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.

This has been a week of terrible TV news for me. First David Tennant is leaving “Doctor Who”, then we saw the last episode of “The Office” with Holly in it…and now…NOW Fox has cancelled “King of the Hill”.

I’ll be honest with you, if I was making a “Top 10 animated shows of ALL TIME” I would put “King of the Hill” at the very top. I mean that. I think the show has been one of the most consistently funny series on television, and I think if you compare 13 years worth of “King of the Hill” versus 13 years worth of “The Simpsons” you will find “Hill” to be a more consistently funny show, with an even quality rating, where “Simpsons” is a little more hit or miss.

I know that not everyone that reads this is going to agree with that – and that’s ok.

The show really had its perfect ending two seasons ago, and I’m not sure if this year will even have a “series ending” episode – but I am happy to say that “Hill” will live on in syndication…probably forever.

The fact that this series is going to be replaced by a 3rd Seth MacFarlane series, “The Cleveland Show”, however, makes me a little sick. The last thing the world needs is an hour and a half of that crap every Sunday.

I’m sure not everything that reads this is going to agree with that either…and that’s ok.

If you’ll excuse me now, I’m going to watch one of the 48 episodes of “King of the Hill” I have DVRed and make a sandwich.

Yup.

(s13e02) “Earthy Girls are Easy”

Episode description: Dale, in an attempt to impress the ladies, organizes an Earth benefit concert.

I’m not really sure who wrote the episode description above, but its grossly inaccurate. The episode starts off with Bobby and Joseph planting trees for their Earth Science class. Right about the same time Hank finds out that Mr. Strickland has been illegally dumping old propane tanks in the Arlen river.

To keep customers from revolting Hank decides that Strickland Propane has to “go green”. After telling the gang in the alley about what’s going – Dale gets the idea to sell Mr. Strickland a carbon off-set…which Mr. Strickland immediately buys into…because it means he doesn’t have to actually do anything.

Dale quickly figures out that he can better utilize Bobby and Joseph by getting them to sell carbon off-sets, rather than actually plant them…without bothering to actually plant the trees.

Strickland uses his carbon off-set purchasing power to chase tale, and Hank insists that all of this is going to back fire. In an attempt to impress the hippy chicks in town, Mr. Strickland decides to throw and Earth Concert….in his carbon off-set forrest…which, of course, Dale hasn’t planted.

Hank and the family drives out to “Strickland Woods” and discover that Dale hasn’t done his job, which prompts Hank to force Dale to fess up. Mr. Strickland continues to trust Dale with ideas – because he offers the easy way out. So the duo head out to a gun nut’s house and buy his “carbon offset rights” to his surrounding trees.

The concert gets rolling, and everyone except Hank thinks its going to go off without a hitch. When Hanks sees that Bobby has completely lost faith in caring about stuff over this – he gets up on stage and confesses the truth of about everything Strickland HASN’T done.

Much to his surprise – the hippies don’t really care.

Ultimately, Hank helps Bobby with the one tree he planted at the beginning of the episode, and tries to teach him not to be like Mr. Strickland or Dale.

The episode does what “King of the Hill” has always done so well – it points out problems in society and comments on them through the filter of Hank. This was another good, semi-classic episode of the series. According to Dish Network this is episode 246…that’s amazing.

I can’t wait to see them hit 250.

(se13ep01) Dia-Bill-ic Shock)

“King of the Hill” kicked off its 13th season with a Bill centric episode.

Bill’s excessive eating leaves him with diabetes. After having two sugar spikes in one week, an arrogant ER doctor prescribes him a wheelchair and tells him to give up because he’ll never eat right and take care of himself.

Depressed beyond belief, the next time Hank and the gang see him, he’s wheeling around in his electric wheel chair. The gang thinks he’s actually lost the use of his legs, and begin to fix his house to accommodate his new handicapped status.

At a park Hank and Bill meet an athletic wheelchair bound man nicknamed “Thunder” who takes Bill under his wing and helps him enjoy life more than he has in a while. Bill begins to eat right, get exercise, and eventually gets his diabetes under control. After having a few too many drinks one night while out with his new handicapable friends, Bill stands up to go to the bathroom – which, of course, really makes them angry.

Hank, Boomhaur, and Dale find out as well, and Bill goes back into the depressive state he generally lives in. This time is particularly pathetic, however, when he tries to eat pure sugar until he can give himself diabetes again.

In an effort to help Bill Hank gets Thunder, and the two of them tell Bill that he’s been inspiring because he’s beaten diabetes. Thunder suggests that Bill kick his doctor’s ass.

One trip to the hospital later that’s exactly what Bill does.

King of the Hill is a show that unabashedly love. It is one of my favorite shows on television, and my DVR currently has 45 episodes recorded on it.

So, as you can imagine, I am probably a bit more forgiving of this show than some people might be. Having said that, this is far from the best episode of the series (if you want to see those watch “Bobby’s Nuts” or “Cotton’s Plot”).

Even still, it’s a good episode of the show, and it’s nice to see Bill getting a little ass kicking in for once. I’m looking forward to what this season has in store for us.

(se20ep01) “Sex, Pies & Idiot Scrapes”

In the 20th season opener Homer Simpson becomes a bounty hunter after getting arrested at a St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Marge also finds that her St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes are wanted by a local baker, so he invites her to cook for him.

After almost getting himself killed, Homer teams up with Ned Flanders to become a bounty hunting tag team.

Marge discovers that the bakery she’s started working for is an erotic bakery, and is eventually persuaded into continuing to work there after initially objecting.

Homer and Ned’s bounty hunting goes – semi-well at fist – but after getting a warrant for Fat Tony Homer breaks a few too many laws and the two decide to dissolve the partnership.

Marge reveals her job to Homer – which he is initially upset about, but forgives when she recommends that the two of them take a cake to bed.

Ned goes to the bail bond office to let them know that he’s out of the bounty hunting game, when they give him one last job – catching Homer, who didn’t make his court appearance from the parade.

Ned hunts down homer in a Bond-esq city hopping escapade. Ultimately the two end up up to their necks in wet cement, and Homer has to spend the night in jail.

Marge sends him a cake that says “To The Love of My Life”.

Like many Simpsons episodes over the last few years, this episode was amusing, but not memorable. It’s still nice to have new adventures of “The Simpsons” but the show isn’t quite what it used to be.