After 13 years, Mike Judge and Greg Daniels’ classic animated cartoon, King of the Hill, will air new episodes on Hulu.
“King of the Hill” first aired in January 1997 and had a successful run of 13 seasons. The show was set in the imaginary town of Arlen, Texas, and revolved around the life of propane salesman Hank Hill and his family, friends, and neighbors. During its run, the series won two Emmy Awards, including “Outstanding Animated Program” in 1999 and “Outstanding Voice-Over Performance” for Pamela Adlon in 2002.
Many leading voice actors from King of the Hill are set to return, including Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, Pamela Adlon, Stephen Root, Johnny Hardwick, Lauren Tom, and Ashley Gardner. However, the critical question regarding the reboot is how it will handle the character of Luanne, the 19-year-old niece of the Hill family, who Brittany Murphy voiced. Unfortunately, Murphy passed away in 2009 before the show’s final episode airing.
From what I’ve seen, the show’s timeline will jump ahead 15 years, putting Bobby Hill in his 20’s. That may be a challenge for Pamela Adlon, who voices Bobby. While her pitch was perfect for a prepubescent teenager, it could prove challenging to voice a full-grown man. I’m willing to bet she is up for the challenge, though.
Kahn, Hank’s nemesis and status-chasing Laotian neighbor, is also notably missing from the lineup. This is probably due in part to the character being Laotian, but was voiced by a white man (Toby Huss). That doesn’t fly in today’s landscape. There has been much criticism in the years since the show last aired, with white men voicing Indian, Black, and Asian characters. How they handle that situation could be interesting.
“We are all so excited to welcome back Hank, Peggy, and Bobby and to see what they have to say about the world we live in and continue the conversations we began years ago. This show has all the perfect ingredients to meet this moment in animation at Hulu, and we’re so thankful to have those conversations alongside this talented group.”
~ Craig Erwich, president, ABC Entertainment, Hulu, and Disney Branded Television Streaming Originals
The Emmy-winning “King of the Hill” was on air for 13 seasons on Fox from 1997 to 2010 and remains one of the most popular animated shows on Hulu.
Marci Proietto, the Executive Vice President of 20th Television Animation, said, “I was fortunate to be part of the show from the beginning, and I am thrilled to return to Arlen, Texas with Mike, Greg, and Saladin, who are bringing a fresh take on the original series. We want to thank the fans for their tremendous support, which made this possible. I am eager to present this new version, reflecting 2023 America through the eyes of Peggy Hill. Ho yeah!”
This is the second reboot in as many years from Hulu that I’m excited about. Futurama has been brought back to life and is set to return in 2023.
No official premiere date has been revealed for the reboot yet. However, the show has been given a straight-to-series order. Mike Judge and Greg Daniels will serve as executive producers, while Saladin Patterson, the creator of the recent “Wonder Years” reboot, will be the showrunner.
