Please Don’t Screw-Up The New 'King Of The Hill'

Because no beloved pop-culture entity is ever truly done, and since animated characters are immune from the cruel ravages of time, we’re getting a brand new King of the Hill series as part of a slate of new shows from creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels. 

We don’t know much about the new project just yet; will it be a straight continuation of the old show? Or maybe it will follow a new generation of characters in the (geographically impossible) town of Arlen, Texas? Hell, it could even be a horror story focusing entirely on trumpeter Chuck Mangione as he continues to haunt the Mega Lo Mart – we really have no idea. 

But while some fans are probably thrilled to hear this news, it’s hard not to feel some trepidation about it as well. After all, King of the Hill wasn’t exactly cut down in its prime. Yes, it was canceled by Fox to (sigh) make room for The Cleveland Show, but it still lasted for quite a while. If it were a young Jewish child, King of the Hill could have been Bar or Bat Mitzvahed; it ran for that long. And more to the point, it had a really great, low-key finale. The last episode, “To Sirloin With Love,” begins with Bobby and Hank bonding at a steak restaurant, with Hank impressed at his son’s knowledge of meat –

And it ends with the pair cheerfully grilling together as their friends and neighbors join them for a propane-fueled barbecue. It’s a genuinely touching moment, and it was a perfect way to wrap up the series.

Oh, also, they revealed that Boomhauer is a Texas Ranger who, for some reason, never arrested Dale. Maybe that will be what the new show is about.

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Top Image: 20th Television