game in New Orleans to claim the prize money. In the meantime, they’re staying with Hank’s eccentric cousins, and Bobby is picking up the foppish habits of a proper southern gentleman.
4 Season 2, “Jumpin’ Crack Bass”
One of the more lovable characters in the show was the main character himself, Hank Hill. He’s definitely not stupid, in fact, he’s a genius compared to characters like Dale. However, he seems to misunderstand the obvious once in a while and the results are hilarious.
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In this episode, the boys have taken up fishing. Ray, the owner of the bait shop, recommends that Hank try some bait from a local vendor that guarantees results, and he accepts. The catch? Hank is using crack cocaine as bait. Of course, it works extremely well, which is the problem.
3 Season 1, “Square Peg”
It’s weird to think of sex-ed being a controversial topic, but here we are, and not much has changed since this episode aired in 1997. It was the first episode of the series after the pilot, and it was so good that it ensured the show would continue well into the future.
It’s one of the best and funniest King of the Hill episodes because parents, kids, and teachers can all relate to what Peggy and the family deal with when it comes to a variety of issues all related to the scholastic application of this touchy subject. That includes Peggy and her peers taking a more serious look at what they learned when they were young, which affirms her resolve to teach the school’s sex-ed class.
2 Season 5, “I Don’t Wanna Wait…”
Bobby has some of the best King of the Hill episodes, mainly because they’re the most relatable. Everyone remembers some of the more awkward moments of childhood, and that’s what this episode is about.
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Our hero returns from the summer vacation feeling good about his personal development, only to have his optimism deflated when he sees his friend Joseph, who has grown about a foot taller and is sporting a mustache. However, it turns out that Joseph is deeply envious of Bobby’s self-confidence and intelligence. It’s easy to see who has the advantage in the long term. Who says that boy ain’t right?
1 Season 13, “To Sirloin With Love”
The final episode not only of season 13 but also the whole series, “To Sirloin With Love” deserves some recognition for being the best episode overall. The storyline itself would be clichéd if it followed the usual formula of sports or musical talent, but this storyline is instead about the tough and unforgiving world of grading beef cuts.
There’s some clever satire here when it comes to ruthless competition, corruption, and rooting for the underdog. The really heartwarming part, however, is that after 13 years, Hank and Bobby can finally connect over their mutual love of the grill.
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