Summary
One of the most popular animated shows to round out the 1990s is returning.The revival ofKing of the Hillis currently being produced by Bandera Entertainment, the animation company formed by the writers of the original show, Mike Judge and Greg Daniels. Hank Hill and his neighbors are expected to return to television in the first quarter of 2024, on the Hulu streaming service, and the new studio is working on several projects along with the revival of the classic animated series.
In the meantime, there are 13 classic seasons ofKing of the Hillthat viewers can enjoy, consisting of 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 June 22, 2025, by Kristy Ambrose:The new series featuring Hank Hill and his friends is still in production at Bandera Entertainment. That gives fans of the show a chance to catch up on a few more of the best vintage episodes before the rebooted revival hits everyone’s favorite streaming services. Hulu, the streaming service that is also hosting the revival, has all 13 seasons of the show available.King of the Hillretains plenty of fans from years ago along with many enthusiastic new viewers, and both groups can enjoy some of thebestKing of the Hillepisodesin Arlen’s history.
16"Keeping Up With Our Joneses"
Season 1, Episode 10
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 to both Hank and Peggy becoming smokers again, while Bobby also takes up the habit, and the whole family is hooked.
It’s Luann who 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 funniestKing of the Hillepisodes not only because of the satire but also the grim reality of nicotine addiction.
15"Bobby Goes Nuts"
Season 6, Episode 1
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?
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.
14"Shins Of The Father"
Season 1, Episode 8
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 tovisit for Bobby’s birthday, but given how Peggy feels about him, he probably wouldn’t be welcome for any other reason. Old Man Cotton would return later on and become a more complicated and enigmatic character than anyone else could have imagined, and stars in some of the bestKing of the Hillepisodes of later seasons.
13"Returning Japanese"
Season 6, Episode 21
The first installment of a two-part episode, this is the story of how Hank’s gruff and insensitive father, Cotton, tried to make amends for some of his actions as part of the American forces that invaded Japan at the end of World War II. The memories of every person he killed during wartime are triggered by a sweat lodge ceremony hosted by John Redcorn, and he insists on returning to Japan to apologize to the widow of a man he killed — or so he says.
It turns out this isn’t just about what he did as a soldier, but also about the family he left behind. The woman he’s looking for isn’t a widow, but a woman he left behind. When Hank follows Cotton to meet her, there’s another surprise waiting for him: a half-brother.
12"A Firefighting We Will Go"
Season 3, Episode 10
This unique episode starts “in media res” which means that the story starts at a pivotal event that’s in the middle of the narrative as opposed to the beginning. Movies often start like this as a way to hook the viewer. To sum up, when the firefighters of Arlen go on strike, Hank and the boys decide to take over their duties, and that already implies how everything gets even worse.
An extended flashback reveals the downward spiral that culminates in Dale wrecking a funeral and a fire station burning to the ground because of a faulty novelty neon lamp. Luckily, Chet Elderson, the owner of said neon sign and the person who was buried at the recent funeral, takes the blame for the final and worst disaster.
11"How to Fire a Rifle Without Really Trying"
Season 2, Episode 1
This is one of the bestKing of the Hillepisodes 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, whichwouldn’t be an issue except that Hankwants 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.
10"Hank’s Dirty Laundry"
Season 2, Episode 17
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.
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 lonely protest, but when he enlists Dale’s help, things get even more silly.
9"Chasing Bobby"
Season 5, Episode 9
This is one of those episodes where viewers get something in their eye once in a while, especially the touching final scene. Many fans sympathize with Hank in the first few minutes of the show, when he breaks down upon the grim realization that his 20-year-old truck is about to drive off that mortal coil.
What follows is a compelling emotional journey for Hank in which he moves through the stages of grief, through a series of events that symbolize the stages of Denail to Acceptance. He accepts the passing of his old truck, and at the end of his sorrow, he comes to understand his son better. The old truck might be gone, but there’s a new truck now, and Bobby can ride in it with his dad, making this one of the bestKing of the Hillepisodes ever.
8"Ho Yeah!"
Season 5, Episode 13
The title is an innocent reference to Peggy’s catchphrase, but in the context of this 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 sex worker.
Rather than judge Tammi or kick her out, Hank and Peggy stand up for her. 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.
7"Propane Boom"
Season 2, Episode 23
Hank loses his job when a big box store named Mega Lo Mart moves into town and puts the squeeze on Arlen’s small businesses. To add insult to injury, the only place he can get another job is the same glorified warehouse dollar store.
To make matters even worse, he takes a job in the propane section that was originally promised to Luann, who needs the money to pay for school. This escalates even further when a propane leak causes a massive explosion that engulfs not only the store, but also a guest performer, musician Chuck Magione. All of this ends on a cliffhanger that’s to be continued in the next season.
