King Of The Hill (DVD) Review

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 27th, 2010

Initially aired following the 1997 Super Bowl, King of the Hill discovered an instant audience niche that has the followed the show loyally ever since. The brainchild of Beavis and Butthead creator Mike Judge (also known for the hit movie Office Space), King of the Hill is a unique animated series in that it doesn't rely on "cartoon" suspension of reality or outlandish antics. In fact, the show would arguably be just as successful if it were not animated at all. Nevertheless, it's Mike Judge (voice of Hank Hill) and his unique brand of humor that make King of the Hill a must-see TV series?

Set in the fictional town of Arlen, Texas, King of the Hill follows the life and exploits of Hank Hill and his traditional nuclear family. Hank is a red-state propane salesman who loves beer and apple pie, but he's constantly inundated with modern liberalism and grapples with the demands of political correctness. Hank is joined by his wife Peggy (a substitute teacher), his son Bobby (an awkward pre-pubescent youth), and a trailer park-like live-in niece named Luanne? Providing added comic relief to the series are Hank's off-the-wall friends Bill, Boomhauer (who is inaudible), and Dale (who believes everything is a government conspiracy)? Hank's Laotian neighbor Kahn (whose daughter Bobby is quite fond of) and his family live next door, providing Hank with a continuing dose of culture shock?

The King Of The Hill DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere in which we meet for the first time the various characters involved in Hank Hill's life in Arlen, Texas. Bobby gets hit in the eye with a baseball, prompting a social worker to launch an investigation into filing possible child abuse charges against Hank. Meanwhile, Hank's niece Luanne, an aspiring beautician, is forced to move in with Hank and his family after her mother is put in jail for stabbing her father? Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Square Peg" in which Peggy is forced to teach sexual education class, and "Hank's Unmentionable Problem" in which Hank becomes constipated and (much to his chagrin) receives numerous opinions on how to cure it?

Below is a list of episodes included on the King Of The Hill (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (Pilot) Air Date: 01-12-1997
Episode 2 (Square Peg) Air Date: 01-19-1997
Episode 3 (The Order of the Straight Arrow) Air Date: 02-02-1997
Episode 4 (Hank's Got the Willies) Air Date: 02-09-1997
Episode 5 (Luanne's Saga) Air Date: 02-16-1997
Episode 6 (Hank's Unmentionable Problem) Air Date: 02-23-1997
Episode 7 (Westie Side Story) Air Date: 03-02-1997
Episode 8 (Shins of the Father) Air Date: 03-23-1997
Episode 9 (Peggy the Boggle Champ) Air Date: 04-13-1997
Episode 10 (Keeping Up with Our Joneses) Air Date: 04-27-1997
Episode 11 (King of the Ant Hill) Air Date: 05-04-1997
Episode 12 (Plastic White Female) Air Date: 05-11-1997