Les rois du Texas

I really liked this show and I was heart broken when they cancelled it to make room for family guy even though I really like family guy. A lot of people don't like this show and I guess I can see why. It has a very dry humor to it which I persoanlly find very funny. Its not like your typical animated show like simpsons or family guy where crazy stuff is always happening. No its more like a live action show very realistic and it just shows people living their lives.

This show is about a propane salesman named Hank Hill who lives in the fictional town of Arlen Texas. He lives next door to his three best friends as they take on the tasks of live together from raising their kids to drinking beers in the alley.

I know the premise sounds kind of slow and dry and don't get me wrong it is but its still very enjoyable. This show only has two kind of viewers people who really like it or people that absolutely hate it there is no ladder. I say take a gamble on this one though folks watch a couple episodes see what you think because it really is good.

It's inevitable that this would be compared to The Simpsons given its time period and style. This show definitely aims to be more grounded and relatable rather than zany. It does this very well but it can alienate some audiences who want an escape from everyday squabbles rather than see more of it. Also, the characters and scenarios become more extreme in order to remain engaging, which slowly defeats the purpose of the show. Still, I enjoyed a lot of the episodes and I think it does have a life of its own outside the typical 90s "Simpsons clone" genre.

Now that Mike Judge has made a fortune off Beavis and Butthead, he gets to do what he wants - thankfully his creativity extends far beyond the crude (though very funny) humor of his previous series. KOTH has its share of humor, but I think it shines because of the perceptiveness it displays about life. The series is full of very touching moments between Hank and his son Bobby, which rang very true with me, since I am an only child (Hank has a narrow urethra, so Bobby is his only offspring). All in all, this is a great show to watch, and I hope it stays on the air for a long time.

After "Beavis & Butthead" (which I loved), I was really surprised what an affectionate portrait Mike Judge put together. I know well how ripe Texas rednecks are for satire (being a native Texan), though the target is SO easy, it would get a bit tiresome to watch it week after week for years. Hank Hill turned out to be a realistic redneck: worshipful of tradition, fearful of variety and progress, but not really quite as conservative as he thinks he is. My parents are very much like that, too. As I've watched the series, I've been tickled by different characters at different times: first Bobby (almost zen in his bizarre but internally consistent individuality), then Hank's buddies (where the sillier satire comes in), then Hank himself (eternally thwarted by life, but always strong and loving in the end). Lately, Peggy's outrageous ego has me laughing the most. Since this is more like a regular sitcom than "The Simpsons" is, I doubt it will hold up as long, but for now I love it. "King of the Hill" may be the most realistic portrait of Texans ever seen on TV. In response to previous complaints: 1. While Texas does have many citizens who are members of ethnic minorities, the area of the state in which the show is set (NW Texas--best reckoning has Arlen based on Abilene or San Angelo) has very few of them. 2. If one finds the show boring, one need only change the channel.

Very excellent prime-time animated series from the highly creative and brilliant mind of Mike Judge ("Beavis and Butt-Head" fame). "King of the Hill" deals with a small town Texas family and their wild misadventures. Shades of "The Flintstones" and "The Simpsons" here as the show has vivid characters galore. Propane salesman Hank Hill and substitute Spanish teacher wife Peggy rear awkward adolescent son Bobby in the fictional town of Arlen. Hank has a wild World War II hero for a dad (Cotton), a niece who lives with him and his family (Luanne), a far from perfect boss (Buck Strickland), a slew of childhood friends (conspiracy theorist/bug exterminator Dale, lonely divorcée/Army barber Bill and often verbally incoherent swinging bachelor Boomhauer) and even Laotian neighbors. These vivid characters create a wholesome landscape of small-town Texas community life that accurately shows how lives intertwine and interweave. The situations in the series are hilarious and yet many times life-affirming as the show's brain trust do their best to have messages that center around family, friends and personal sacrifice. The running gags (Dale's wife having a torrid affair with a Native American new age healer who actually conceived her only son while her husband has no earthly clue) and the constant humanity and vulnerability of the featured characters make "King of the Hill" a real sight to behold. The art and science of television production combine to make a truly outstanding and intelligent sitcom for most all age groups. 5 stars out of 5.