The return of King of the Hill in 2025 has been met with widespread acclaim for its faithfulness to the original series' calm and realistic portrayal of life in Arlen, Texas. However, some involved with the show believe the revival has ventured into deeper emotional territory. Stephen Root, the voice of Bill Dauterive, noted that the series has become more emotionally resonant, pointing to an episode where Bill’s loneliness leads him to a fraudulent cuddle therapy scheme, which is resolved through a heartfelt pep talk from his friends. "You get closer to the characters because they're more real-life than they ever were before," Root told Polygon. "You're getting to emotionally connect with them as an audience member."
This shift toward emotional depth is evident across season 15. While the original series often prioritized humor in exploring characters' struggles, the revival appears to dedicate more time to uplifting resolutions and thoughtful explorations of mature themes. Episodes dealing with the Hills getting a new dog or Peggy experiencing menopause, for instance, balance humor with a more delicate and considered approach to the subject matter. According to executive producer and showrunner Saladin Patterson, this evolution is partly due to the extended development period for the revival, which began in 2017, and a reduced episode order of 10 per season, allowing for more nuanced storytelling. Patterson also highlighted a more settled staff, including writers, animators, and directors, contributing to the refined execution.
Evolving Storytelling and Character Arcs
Season 15 saw Hank and Peggy adjusting to life back in Texas after a decade spent in Saudi Arabia, a premise that formed the comedic backbone of the initial season's narrative. "Season 14 was a lot of Hank and Peggy catching up on some things," Patterson explained. "That's where some of the comedy came from. Thankfully, that was very well received by the audience."
Season 15, however, aimed to explore new challenges relevant to the characters' age and circumstances. "For this next season, we kind of wanted to take a little bit of a breather and say, 'Okay, it's not as much Hank and Peggy catching up. Now, putting them out of their comfort zone will be things that would've been challenging for them had they still been here the whole time,'" Patterson elaborated. This includes themes such as empty nesting, retirement, menopause, and even targeting for AI scams, none of which were directly tied to their time abroad.
The creative team found that a more personal approach to storytelling became feasible as they grew more comfortable with the revival. With characters like Hank mirroring the ages of writers and their children aligning with those of the show's younger characters, drawing from personal life experiences became a natural fit. "We're able to live our lives a little bit and pull from there, versus having to figure out more of the plot stuff of resetting and rebooting," Patterson said.
The cast has also found new footing. Toby Huss, who previously voiced Kahn, now steps into the role of Dale Gribble following the passing of Johnny Hardwick during season 14's production. Huss described the experience as initially difficult but now finds a sense of connection to his late co-star. "It's easier now because it hurts less to do it. I'm kind of finding the joyfulness of hanging out with my buddy Johnny for a while while I read those lines."
Addressing the Saudi Arabia Plotline and Character Placements
The revelation that Hank quit Strickland Propane after Buck decided to appoint his son as manager, leading Hank to accept a job with a Saudi Arabian oil company via LinkedIn, was a narrative developed retrospectively. Patterson admitted that the exact reasons for Hank's departure and move to Saudi Arabia were not pre-planned. "We did not necessarily know why Hank had quit Strickland and what had led to him going to Saudi Arabia," he said. "But as we felt more comfortable, it just felt like a natural thing that was pointing us to this."
The placement of Bobby, who would have been in high school during his parents' absence, presented a unique challenge. The writers eventually decided to marry Hank and Peggy's decision to leave with Bobby's own burgeoning culinary aspirations. The finale revealed that Bobby would live with his cousin Luanne and her husband Lucky for his senior year. This decision served as a touching tribute to Luanne and Lucky, characters whose voice actors, Brittany Murphy and Tom Petty, had passed away. "We always had in the back of our minds, 'Hey, what would be a nice reference for Luanne, considering that she's not in the show right now?’" Patterson explained. "Because of that, as we were exploring things, it was like, 'Okay, this solves the problem of why would Hank and Peggy leave a 16, 17-year-old son here?’ Well, they didn't leave him here alone. He had Luanne and Lucky."
Season 16 and a New Power Dynamic
The end of season 15 introduced a significant twist: Hank purchased 51 percent of Strickland Propane, utilizing his financial gains from his time at Aramco. This development, like many others, emerged organically during the writing process. "What we did have was the idea that Hank and Peggy had done pretty well financially at Aramco," Patterson noted. "Hank has this nest egg, what are some interesting things he could do with it? And what if he realized there was an opportunity to now be an owner at Strickland?'"
This new status quo sets the stage for season 16 and beyond, with the show renewed through season 17. The focus will shift to Hank navigating his role as the owner and boss of Strickland Propane, a stark contrast to his previous position under Buck. "Now we get to see Hank in the Strickland environment, but he's calling the shots now," Patterson said. "How is Hank different when he is the boss? How is he a different boss and owner than Buck was, considering Buck is still alive and in the picture?"
Buck Strickland will remain a part of the narrative, though the power dynamic has shifted. Hank, who previously deferred to Buck, now holds the majority ownership. However, Hank's inexperience as a boss will present new challenges, potentially requiring him to seek guidance from Buck, a character described by Root as unchanged and still primarily self-interested. "He's still kind of an asshole and thinking about himself all the time. I don't think he'll ever change," Root stated. The series aims to maintain its signature balance of familiar comfort and fresh narrative exploration, mirroring life's unpredictable pace.
King of the Hill is available for streaming on Hulu and Disney Plus.