Rent King of the Hill: Series 3 (1998)

King of the Hill: Series 3 review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

Season 3 of King of the Hill picks up strong by concluding the two-parter of the explosion at the Mega-Lo Mart. For the few that somehow haven’t seen this show, I’ll spare the reveal of just who dies in the explosion but suffice to say it does leave an impact on the characters as they try to deal with grief. But, no, it’s not Hank Hill, if you’re wondering.

This season expands to have more episodes centered around the rest of the Hill family getting involved in their own mistakes. Bobby Hill finds himself struggling to deal with handling his first kiss and potential girlfriend in “And They Call It Bobby Love” and it doesn’t go well for the misunderstandings. “Peggy’s Headache” finds the overly confident Hill matriarch finally coming to the realization that Nancy Gribble has been cheating on Dale with the Native American John Redcorn, an unspoken secret among the community given the color of Dale’s son. Peggy also has her egotistical leanings placed on the chopping block in "Peggy's Pageant Fever". "To Spank, with Love" also has her question her physical appearance. "Revenge of the Lutefisk" is also a bit more of a simple tale of morality when Bobby finds himself accidentally burning down the church.

There are a lot more ensemble episodes as well that utilize more of the characters in wacky scenarios. "A Firefighting We Will Go" takes a Rashomon route in recounting how the foursome of Hank, Dale, Bill, and Boomhauer became firefighters and are accused of burning down the station after their constant displays of incompetence. "Hank's Cowboy Movie" finds Hank trying to make a video for how the Cowboys training camp to come to Arlen and get his whole neighborhood involved in a production that crumbles. The character of "De-Kahnstructing Henry" is given a little more depth when his ego gets him fired and questioning just how much his identity depends on his success.

There’s a more intriguing arc throughout the season where Hank and Peggy struggle to come to terms with their desires for having a baby that may not come to pass. This is made all the crueler when Cotton Hill, Hank’s father, is already having another child with his wife Didi. It’s a major blow to the couple who feel as though their time as parents may be limited to Bobby. This isn't just a story that takes one episode to tell. It’s a season-long arc that bubbles with both acceptance and bitterness, casting a shadow over the Hill family when trying to come to terms with the time for children in their lives is passing them by.

Once more, the season also ends on a cliffhanger and this one is a little more daring for the two stories at play. In “As Old As The Hills”, Peggy finds herself despising her marriage for not being able to conceive another child while Cotton is easily able to have another kid with a younger woman. Seeking more out of life, Hank and Peggy go skydiving to spice up their lives. At the same time, Cotton’s wife of Didi is having the baby and he’s nowhere to be found, leaving Bobby the won who must drive her to hospital. As the baby is born, Peggy’s parachute does not open and she plummets to the Earth. Life and death collide in the same episode, leaving lingering questions for the next season.

Season 3 does a whole lot more than season 2 in terms of expanding the characters and finding more unique scenarios, spanning everything from Peggy getting involved with pornography to Hank being raped by a dolphin (yes, really). The absurdity also goes much higher but takes care never to fly too far off the rails. It’s one of the most robust seasons by far.