Anyone else think "King of the Hill" can be pretty dark for a cartoon

that airs prior to the Simpsons?

I'm a fan of the program and love that Mike Judge has been able to create a series of pretty detailed characters that could easily serve in a real life comedy/drama.

However, it seems at times, esp. given its lead-in to Malcolm in the Middle and The Simpsons that KOTH tends to cover issues that tread a bit too seriously for its air slot.

The shows with Cotton tend to be rough around the edges language-wise and in terms of his attitudes to women and minorities and shows that revolve around Bill have usually been coated in a despair that has bordered on manic or suicidal. In general though the show's overall tone seems to be out of place given the time it airs.

I know cartoons can treat serious matters gracefully and KOTH is a great show and deserves the years it's been on the air (going on eight now I believe) but it just doesn't seem to fit in its current time slot.

Didn't it air after the Simpsons at one point in it's run years ago?

It actually becomes painful to watch an animated character wallow in such severe depression.

It should be a requirement that any plot that revolves heavily around Bill needs Dale at his most delusional to serve as a sub-plot device for comedic relief.

I was at the laundromat because our washer gave up the ghost and I sat my purse on top of the nearest washing machine. As I was loading it, some stranger started to pick up my purse! So as loudly as I could I said, "I don't know you! That's my purse!" and grabbed my purse...

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...

...

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Out of the hands of my partner of ten years, Will, who only wanted a freaking lozenge and now had to deal with everyone thinking he was a purse snatcher.

:)

No one even wanted to sit near him. It was hilarious. Painful and embarassing, but hilarious!

It's like, the total incongruity of it all and Bobby's oblivion to sexual roles that drives his father nuts.

Another one is from the episode "Goodbye Normal Jeans" when Bobby takes Home Ec. Hank walks into Bobby's room and sees him with a cheerleader's uniform and says, "There better be a naked cheerleader under your bed."

A .wav file I wish I could find is Bobby saying, "Oh, fart!" from the episode where he wound up having to drive his step-grandmother (Cotton's wife) to the hospital after she goes into labor.

Edit: my 14-year-old cousins say, "I don't know you! That's my purse!" whenever anyone mentions King of the Hill. They can sound exactly like Bobby! :D

It's actually one of my favorite shows. It's been lambasted here on DU quite a few times for its "freepishness," but I think it's fabulous satire. Like all great comedy, it makes fun of everyone.

I think it can be somewhat serious at times. I wish it were on later, personally, but I don't remember it being on after the Simpsons, though I could be wrong.

Hank Hill: A simple man who doesn't care for change but can learn to adapt. Sorry, but his distress over Bobby's uncertain sexuality is something that I don't think is exclusive to hard core right wingers. Also, Hank did welcome Khan to the neighborhood without reservation..(outside of Cotton, Khan is actually the most FReep-like character)

Boomhauer: Who knows as you can never understand anything he says outside of the occasional mumble

Dale: More a conspiracy nut than FReeper. Eventually comes to accept his homosexual father after some denial.

Bill: Sad and pathetic says it best

Peggy: Probably my least favorite character due to her over-inflated sense of ego but definitely not likely to lie down and let men dictate what she can or can't do.

Bobby: Ralph Wiggum but slightly less socially-retarded

When did Peggy get to be so annoying ? I don't remember if she was like that the first couple of seasons.

I think that Bobby's a budding metrosexual. I think he's comfortable with andogyny and change and that, in and of itself, gives Hank the willies.

I think that Dale is a total Freeper. Conspiracy nut, gun nut, total wuss. Willing to accept his father because, well, it's his father (Dick Cheney anyone?).

Bill's just sad, agreed.

Peggy may not be a Freep, but she definitely votes Repug. Same for Hank- but the only reason he's not a Freep is because he's unfamiliar with computers.

After Bobby, he's my favorite character, so go figure.... No, wait, after Bobby would be Khan's wife, I think. "Peggy have such big feet!!!"

I think the only ones who wouldn't be Bushies would be Bobby and Bill. And maybe Khan and his wife.

I don't like Peggy very much at all.

Geez, I can't believe I'm having a "serious" discussion about the political leanings of imaginary characters.... And it's only 9:30 a.m. *sigh*

Utterly paranoid about big brother--Bushies have learned to LOVE big brother now.

Then they'd know who he is.

and I like those dark, rough edges. That's just me though. ;-)

KOTH is too "adult" and we must "save the children"? that its early start will drive "save the children" viewers away & KOTH will be cancelled? or its "dark" subject matter will attract the condemnation of james dobson et al?

so FOX should move KOTH to 9pm sunday?

Just an observation and I was wondering if other people had ever thought "damn, this is pretty dark for a cartoon at times".

I think it's more an observation of its tone in relation to the programs that immediately follow it...Malcolm, The Simpsons, and Family Guy. It would seem programming-wise that you would have the more serious cartoon follow the light hearted stuff instead of preceding it.


Personally, I do wish they would move it later but exclusively only because it's the one show that usually gets pre-empted whenever a sporting event runs long. It can be up to several months before you actually get to see any orginal episodes during football/baseball season.

Love the show. They show reruns here where I live at 6:30 after the Simpsons. Watch it every chance I get.

I think that The Family Guy is even darker. Fun, but dark...

Family guy is a great show, but it never really goes into issues that could be percieved as dark. Well it does, but never in a dark way.

Don't know why. Even tried watching it again, with a more open mind because people at school were saying I would like it but that round guy just irritates the hell out of me.... Can't put my finger on it....

"An F in English? Bobby, you speak English!"

to Home Depot and other stores in Texas. They covertly taped people and just soaked up all the atmosphere. They went to some of the actual events which are depicted in the show (boggle championships).

The creators of KOTH were also the creators of Beavis & Butthead.

He grew up surrounded by Hank Hills.



Actually, Hank reminds me of a beloved great-uncle who died a few years ago. Although I loved Uncle Del, I was glad I wasn't one of his kids, and I'm really glad I'm not one of Hank's kids. Growing up is hard enough without a repressed red-stater as your dad.

Somebody get Bouncy Ball in here--bet she's noticed this, too (if she watches it regularly).

--Extreme reverence for the Dallas Cowboys (one of my favorite Hank moments has him interviewing a woman for a position at Strickland Propane, and he keeps trying to think of ways to "throw" her, as he doesn't want to hire a woman--he finally asks her a question about Troy Aikman, and when she says she doesn't know who that is, he looks at her in utter horror and disbelief).

--Local restaurant references; semi-frequent references to Taco Bueno (like Taco Bell, but WAY better), and they hold their football booster meetings at Pancho's Mexican Buffet, which Judge nailed right down to the little flags on the table.

--Mentioned my high school in an episode where Bobby's school was competing with other area schools in a radio station contest (I nearly fell off the couch laughing).

--The suburban alley as a social location (I'd never seen anything like that until my family moved to north Dallas).

--A tip of the hat to the influx of Vietnamese-Americans in north Dallas (Khan's character).

Many more, but those are the first that come to mind. Extremely well-done show, animated or otherwise.

"So are you Chinese or Japanese?"

"Neither. We're Laotian"

"Th'ocean?"

"Not the ocean. LA-otian. We're from Laos, stupid,"

"So are you Chinese or Japanese?"

Khan is one of my favorite characters.

BUT--I believe what I referred to as the Vietnamese community in north Dallas (Garland/Richardson area) also includes a sizeable Laotian population, too--but I may be wrong.

Khan has to be one of my favorite characters. He's like the voice of sanity in a sea of red.

"FAT WHITE LUMP!"

Totally materialistic, status reaching, suck-up who belittles those he considers his social inferiors. Khan is closer to FReeper than Hank, Dale or the other primary characters.

Can you imagine living next door to these people and their crazy shenanigans? I'd probably be an asshole too.

where outside of Dale, I can't see much room for Khan to complain. Actually, I think Dale is just barely tolerated by the other characters as is.

Didn't Khan's wife beg him when they first moved to the neighborhood to not act like a total ass? Seems that Khan's past behavior had forced some unplanned relocations prior to moving to the current location.

In the end, Khan actually seems to have gotten the neighbors he deserves and vice versa.

Though Hank cost him his job in Arlen, necessitating a huge commute to Houston.

No, I'm not that big a fan, I just saw this episode a few days ago.

We can agree to disagree about Khan, but I think the real focus for our displeasure should be Cotton. Now THERE'S a man who personifies the word "asshole".

There's a character with no redeeming qualities what-so-ever.

I have actually turned on KOTH, found out that the episode was a Cotton-driven plot and opted to watch something else as the character puts me on edge.

I missed the episode where Khan ends up losing the Arlen job. I'll have to try to catch that in the future.

... Begin a Texan for almost my whole life I find Hank to be pretty easy to understand and true to life.

I don't watch the show like I used to - but I think it is a pretty well written family drama.

I don't find it all that dark though, only occassionally.

and other trade magazines, I tell you whut.

and they do a great job with satire. I admire them for not shying away from dark topics. It comes on FX at 7 and 7:30 every night.

when her garden gnome was stolen and he was telling her to get over it, it was just a garden gnome and she said 'and propane is just a gas!!!!" I fell out!

It doesn't feel the need to cover up or speak in euphemisms, and nothing is taboo - it speaks in honesty and truth.

I find that very refreshing!

But yeah, that does mean it can get a bit dark. But that's okay (and I know you weren't implying it's not okay, I'm just putting another stamp of approval on it).

in Texas, because he's got them nailed to a T.

And if that makes it dark so be it.

I think you can make the argument that Bobby Hill is the most realistic child ever depicted on a network show.

And I think Hank is actually a pretty good father. He and Bobby don't have a lot in common, but he tries to deal with their differences with as much as open mind as he is capable of.

I think people would like the principals to be your standard right-wing southern hick stereotypes and that Judge doesn't aim that way gives the show a lasting quality.

I agree on your assessment of Hank. As awkward as his interactions with Bobby can be it's obvious that his decisions are drawn from a desire to keep Bobby from partaking in activities that (in Hank's day) would have resulted in a boy being humiliated or beaten up by his classmates. Hank's inability to grasp that things have changed over the years isn't necessarily to his detriment.

One of my favorite exchanges takes place when Bobby joins the "coven" and Hank while dragging Bobby away says something along the lines of "I'm just trying to keep you from finding new ways of getting your ass kicked at school"

He is the cartoon version of my favorite Uncle, right down to the hot rods, many lady friends, and the "mumbles".