Rent King of the Hill: Series 5 (2000)

King of the Hill: Series 5 review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

There’s a certain comfort reached by season five of King of the Hill where it felt as though the animated sitcom could tackle just about anything with knowing satire. It could pursue unorthodox stories and topical events that could fit both the absurdity of suburbia in exploring unorthodox areas. The fifth season continued to prove just how unique and original the show would be, unlike any sitcom on television, animated or otherwise.

Consider the first episode of the season, "The Perils of Polling", debuting just a month before the 2000 US Presidential election. The episode addresses the election and since the show takes place in Arlen, Texas, there’s no questioning about who Hank Hill is going to be casting his vote for President. But Hank’s hypocritical nature is called into question when he finds himself dissatisfied with George Bush or something as asinine as a handshake. This incredibly minor issue consumes his political perceptions to an absurd degree, yet entirely within his character of being overanalytical of everything in his life. I like the way this episode builds up from seeming to be about Luanne becoming an ignorant communist and Bobby becoming a local hero into placing Hank’s politics in the crosshairs.

The wilder episodes explore the darker depths of the characters. We’ve known for many seasons that Hank’s boss of Buck Strickland is a sleazy man of vice but that vice starts to infect Hank’s family when his boss takes an interest in Bobby. In "The Perils of Polling", Buck gets Bobby a job at a golf course and continues to take him under his wing for underhanded ethics and talk. Bobby soon learns the hard way that Buck’s many illegal obsessions are a dangerous path to pursue.

"Spin the Choice" digs into the more troubling aspect of John Redcorn still better about both his heritage and his estranged son. Realizing he can’t reach Joseph, Redcord uses his chance to educate Bobby on the matters of Native American history, hoping some of it will rub off on Joseph. However, Bobby’s constant observations threaten to ruin the Thanksgiving celebration as issues of colonialism uncomfortably bubble to the surface. They are not as widely explored and reduced to mere reconciliations but there’s far more addressed on this topic than one would see in any other American sitcom of the era.

I also dug how the show doesn’t shy away from the depressing nature of Bill’s loneliness present in "Twas the Nut Before Christmas". He once more finds himself alone on the holiday and seeks a means of embracing the pageantry of the holiday. It works for a while but then goes too far as Bill’s dependence can’t evolve if he doesn’t move on.

The series bread and butter of Hank overreacting to his conservative values being challenged are out in full force this season. I particularly dug the episode "Ho Yeah!" where Hank unwittingly houses a prostitute and once he finally learns the truth from her previous pimp spins out of control into a sputtering and uncomfortable rage. Also worth noting is a subtle in-joke about Peggy trying to teach the prostitute about the book Congo and serving up a lie that only those who have read the book will get.

"Luanne Virgin 2.0" finds Hank conflicted upon learning that Peggy had premarital sex while trying to be a good example to Luanne. "Hank and the Great Glass Elevator" draws attention to Hank’s insecurities that turn parties into duds, used as a great opener to a story about Bill forming a romance with a former governor. There’s also Hank coming to terms with his medical condition "Hank's Back Story" where he deals with a butt problem, a unique approach to how Hank views disabilities.

Season 5 takes King of the Hill in some interesting directions I didn’t expect. It explores different aspects of race, religion, politics, and depression to a much deeper extent you just don’t see in a lot of TV shows. It’s another fine example of just how strong such a series this is that can stand the test of time, even for featuring episodes on the 2000 election.