I normally hate television, but my girlfriend loves to watch TV and I usually wind up catching a glimpse of a show when I’m at her house. Recently I saw King Of The Hill (a show I knew nothing about before except for that it was created by Beavis and Butthead’s producer, Mike Judge.) Since I love Beavis and Butthead, it came as no surprise to me that I really enjoy King Of The Hill.
But not for the reason I like B & B, which is to say, the crude humor. I don’t find King of the Hill to be a funny show, really. Yes there are some funny recurring characters and situations, but I don’t find myself laughing at King of the Hill. What I like is the character of Hank Hill, who has these old-time common-sense values which are constantly clashing with the world around him, and I think it is an ingenious premise for a show. Hank Hill isn’t some kind of bumpkin, he’s just basically a very traditional and morally upright person. Everyone else on the show is ridiculous in some way, and Hank Hill plays the straight man. He’s a very sympathetic character, really, because he’s so well-meaning and he isn’t cynical enough to order and control his life the way he could if he were living 50 years ago.
Does anyone else share this profound view of the show? I really think it is an ingenious show.
I think you don’t think it’s funny because maybe you haven’t seen enough of it yet. The humor is very different from most TV comedy. It’s very subtle, and while you may not laugh out loud at it, once you “tune in” to the humor, you’ll chuckle through the whole thing. You just have to give it time.
I mean I appreciate the humor in it…yes it is very subtle. I NEVER laugh at normal TV comedy, I HATE it…i hate laugh tracks, I hate sitcoms. I’m not a chuckler, either I have full-blown belly laughs (that can only be brought on by the absolute crudest of humor, like Freddy Got Fingered, my favorite comedy,) or I don’t laugh at all. That doesn’t mean that I can’t see the humor in it though.
It’s hilarious because it’s so clever. It’s a damn good show.
It was my husband who first said to me, “You know, Hank is just a really stand up kind of guy. He doesn’t mean anybody any harm. Just a guy who loves his job and his lawn.” I have the same sort of respect for Hank, even when I don’t necessarily agree with him. He’s surrounded by loons. Hell, in his eyes, I’d be a loon, too. But he’s alright. I like him.
Understand that I didn’t say you didn’t see the humor in it. But for myself, it took me several years of watching it to fully appreciate all it had to offer. One episode won’t give you the full flavor of life in Arlen.
I have to disagree that Hank is the only sane one. He’s far from sane. His obsession with propane borders on pathalogical. He loves his dog more than his son. He can’t tell his wife he loves her. He’s cheap. He’s inflexible. He’s a prude. He almost nearly borders on bigotry.
Well I haven’t seen very many episodes so I’m sure there’s much I have yet to discover.
I have to say, it really captures the look of Suburban Texas (a place I’ve been to,) dead spot-on, the yards and neighborhoods and strip malls and everything…I mean, I’ve seen so much of the Midwestern suburbs but Texas really has its own look.
First time I ever saw KofH, I was hooked – I shared leadership of a Girl Scout troop with Peggy Hill. And my daughter went to school with far too many Bobby Hills. The characterizations, while admittedly painted with a bit of a broad brush, are spot on accurate portrayals of stereotypical Texans. I’ve been a fan since the show started.
First, there’s nothing wrong with loving propane. I mean, what’s not to love? It’s a clean burning fuel that many Americans, and around the world, even, use for their heating needs. It’s also the third most popular vehicle fuel in the world, and is the fastest growing fuel source in the third world. So, Mister, if loving propane makes you insane, send me to the asylum.
And he doesn’t love Ladybird more than Bobby. He’s just known her longer.
I don’t think Hank’s a bigot so much as he’s just really not comfortable around people he doesn’t understand, but once he starts to understand it, he seems cool. Like when Bobby started taking home ec and did really well. Hank freaked out at first until he found out how Bobby was able to make him a brand new pair of jeans that he loved, his cooking was the best, etc.
And I LOVE Bill, Dale and Boomhauer. “Dang ol’ man yeah…”
Peggy, though, I want to slap into oblivion. Then Luann.
I saw the volunteer firemen episode for the first time on afternoon syndication the other day and I loved that in Boomhauer’s recollections of what happened he spoke perfectly while the others babbled. I also liked Brad Pitt’s cameo as his soundalike kid brother.
Other favorite episodes and cameos:
Alan Rickman’s insane RenFaire king
Dale’s gay rodeo dad
Cotton’s Japanese son
Peggy’s Mexican adventure (“I was afraid of this… she wants me to be her new mother” and “Your honor, I can tell you are a reasonable horse”)
Hank upon meeting his Laotian neighbors:
This is one of my favorite shows of all time. I think this may be the last season, but that is ok. They have over 150 episodes that will live on forever in syndication.
I wrote my only letter to a publication about this show.
Interestingly, a Democratic Gov. (Mike Easley of NC) actually POLLS on whether people watch King of the Hill. He thinks those of the voters who are on the fence politically.
I appreciate the inside humor and the fact that the writers seem OK with the fact that some people may never get it. My favorite example is Hank’s niece’s name. I was aware that her first name was Luanne for several seasons before I heard her last name mentioned. The name Luanne Platter would only mean something to someone who’s eaten in a Luby’s Cafeteria where the equivalent of the Blue Plate Special is called the “Luanne Platter.” I don’t know how widespread the Luby’s chain is outside Texas, but the name would only be funny to the relatively small proportion of readers who make the connection.
We’ve lived away from Texas for five years now and we still get a bit homesick when we hear the accents.