With King of the Hill back with a brand new season on Hulu, now's the perfect time to head back to Arlen and catch up with Hank, Peggy, Bobby, and the gang. Whether you're a longtime fan like me or brand new to the alley, these ten episodes are the ideal way to get reacquainted as the new season drops.
From propane and parenting to paintball and potty problems, each of the following picks showcases the show's perfect blend of humor, humanity, and Texas-sized heart. These aren't just fan-favorites — they're essential viewing that capture everything King of the Hill does best.
So grab a cold can of Alamo and some extra propane for the grill, because we're about to revisit The 10 Best Episodes Of King of the Hill, I tell ya what!
10. "Keeping Up With Our Joneses" (1x10)
In this Season 1 gem, Hank catches Bobby smoking and, in classic overkill fashion, makes him finish an entire carton of cigarettes to teach him a lesson. The plan backfires spectacularly when Bobby gets hooked — as do Hank and Peggy, who relapse into their old smoking habits. As nicotine withdrawal begins to tear the household apart, it's up to Luanne to stage an intervention and get the Hills clean once more. This episode expertly blends sharp satire with genuine heart, using addiction as a backdrop to explore themes of parenting, discipline, and just how fallible even the most no-nonsense of Texans can be.
9. "Hank's Unmentionable Problem" (1x06)
In "Hank's Unmentionable Problem," constipation becomes comedy gold when Hank can't, well, go. What starts out as a painfully relatable bathroom dilemma soon becomes a full-blown family crisis when Peggy's loose lips inadvertently inform half of Arlen about her husband's embarrassing condition. Leave it to King of the Hill to turn digestive distress into heartfelt hilarity. This episode revels in the absurdity of the mundane, reminding us that even the most unmentionable problems deserve attention (and maybe a bran muffin from time to time). It's everyday life as only the Hills can deliver it: awkward, honest and oddly touching.
8. "A Firefighting We Will Go" (3x10)
In this Season 3 favorite, Hank, Dale, Bill, and Boomhauer volunteer at the Arlen fire department — and promptly set it ablaze. During a hilarious police interrogation, each friend gives a wildly different accounting of what happened, Rashomon-style. Hank blames Dale's recklessness, Dale blames Bill's incompetence, and Bill ... mostly cries. Meanwhile, Boomhauer's version is, for once, completely coherent. "A Firefighting We Will Go" is a brilliant showcase of the group's dynamic, complemented by strong writing and perfect character moments that turn firefighting into a comedy of errors that only the boys from Arlen could ignite.
7. "Hank's Dirty Laundry" (2x17)
When Hank learns that a dirty movie was rented under his name, he's determined to clear his squeaky-clean reputation. Refusing to let the matter slide, he goes on a crusade to prove his innocence, dragging Peggy, Dale and even the video store clerk into the mess. Things spiral as Hank's obsession grows, leading him to surveillance tactics and late-night stakeouts. This episode is an amusing look at Hank's relentless sense of decency and how far he'll go to defend it — a classic King of the Hill tale of small town scandal and big-time overreactions.
6. "The Bluegrass Is Always Greener" (6x09)
One of my all-time favorite episodes, "The Bluegrass Is Always Greener" sees Connie ditching Mozart for bluegrass, secretly joining Hank’s band, The Dale Gribble Bluegrass Experience. Torn between classical pressure and fiddle passion, she skips a violin contest to jam in Branson. Bobby dreams of comedy stardom, Dale assaults Yakov Smirnoff, and Hank becomes just as controlling as Kahn. In the end, both dads realize support matters more than perfection. This episode shines because it blends heartfelt character growth with offbeat comedy and small-town charm. Connie and Bobby’s musical misadventure is both hilarious and sincere, capturing what King of the Hill does best—finding warmth, wisdom, and weirdness in everyday Texas life.
5. "The Man Who Shot Cane Skretteburg" (2x07)
In "The Man Who Shot Cane Skretteburg," Hank and the guys find their sacred alley invaded by a gang of loud, disrespectful teenagers. Refusing to be pushed out, they declare war — suburban style — by challenging the punks to a series of chaotic paintball battles at the local range. Dale channels Rambo, Bill gets humiliated, and Hank makes the ultimate dad move by cutting the power to Cane's blaring guitar amp without so much as a second thought. Despite being outmatched, the guys persevere and defend their turf. It's a fun, pointed look at aging, masculinity, and the need to feel relevant with the passage of time.
4. "Propane Boom" (2x23)
In this Season 2 finale, Hank's world is turned upside down when Mega Lo Mart puts Strickland Propane out of business. Forced to work at the big box retailer under Luanne's dim-witted boyfriend Buckley, Hank struggles with his newfound lot in life. Meanwhile, a gas leak goes ignored and Hank's warnings fall on deaf ears — until the entire store explodes with Hank, Luanne, and Buckley still inside. Ending on a dramatic cliffhanger, this episode balances big laughs with real stakes and lasting consequences. It's King of the Hill expertly firing on all cylinders.
3. "Bobby Goes Nuts" (6x01)
In perhaps one of the funniest episodes of them all, Bobby takes a woman's self-defence class at the mall and learns the ultimate move — a swift kick to the family jewels. Armed with a high-pitched battle cry — "That's my purse! I don't know you!" — he starts dropping bullies left and right. This includes Hank, who takes a devastating shot that sends him crawling for the frozen peas. As Hank limps through shame and fatherly confusion, Bobby struts around with misplaced confidence. This is King of the Hill at peak absurdity, turning women's self-defense into the ultimate suburban power trip and poor Hank's dignity into collateral damage. A low blow in all the best ways.
2. "Three Days Of The Kahndo" (2x15)
When Kahn misreads a timeshare ad, he lures the Hills to a "luxury" condo just across the Mexican border. When he, Hank, and Dale break into the top half of the unit — mistakenly believing it's part of the deal — they're arrested by the local police. With no papers and no help, the trio is forced to sneak back into the U.S. like fugitives. Hank's horror at the lack of propane is only matched by Dale's paranoia and Kahn's ego. It's a chaotic, laugh-filled misadventure that turns a simple weekend getaway into an international escape mission.
1. "Returning Japanese" (6x21-22)
In "Returning Japanese," the Hills travel to Japan after Cotton reveals he fathered a son, Junichiro, during World War II. What starts out as an awkward family trip turns into a heartfelt story of identity, guilt, and reconciliation. Hank struggles with Cotton's hostility while trying to connect with his half-brother, and Bobby thrives in the glitz and glamour of Japanese video games. With loads of emotional depth, cultural clashes, and Cotton Hill at perhaps his most human, the episode beautifully balances comedy with catharsis. This is King of the Hill at its boldest — tackling themes of war, family, and forgiveness — proving that even the most stubborn of characters can grow in unexpected ways.
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