King of the Hill, the animated comedy that reigned in the late 1990s and throughout the 2000s on FOX's Animation Domination, returned for its 14th season on August 4. The show surrounding Hank Hill and his unique family, as well as his even more unique neighbors, is back, as they live their lives in the small town of Arlen, Texas. Despite being absent since 2009, when King of the Hill had its series finale, it felt like the Hills, Gribbles, Connie, and all the other characters who reside on Rainey Street have never left.
Season 14 experienced a time jump to the present, and understandably, the characters have aged a bit. Hank and Peggy are now retired, while Bobby, now in his twenties, is a fusion chef, creating dishes with a German and Japanese flair. The heart of the Hills is still very much intact, so I was pleased that creator Mike Judge kept the show's original spirit. Hank has always been a family-centered man, and while he doesn't always see eye-to-eye with his son, along with his catchphrase 'that boy ain't right' share a mutual and supportive respect, like they have always had since season one.
And since this is 2025, Hank and Peggy have a difficult time adjusting to the new societal values, such as a name change to his favorite Girl Scout cookies, and seeing how things have changed since returning from his business trip in Saudi Arabia. But while Hank remains somewhat conservative in his beliefs, he's open and willing to accept these positive changes. Although humor is injected into these scenarios in abundance, it perfectly captures the emotions and distracts from the negative aspects that others may perceive.
Dale Gribble is still Dale in every respect of his character. He's still heavy in his conspiracy theories, but his friendships with his neighbors, especially Hank, remain solid. Again, the essence of King of the Hill remains profoundly intact, and unlike today's revivals, the series adhered to its original formula, guided by the belief, "If it's not broken, why fix it?"
King of the Hill season 14 should have done this one thing with Luann and Lucky (and Ladybird)
If we were to have a textbook example of how to do a proper revival, then King of the Hill would fill the pages. It embodied the original essence of what made seasons one through thirteen so successful and a ratings hit for FOX, only to be canceled to make space for new shows, and Mike Judge felt it was the right time to end it while it was still top quality.
Now, season 14 was nearly perfect, as it gave a much-needed update on our favorite characters, and even after sixteen years since the finale, nothing has changed, for the most part. I couldn't help but notice that there was no mention (unless it flew over my head) of Lucky and Luann Platter. Luann was Peggy's niece, and Lucky, her nephew-in-law, were strong assets to the KOTH lore and storylines.
Understandably, the pair who voiced Luann and Lucky- Brittany Murphy and Tom Petty- have since passed on, so that might have contributed to the slip-up. Even still, fans would've sufficed with a brief explanation of the couple's whereabouts or leaving.
Another question that arose during the watch is, whatever happened to the Hills' beloved bloodhound, Lady Bird? Unfortunately, given that she was thirteen years old at season 13's end, she likely crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Hank was more attached to Lady Bird than he was to Bobby, and the narrative was handled with comedic justice by the writers. That said, it would've been in the Hill patriarch's favor to have a tribute to his dog in a beautiful light.
There's still potential to address the Luann, Lucky, and Lady Bird lapse, as Hulu has already greenlit the comedy for Season 15, set to stream on the platform sometime in 2026. What's more, we'll witness even more development between the Hills as they navigate this new phase in their lives.