King of the Hill has returned fifteen years after the end of its original run with Fox, so now it’s time to break down which of the revival’s new episodes are actually the best of the best. King of the Hill was a very notable animated series during its original run as it was running at a much slower paced kind of show compared to its compatriots. It was a much different kind of show at its core too, and that’s why so many were excited to find out that the show was coming back with new episodes. Not only that, but the revival has excelled with both fans and critics alike.
King of the Hill Season 14 makes some changes to the way the show used to be during its original run that are both apparent at first sight, and in more hidden ways than expected. It introduces each of these characters nearly ten years older after the events of the original, and thus kicks off a whole new era. But in terms of breaking down which of the episodes are truly the best, read on below for our ranking of King of the Hill Season 14’s episodes from worst to best.
#10 – Return of the King
Unfortunately, but fortunately for the health of the new season, King of the Hill Season 14 got started with its weakest episode. “Return of the King” had to accomplish quite a bit upon the series’ comeback. It was tasked with serving as a sort of pilot for this new take on the classic show, and needed to reintroduce all of its characters while also laying down a good deal of exposition in the process. While the core of the episode remains how Hank and Peggy are having trouble adjusting to the current life in America, it’s a character story that’s handled much better (and funnier) through future episodes.
#9 – Chore Money, Chore Problems
“Chore Money, Chore Problems” directly tackles the fact that Hank is having trouble filling the time in his day now that he’s retired from work, and does make some good emotional reveals that advance his character forward (while having a lot of fun input with Boomhauer). But unfortunately, what ultimately brings down the episode is the reunion between Bobby and Connie. Their back and forth is the main crux of Bobby’s story this season, and this episode had to be awkward as the two found themselves in each other’s lives. Which meant, much like the premiere, watching this episode felt like we “needed” to get through it for what comes next.
#8 – Kahn-scious Uncoupling
Kahn Souphapousinphone had been missing through the majority of the promotional materials leading into the new season’s premiere, and “Kahn-scious Uncoupling” explains that he’s just not a big part of the new series. Highlighting his return towards the end of the season, this episode confirms he and Minh had been divorced in secret but keeping up their marriage in public. It’s a rough experience not only because new star Ronnie Chieng doesn’t quite fit the character (as he sounds way too young), but also because it further emphasizes how big of a role Kahn played in the original. Keeping him out of the dynamic of Hank’s life in the reboot might have been a bad move, and it’s why his return episode is that much weaker. It’s both too much and not enough of Kahn.
#7 – Any Given Hill-Day
“Any Given Hill-Day” is split in two different directions with one half of the story far outshining the other. The core of the episode takes Hank and Bobby to the Dallas Cowboys fantasy camp to further the show’s ties with the NFL team, but the much better plot sees Peggy and Dale team up in one of the few times where the two were actually on the same page.
Their team ups are some of the best in the original series, and it’s especially the case for this one as Peggy ends up spreading bedbugs through the neighborhood. It’s both an episode that ends with Rainey Street burning all of their books, and Hank seeing Bobby’s girlfriend pooping on a picture of Jerry Jones. Wish it had focused on the former more than the latter.
#6 – No Hank Left Behind
While the new King of the Hill season tackles some of the culture shifts in the last decade, but this episode was a truly direct challenge to some of the culture shifts around men. “No Hank Behind” might be set around much of the “Manosphere” culture, but the real core of the episode is the fact that Hank has to confront his past with his father. His younger half brother Good Hank returns (who is now looking to be Bobby’s age), and it sparks a whole new dynamic between the two of them. It gives Hank a much needed win over his abusive father, and is one of the most quietly emotional moments for Hank in the season overall. It’s that ending alone that brings it this far up the list more so than everything else to be totally honest.
#5 – New Ref In Town
“New Ref in Town” is one of the renewal’s episodes that truly feels like a episode of the classic series. It not only brings back how much Hank and the others despise soccer, but twists it further with the reveal that Hank fell in love with it thanks to his time in Saudi Arabia. This then goes into the wildest Dale plot of the new season as he believes Hank has since become a spy, and it showcases how far this new era can go compared to the original. Including scenes of intimacy between Hank and Peggy (which was not really present in the older series outside of a few standout moments), “New Ref In Town” is just a fun little adventure exploring the new status quo and how Hank has truly changed compared to his older self.
#4 – Peggy’s Fadeout
Peggy doesn’t really get any main focus episodes in the new season, but the episode that uses her in the most hilarious way is undoubtedly within the Bill focus episode, “Peggy’s Fadeout.” This episode’s main plot reveals that Bill had not only met a new group of friends, but has been lying to them about being married to Peggy the entire time. It goes about as well as you’d expect, and ends with a full funeral for her.
It ends up having a really sweet moment where Peggy hears how much Bill truly cares for her (instead of just being creeped out by him), and rounds out that long running story between them. It also has Dale killing rats in Bobby’s restaurant, and it’s probably one of his funniest roles in the season overall.
#3 – Bobby Gets Grilled
But when it comes to the best episodes of the season, the weaker premiere was followed by some absolute bangers that proved the new King of the Hill revival had a strong creative voice behind it even after all these years. “Bobby Gets Grilled” is the first episode of the season that fully focuses on Bobby, and it perfectly weaves his story with Hank’s. It sparks with a betrayal that sees Bobby cooking with charcoal rather than propane, and Hank discovering that traditions aren’t held in high regard with people like the way they used to.
It’s also an episode that tackles race and cultural appropriation head on, and reveals that Bobby is just a genuine person who wants to cook in his own way. It’s the episode that firmly cements that Bobby has indeed become an adult in his father’s eyes, and has earned that respect that was largely absent in the original series. It just feels so well earned after years of watching that original show.
#2 – The Beer Story
But the strongest example of this new dynamic between Hank and Bobby is “The Beer Story.” Both characters are involved in brewing beer, and Bobby actually has a lot of knowledge in how to do so because of his career as a chef. It’s an episode that showcases just how alike the two are, but also clearly demonstrates their differences in adulthood too. Hank is more interested in the craft and getting it down to its exact science, while Bobby is more interested in the taste and art of the brew.
It’s a conflict where the two don’t come to an agreement at the end of the day, but decide to instead realize those differences shouldn’t push them apart. It’s a perfect showcase of how King of the Hill‘s father and son stories will change because Bobby’s an adult now, but will stay the same where it counts as the two are still finding common ground after all this time.
#1 – A Sounder Investment
Thankfully, it all goes out with a bang as the King of the Hill Season 14 finale is undoubtedly its best episode. With the rest of the season spending so much time setting things up, the final episode is just allowed to have some fun. While half of the episode sees Bobby and Connie finally reconnecting romantically as they reach a new understanding as adults, the rest of the episode sees Hank jealous over the fact that his friends are in a new company that’s taking off very quickly. It’s just one gag after another, and it’s probably the tightest when it comes to telling jokes per minute. All capping off with a special tribute to Jonathan Joss, and you couldn’t ask for a better end to the season.
