29 years ago today, one of the best American cartoons of all time made its debut with Fox, and its newest episodes are just as good as the classics nearly three decades later. There have been some great animated series released over the last three decades, but there is really only one that truly encapsulates Americana and the vibe of the United States in the 1990s. King of the Hill introduced fans to a much quieter animated sitcom, and it’s been a massive worldwide hit ever since as each episode told its stories at their own pace.
Videos by ComicBook.com
King of the Hill first premiered with Fox 29 years ago today, on January 12, 1997. The original broadcast run of the series ran for 13 seasons in total, and then made its comeback last Summer after 15 years with a brand new revival series that somehow was just as good as the original episodes were. It’s the kind of tightrope act that King of the Hill was always successful in walking, and continues to be a standout American animation hit after all this time. It’s why it’s still so notable nearly three decades later.
King of the Hill Premiered 29 Years Ago Today
Created by Mike Judge (who was coming off of the success of Beavis and Butt-Head) and Greg Daniels (who would eventually go on to create mega hits like The Office), King of the Hill quietly made its premiere alongside new episodes of The Simpsons and The X-Files. It was during a time where Fox’s broadcasts were at their strongest, and was able to use that to craft a much slower paced kind of world than fans had seen with The Simpsons instead. Taking place in the made-up town of Arlen, TX, King of the Hill was about a propane salesman and his family as they navigated a changing world.
Hank Hill was introduced the assistant manager of Strickland Propane and sold propane and propane accessories. He’s married to Peggy, a substitute Spanish teacher who steadily reveals how many other things she’s skilled in over the course of the series. But the main draw of King of the Hill was the dynamic between the more uptight Hank, and his preteen son Bobby, who was growing up to be a much different kind of person than his father had ever expected him to be.
King of the Hill tapped into a notable vibe of Americana as while Hank is technically a Texas conservative in the 1990s, it’s really revealed to be that he’s got some old-fashioned values that he’s clung to from his own upbringing. He treats people with respect and kicks the asses of those who don’t treat him with that same respect. And he has trouble connecting with his son as Bobby is growing up in the changing 1990s landscape with wilder values, presentations and more. To Hank, his boy was not “right.” And he spent the entire original series trying to find common ground to connect with his son on some level.
Why King of the Hill Still Rules
King of the Hill returned last year with a brand new season of the series that completely reinvented it from the ground up. Taking place nearly a decade following the events of the original, Hank finds himself dealing with all sorts of new changes in a post-2020 version of America. This ends up capturing the spirit of that original series as it was always about Hank dealing with a changing world, and altering his own values (or steadfastly holding onto them) as a result.
This new season brought back much of the original crew and voice cast, and was able to expertly age all of the characters to fit a brand new mold. Just like how the original series came at the perfect time to highlight that version of 1990s America, this new take on the series was a great look at a 2020s America within a new streaming format. It was able to change how it told its stories to maintain interest, but didn’t change the core of what fans had been hoping to see with such a revival.
It was such a success that Hulu picked up King of the Hill for three more seasons, and that means the animated series is going to have even more time to explore this new space. One of the best aspects of the original series was that it took its time and really sat with Arlen and its characters, and fans got all sorts of memorable moments as a result. It really was just hanging out with people in the neighborhood, and the revival is going to be able to tap into that same spirit.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of Prime Video -
Courtesy of Sega
