We’re almost halfway through what is very likely the last season of “King of the Hill”. The show has been cancelled by Fox, but other networks have expressed interest in making new episodes (and Adult Swim has already grabbed up the show’s reruns to lead off it’s programming next year), and I certainly hope someone decides to take it on.

This episode is great reason why…this show has still “got it”. Many people complain that “The Simpsons” isn’t what is used to be, and while that is debatable, you can’t deny that “King of the Hill” is still as consistently funny as it’s been since the very beginning.

In this episode Peggy decides she wants a new flat screen TV, so – of course – she figures that the stock market is her best answer after getting support from Min, Dale, and a guy on TV with a sound effects machine who tells people what stocks to buy. That doesn’t work out well, though, and ultimately she, Dale, and Min decide that they need to buy whatever the “average american shopper” is going to want…and they decide that Bill is that average american shopper.

After following him for a few weeks, their stock portfolios are looking better than they ever have, and Peggy gets that new TV she’s wanted so bad. Bobby and Hank quickly become afraid of the new device, after initially loving it. Their lack of ability to control the complicated remote, or figure out how to make the picture in picture go away is classic “King of the Hill” at it’s best.

Once Bill finds out he’s the source of everyone’s new wealth, he decides that his opinion is very important, and begins acting accordingly. That – of course – ruins it, and soon Bill is back to where he always is. Sad, lonely, and feeling worthless. In an attempt to get on everyone’s good side again, he invests everything he has in the stock market to prove his picks are still good. It fails, though, and Bill is going to lose his house.

Hank rallies everyone together to sell off their stocks, the flat screen TV, and everything else in an attempt to help Bill keep his house. When they present the money to Bill, however, he says he doesn’t need it because he’s filed for Bankruptcy. Hank is shocked, but Mr. Strickland (who has stopped by to pick up the flat screen TV he just bought) is fascinated, and wants to hear everything Bill has to say on the subject. Which makes Bill very, very happy.

It’s a solid “King of the Hill” episode that is funny, slightly complicated, and very well done. It shows that the team behind this series is still on fire – and there’s no reason they should be stopping now.