A new season of King of the Hill is headed to Hulu August 4, and the cast and creators of the beloved series stopped by San Diego Comic-con to show off a new episode and talk about bringing the popular show back to life.
Executive Producer and Showrunner Salading Pattersonwas joined by Executive Producers and Co-Creators Greg Daniels and Mike Judge (who also provides the voice of Hank Hill) along with series stars Kathy Najimy, Pamela Adlon, Nicole Tom, and Toby Huss.
The audience at the panel was able to screen the entire second episode of the show’s 14th season, titled “The Beer Story.” In the episode, Hank, who has just retired and is desperate for hobbies, starts brewing beer at home (his kit is powered buy – you guessed it – propane) and enters a beer making competition, competing against Bobby, who’s now somewhat of an expert in brewing thanks to his job as a chef in Dallas.
Throughout the episode, we got an inside look at some Easter eggs showing how Arlen has changed (and how it hasn’t) in the 15 years since the show went off the air.
Show-within-a-show Monsignor Martinez is still on the air, although it now features the son of the original titular character, who is avenging his father’s death.
Peggy’s spanish is still sub-par to say the least, evidenced by her failed attempt to translate Monsignor Martinez’s dialogue.
Bobby’s restaurant, called Robota Chane, is located in Dallas and seems to be financed by Bobby’s childhood frenemy Chane Wassanasong and his father Ted.
After Hank and Bobby decide to enter a beer brewing competition, Hank and Peggy visit a local brewery to understand the appeal of newer “fruity” beers. Unsurprisingly, Hank is disgusted with anything other than Alamo.
In a subtle tribute to Tom Petty (who voiced the character Lucky in the show’s original run), the song “Runnin’ Down a Dream” is featured in a beer making montage.
Joseph is still Bobby’s best friend. He’s seen driving his biological father’s (John Redcorn’s) Jeep from the original series and also smokes cigarettes with his, um, “real” father Dale.
Nancy and John Redcorn show up to the competition and are seemingly still together. Dale, of course, is still as ignorant of their relationship as ever.
The show’s theme song (by The Refreshmants) still plays over the end credits, although it’s an updated version.
The series’ famous tag (where a funny line from the episode is spoken over the studio logo) is still there. The screened episode features a line where Dale insults Bobby.
After the episode screened, the cast and producers came on stage to talk about reviving the show. The conversation featured news about what fans can expect once Season 14 drops.
Pamala Adlon (Bobby Hill) says that Bobby didn’t go to college and is struggling with working in the restaurant industry while his friends took different paths. Still, Adlon says Bobby is her favorite character she’s ever played and that when she sees a picture of Bobby, she “thinks she’s looking at a picture of (her)self.”
We’ve already learned from the new season’s synopsis that Hank and Peggy moved to Saudi Arabia, where they lived for 10 years. Judge says they were able to survive there because they lived in a fabricated “American” town built for employees of Hank’s employer. Judge also said that Hank, who was always a bit of a stick in the mud, didn’t mind that women there tended to be “covered up.”
Lauren Tom, who voices Bobby’s on-again, off-again, girlfriend Connie, says that Connie started off in the series as shy, but now is much more confident now that she’s older. Tom also said that when we see Connie in the revival, she’s “practicing ethical non-monogomy.”
Toby Huss, who voiced many characters in the original series, took over the role of Hank’s conspiracy-addled neighbor Dale Gribble from the late Johnny Hardwick. “I’m not going to improve on what Johnny did,” Huss said. “But I hope he approves of it.”
The crew also confirmed that at some point during the show’s hiatus, Dale actually became mayor of Arlen, which Huss said was “wacky and appropriate.”
Season 14 of King of the Hill streams on Hulu August 4.
