"Dale you giblet head, we live in Texas. It's already 110° in the summer, and if it gets one degree hotter I'm gonna kick your ass." One of my favorite lines in the show
I grew up about an hour to four hours(depending on traffic) from where Arlen is supposedly and I very much feel the same. I remember countless summers laying on the tile floor in my underwear because that was the only way to stay moderately cool.
Hank is very much an old-school "character voter." He doesn't appear to have a fixed, rigid political ideology, but he DOES have an immovable moral philosophy (hence why he can acknowledge his moral role in things like climate change or the moral failures of his predecessors regarding the theft of native lands). His moral and aesthetic beliefs are evidently based on the evolution of Protestant values in the South. That is the lense through which the show can best be understood.
I was going to make a joke about how Hank's politics are propane and propane accessories. However, you highlight Hank's character pretty well, with the one exception that Hank believes in "traditional values" and a huge part of King of the Hill is Hank having to adjust with how those values conflict with a changing world. With that in mind, he would likely lean conservative/libertarian.
@@henrypeters5291 The thing is "traditional values" is essentially shorthand for don't fix what ain't broken. Hank has time and time again transcended the notion of tradition if the flaws were glaring enough (even admitting you can a pretty good burger with charcoal). It just takes time for the problems with tradition to manifest sometimes. He is pragmatism with a southern drawl.
@@quintessenceSL, it's so much more than pragmatism though. Hank, for instance is really obsessive about what he eats--the quality of meat being of paramount importance to him. He's willing to abandon his traditional habits and go to an organic co-op because the quality of meat is more important than his routine. The key to understanding Hank is finding the matters on which he will not compromise, and pragmatism will never allow you to do that.
@@quintessenceSL Let me replace the term traditional values with Hank's values. Hank's values hardly ever, if at all change, it is just that his perspective on the world changes. A good example is the sex-ed episode where Hank realizes that not teaching Bobby about sex is just as likely to screw him up as teaching him too much. Hank even reveals before he learns the lesson that he wants Bobby to have sex and would only be concerned if it were his daughter rather than his son. His values do not change, he just has a new perspective on the world. However there are times where Hank is to be honest wrong (at least by today's standards) and the writers give him the moral victory. For instance the time when Hank punishes Bobby for not acting like "the man" in a relationship with two older girls. Another instance was the Alamo episode where Hank has to agree that his version of history might be white-washed but he still holds that what really is important is that soldiers died so Texas could become a state, no matter the actual reason they fought for. And there are other instances where Hank is practically wrong but he never actually changes his values, like the time he got angry at Bobby for wanting to be a Buddhist.
@@flyingphoenix113 Disagree. Pragmatism isn't amoral. It simply seeks a resolution from available circumstances, and if need be, create new ones. It, by necessity, must have a moral center to guide its choices. Per your example, suppose there was no hippy co-op, would Hank forgo eating meat altogether, not compromising in any sense? Not bloody likely, and may even go so far as raising his own cattle as a pragmatic response.
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KotH is an exercise in empathy. That's the underlying theme in most episodes - trying to understand what made these characters who they are, and why they think the way they do. When Hank is met with changes, the episode will examine it, and he'll gain some insight into what this change means, why it's happening, and whether or not it's a good thing. On the surface, it's about one man handling the changes happening around him, but the core of the show is empathy.
Empathy something we need to teach kids in school more.
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@@antipsychotic451 I mean, Hank is a good example of what my step-mother used to call the "small-c conservatives." He's "traditional" in the sense that he prefers to see neighbours who have a strong sense of community and who can lean on each-other when things are going tough, he hates what the Big Box Chains have done to erase local culture, and while he may seem sceptical of "progress" it's cos he wants to see it truly happen for the greater good. I mean, the man stood up for the hippies at the food co-op, said most of the recommendations in one of Bobby's environmentalist pamphlets was "just common sense -like doing a car pool and using more efficient light bulbs," and called out "carbon offsets" as feel-good nonsense from Big Business LONG before John Oliver had an episode that went into the gory details of how offsets are just a corporate scam! He also told Bill and Boomhaur that they were acting foolish cos the gay rodeo was a "legitimate sporting event -the guys on ESPN, say so!" Is he a prude with a disdain for people even just recreationally smoking grass? Sure, but he's also the kind of guy who'd look at the legit research about the medical benefits and come around at least that much, before looking down his nose at someone who smokes grass; he might even eventually come around to regulated recreational use, if he looked at enough research about how it's no worse than alcohol, and with fewer long-term risks to the body. Doesn't mean he'd start smoking out, himself, but as long as his neighbours are doing it on their own time, and not, like, driving around or being a public nuisance, he'd be mostly-OK with recreational use. Politically, he's a Texan, first and foremost!
KOTH has a unique way of taping into the zeitgeist. It makes the idea of detached boomer reacting ‘modernity’ relatable because we can see why Hank would find comfort and appeal in tradition most of the time.
For me Hank is very traditional but his willingness to alter traditions if it met a better relationship family or community. That’s what made him such a great character his core value system never changed. Now how & when he applies those values are where things get interesting about Hank Hill.
I think what you said about KOTH capturing the "zeitgeist" is key in that this really captures the pre-social media way many people interacted with politics and changes occuring in society. Hank's attitude is kind of confounding because, 10 years removed, there are a vanishingly small number of people who act like this when it used to be much more common, before politics became wholly a part of identity. It's refreshing to see someone who would be willing to change their perceptions even if they still kept their core moral values, something nearly impossible to get away with today as society has become very tribalized. I think it's also a good example if why the "boomer" me became so large, since once upon a time many were flexible like Hank and taught their kids the value of being willing to accept societal change and their kids took this to heart, only to know have many boomers push so hard now against that social change. It's frankly kind of depressing seeing KOTH in 2022 because you get a sense of what we have lost.
It should be noted Hank is a Methodist, and they are usually among the most moderate and progressive of the protestants. If he was Southern Baptist the show would've been entirely different.
It's funny you mention that because within the show is is constantly clashing with the sometimes progressive nature of his church, like in the episode where Bobby joins the new youth group.
@@DSan-kl2yc hmm no i disagree. there’s an episode where hank’s trying to find a new church. he tries out a roman catholic church, where he can hardly understand the spanish language, over a new wave of protestantism that might not even be christianity. he’d rather try out a religion that at least takes god seriously (despite the differences between catholicism and protestantism) over one that doesn’t.
I've always thought of Hank as a true conservative, like from when my parents were young. He follows traditions which are wise and innovates on them when they no longer fit the world he lives in. He doesn't impose his ideas on others, he just lives them.
This. My parents are just like hank conservatives but pivot their beliefs and don't impose on others' decisions. I'm mostly Democratic\liberal in my ideas and my beliefs and my parents respect that which is why I love them.
There is no true conservative. Conservatism was invented with Ronald Reagan, and it's values are closer to Ayn Rand's objectivism than what Hank demonstrates. Rather Hank's ideology is closer to the liberal ideals espoused from Poor Richard's Almanac which themselves are a combination of Puritan and Enlightenment thought. But that's the problem with modern politics. They've distorted and co-opted traditional American values to such an extent that people don't recognize the snake oil being sold to them.
I'm a UK lefty and I quite look up to Hank in some ways. I love how down-to-earth and honest he is and he has a real streak of humility. He's also damned practical - I think he'd be proud that I've learned DIY and woodworking since I first watched the show. It's great to have characters like Hank who have depth and layers and who aren't black and white ciphers - just like real people.
@@decepticonxhunter4850 yer because good people never do bad things ever. And bad people never do anything good ever. People are black or white with nothing in between.
Hank: Are you Chinese or Japanese? Kahn: Laos. We’re Laotian Bill: The ocean. What ocean? Kahn: Laos. It’s between Vietnam and Thailand Hank: So, are you Chinese or Japanese?
to be fair you can forgiven him to think that, given they don't really teach things about the world in school. also like it that Laos get a little notice here and there.
@@zsewqthewolf1194 where did you grow up where they don’t teach anything about the world in school? Hank seems like the generation whose parents would have taught him about and supported the Vietnam war and he would have heard about Cambodia and Laos as part of that, right?
Weirdly enough I think Hank works as a character for the same reason Steve Rogers does, ultimately his integrity is more important to him than his ideology. You know that even when he disagrees with you, he's still speaking in good faith.
The thing I like about Hank is you can see where he's coming from. that in his own way he is trying to take in an ever changing world and apply his own moral compas to it, politics be damned. He isn't the perfect person, but he tries to be a good one. Most importantly though is we see the thought process. See why even if Hank is wrong, that it isn't from a place of malice or an egotistical 'i'm right and i want you to KNEEL while admitting it.' Also had the best ending of any show. Father and son. Grilling together. Whatever else between those two. Hank always made an effort to be understanding in that Bobby is his own person.
Yea in his own way, he's trying to have what he didn't with his dad. I saw the same thing with mine. I was probably his bobby. I have a nephew and I can relate to Hank.
King of the Hill is probably the most wholesome show ever while also challenging both sides of its viewers’ ideals. And it still manages to be funny. You forgot to mention a sequel series is coming out!
I cannot wait! I just hope that they don't act tepidly towards one side or the other. What made the show so great was that it challenged both sides and even to this day the episodes can still be found to be so relevant.
I would really like to see Hank deal with Trumpism, which is super popular in Texas. (If Dale doesn't fall down the QAnon hole, who will?) Hank would be just as exasperated by "woke" culture, threatening to kick their asses.
King of the Hill is so great because of its intense focus on normal life. While it was a cartoon, almost nothing cartoonish or unreal happened in the episodes. It also avoids the artificial feel of sitcoms, where an implausible situation was manufactured and each character says something that heightens the next planned joke. The characters felt like people first, not props used to mouth whatever the writers wanted a puppet to tell the audience that week.
The best moments in the series are when his neighbors speak well of him. Dale telling Peggy that Hank has a good head on his shoulders. Mr. Strickland telling Kahn you don't kill the golden goose when referring to Hank quitting their conjoined business. Hank might be a bit anal-retentive and insular, but he acts like the superego to a lot of people that lack common sense or are at their wit's end.
Apparently Mike Judge had everyone in production read a book titled "The death of common sense" before they started the show. I still wanna look into that book.
From what little I've read of the synopsis, I can see why. There's a common recurring structure in KotH episodes where the community is troubled by an arbitrary government initiative or a well meaning regulation that is suborned to provide legal backing for some grifter's grift. For instance, the episode with the mold eviction. The law is often meant for good, but applied without nuance or understanding. It's the difference between telling people 'hey, there's a drought, you're going to have to ration x-gallons of water a week, here's a chart to give you an idea of what that means and here's a list of things you can do to fit inside the ration limit.' And 'hey, there's a drought, so we're mandating low flow toilets, banning washing your car, and punishing you if your lawn is green.'
What I loved about King of the Hill was its relatability. My father was a workaholic and my mother was an egotist. I guess that makes me a Bobby then. This series is the best animation ever created and will always be something more than a show for me.
Ditto, though my dad was probably more liberal in more ways than Hank (and my did didn't care about anything as much as Hank cared about propane!). Meanwhile, here I was with autism and obsessed with games and (later) music, film, literature, etc.
First of all I really hope the shot of Peggy synched up with the phrase “vengeful ideological dicks” was intentional. Secondly I firmly believe that King of the Hill is a masterclass in tv comedy. Growing up, my relationship with my father had/has shades of Hank and Bobby’s relationship. As a kid I’d stay up late and watch it with him. We’ve grown into very different people but watching king of the hill as an adult has helped me better understand my own upbringing. Even now my dad and I can watch King of the Hill together and enjoy it. (Even if he doesn’t see it as a satire that often) It’s also worth noting Mike has said that Hank wouldn’t have voted in 2016
Yeah, but that Peggy clip used doesn’t really fit the whole “vengeful ideological dicks” comment. Instead of Peggy trying to tell Dale about Joseph’s parentage, the perfect clip for the dicks would be when Peggy kidnapped Lupe. Or pretty much any later season episode where Peggy is in way over her head.
@@innitbruv-lascocomics9910 I think it varies per person but generally it's her over confidence, lack of self awareness, and hostile dependence on being right. It's important to note that I (and others but not all Peggy haters) Think she's a great character who happens to be a dick. Kinda like how I hate Cersei Lannister but she's one of the best characters in Game of Thrones.
I know it's Mike saying it, but I find it insanely hard to believe that Hank wouldn't vote in any election. I don't think he'd like voting for Hillary or Biden, maybe he'd vote third party, but I know he wouldn't vote for Trump. I don't think Hank would vote for any modern Republicans just because their values have become "liberal tears." The Republican party has become the party of bullies, and that's something Hank would never support.
Hank Hill is a great character. He stood firm by his beliefs, yet was open to criticism. He would acknowledge his mistakes and allowed himself to grow as a person. Although he didn't agree with opposing ideologies, he never looked down on them.
Yes! He's actually a great role model for that sort of self reflection and compromise. A lot of people don't have real world models of such healthy behavior.
I agree. When you take a step back and look at Hank as a whole, he really is a complex character. Yes, he's set in his ways, but he never makes the case that everyone should live by those same ways. Nor does he build his identity around his politics. He understands there are things in this world he doesn't like. But his first instinct isn't to attack them or make it so they don't exist. He just tolerates them like any civilized person would, up until they directly affect him or his family. He encounters multiple people who are gay or diverse, but he never calls them flawed, immoral, or decadent. He deals with them as individuals. And if they act in a way that warrant him kicking their ass, he makes sure they deserve it. That's a perspective that anyone of any political affiliation can respect.
I saw this early on with the skinny guy conspiracy “guns don’t kill people, the government does”. He clearly has a drastic different political view than others, but they are all still friends
That's Dale. The show kinda of smoothed him out from being a right wing stereotypical conspiracy guy. He's not really taken seriously like conspiracy people are today. Hank grew up with Dale and the other guys (Boomhouer, Bill) plus they are all neighbors. I wouldn't say that they have different political views necessarily, more like Hank thinks Dale, is in his words, is a "giblet head" who he just ignores when Dale's spouting off. Btw, Dale turns into one of the funniest guys on the show and sometimes the most disruptive.
@@nomarsenrab I love that episode where he 180°'s into a overzealous patriot when he discovers he made an error in his own JFK Assassination Conspiracy, and that the recorded incidents of the event actually make sense.
@@nomarsenrab FWIW at the time, Dale's conspiracy nature wasn't specifically right wing. He was all over the map. It's just that life has...kinda gone that direction.
I think a super underrated aspect of koth is how strong the friendships between the Rainey Street guys are. They're built on forgiveness, understanding, and compassion, I wish it's something that got more credit
King of the Hill was such a good series especially with how realistic and relatable most of the problems the main cast faced. Also side note is there any Disney show based topics u plan to cover or anyalis.
This is one of the best animated comedies ever! I can't wait for it's return but I just hope that they continue with the formula that made the original series so successful.
Can you imagine how confused Hank would be by multiple gender names, social media, and Democrats' embrace of socialism? I want to see an episode where Bobby freaks out that his poor family is guilty of white privilege.
@badluck5647 That episode already happened, funny enough. The one where they were trying to do a school fair and it just turned into a blame fest. As for gender, Hank either doesn't notice, or didn't care that some of Peggy's friends are drag queens, and while that doesn't mean a full throated support of trans people, it also means he likely won't be asinine towards them
@@badluck5647 Well to be fair, that depends on which Democrats you're talking about. Cuz it's a party that contains both AOC and Joe Manchin (a literal coal baron) at the same time so . . . That said, I remember that Hayao Miyazaki was an avowed Marxist when he was younger. And still seems to hold a lot of Marxist ideals in his old age (he's a huge believer in the value of something coming from the work of the people who actually, y'know, create it, and values hard work in general.) That's the kind of Marxist that I think Hank could respect, if not agree with. Once he got over the shock, so long as we're talking about pro democracy, community oriented, grass roots ground up democratic socialism rather than soviet 'vanguard socialism/i.e. dictatorship of the party elite', Hank could probably be brought around to the idea that it's a system of belief that shares some of the same values he does, just arriving from a different direction. He might not agree with it, but he'd be able to respect the common ground.
I love how it started out as a satire of American culture but gradually morphed into a show about Hank grappling with the death of comon sense in a world saturated with legislation, red tape an loopholes
Isn't that life in a way as you get older you realize there's significant amounts of problems only exacerbated by the internet and that populist have destroyed any political conversation we can have
It's a yearning for a simpler, more visceral life. Most of us work in offices, staring at different sized screens all day. Arlen just seems nice and the crises are less... existential.
Well said. One thing that Hank values more than anything is integrity. He makes it clear throughout the show that if someone doesn't have integrity, he won't support them. These days, that's a radical concept for all the wrong reasons.
@@jakec9522 The fact that he deeply respect Jimmy Carter and has yearned to work on a habitat for humanity house. A relative of mine once criticized Obama (regardless of how you feel about the former President) with, what he thought, was a backhanded insult by saying something like 'of course he'd get a birthday from Jimmy Carter' and I shut him down with the reply that Carter, whether or not he was a good president, has genuinely tried to be a phenomenal human being, and it would be an honor to know the man.
Even the "Yup" scenes are basically performing a certain kind of "beer-n'-buds" masculinity. One where the men aren't really talkative, and there's some kind of comfort in not having to talk...
What I like about hank is he has true values and believes that he sticks to in a republican violated those values he would not vote for them. Modern conservatives seem to justify everything with the idea that liberals are evil or that it’s fun to trigger liberals. Hank would vote for someone who shared morals and values more than caring that they were on his “team”
@@joncook7510 unlike most of the country meaning the dramatic left laws and the dramatic removal of laws hank hill was always a reasonable person and would find the current state of the country asinine
@@brandonmaddox4862 we lived not too far away. The funny thing is, that whole area of Garland started going way downhill shortly after that store opened. It really did alter the business/commercial landscape of that area, and not for the better. I will forever love Mike Judge for that storyline.
@@MajorTomGroundControl I love him for it, because king of the hill is just a love letter to the idea of Texas That we all love, kind to our neighbors, hard working people working together to carve out a good life and at the end of the day, sit back and have a beer
Hey man...I knew that there was something kinda familiar the way that town's name sounded. So the shows town name was actually based off Garland? Man, that makes a lot of sense to me now. I'm a Plano resident
Hey man...I knew that there was something kinda familiar the way that town's name sounded. So the shows town name was actually based off Garland? Man, that makes a lot of sense to me now. I'm a Plano resident
The one point you missed I think was Hank’s Relationship with his father, Cotton Hill. So much conflict in the series arises from the dysfunction between Hank and his father. Otherwise an outstanding deep dive into a great character!
I'm so glad people are finally recognizing King of the Hill for the masterpiece it is. God I wish they would rebroadcast it. It's the kind of down to earth and sincere entertainment that I think would genuinely help a lot of people become more open minded
Do you have a VPN? Do you know how reliable they are? If the answers to these questions are "YES" and "VERY", then you can pretend to be in Switzerland and watch it on a streaming site. You could technically even download, but not in a way that makes the video available for download via your own download. Watching and downloading is legal in Switzerland, but the providing of a way to download something is not. Proceed at your own risk.
If anything this show is a great example of doing your best to live by your ideals, being ready to stick by them and being able to change when the time comes.
I've been watching a few King of the Hill analysis vids by Shady Doorags over the past 8 months. You guys gave me the push to finally sit down and watch the whole show.
I always thought Hank’s politics were grounded in common sense and sensibility. He always had a solution for any problem whether he agreed with the method or not.
A few years back there was a discourse on Twitter where people said that Hank Hill would have voted for Trump as President. And if you know Hank Hill, that's wrong for several reasons.
I'd say Hank was a Southern Democrat like LBJ up to the 1980s where he became a Reagan Republican but he still kept an open mind. I don't think he would've voted for Bill Clinton just because he was from Arkansas. He may have supported H. Ross Perot. The limp handshake about W. tells us he believes more in character than political stance. He would've voted for McCain because he was a POW and served in Vietnam. However, he wouldn't have voted for Mitt Romney. He would find Greg Abbott and Ted Cruz to be awful representatives of government. He wouldn't have been swayed by Trumpism.
Hank would have been disgusted by Trump. However, Bill would have fallen for that crap. "Damn it Bill, you're in the Army. They're not going to give your job to an *illegal immigrant*."
@@seanbrewer1232 with Dale I don't think he woulda trusted The Donald. Trump's one of those big business city types, and Dale may be tempted by some of his talk, but ole Dale's paranoid enough it wouldn't have grabbed him so much as it did other people, he'd probably see it as insincere pandering (which I feel like is probably accurate, at least originally, but who knows how much Trump's brain has melted after recent revelations). Any conspiracy theory Trump could accuse Clinton or Biden of being involved in, he very easily could have been involved with too given on the photos of him with the Clintons there are.
@@waynefrench1562 I don't think he would've chose either. He would've wrote in someone else in protest. Peggy would've chosen Clinton and so would Luann but Lucky would vote for Trump thinking he's going to get money from Trump for his vote. The pro-cannabis stance of Gary Johnson would've turned Hank off. He would've supported Ted Cruz just because he's from Texas in the primaries. But Hank would've never supported the border wall and found the "Grab them by the pussy" comment to be too vulgar for a President to act. Bobby would've been a Jill Stein supporter and the episode would revolve around Hank telling Bobby he's throwing away his vote. Then Hank realizing that Bobby is of voting age and his vote should be respected just as anyone else's. But he couldn't support Trump and he couldn't vote for Clinton. He would tell the poll workers there needs to be more choices in America and thus would write in a candidate. And Bobby would say something about throwing away a vote and Hank would tell him, "Bobby, it's people who don't vote at all that throw away their votes." And he and Bobby would smile and have a moment as they leave the polling place. End credits.
@@Burritomouth I disagree as long as Bob provides a quality classic burger Hank would be right with him. (remember that episode where Hank hated the family style seating but loved the food so much) also we know Bob uses quality ingredients he just shouldn’t serve Hank a burger of the day (at first atleast)
@@fakename2956 Hot diggity daffodil! A good take *and supporting evidence *from the series! Come for the wisecracks, stay for the Fox Adult Animation discourse!
Hank was raised to be a narrow minded reactionary conservative. But he's also empathetic, adaptable and generous. And these traits push him to make the decision to go against his upbringing very often but without ever speaking ill of what made him (except when it's painting his father as a deranged potentially abusive parent).
@@jeremygilbert7989 Lol, I had a hearty chuckle to that comrade. Perhaps Valorous Laborers of the Hill The other problem is that the Soviets intentionally tried to prevent suburbanization, so he will either have to live on a farm or in an apartment block in a city.
They really should make shows more like this. I sincerely believe it can bring us all together with laughter After all, it’s really hard to hate someone or take a swing at them once you’re laughing your ass off
Would definitely like to hear what Hank has to say about minimum wage not raising one cent since 2010 and corporations making record profits every time the economy crashes. All wars are class wars.
I think Hank would lean whatever seemed most reasonable and least asinine. He's the kind of person who has his political leanings, but won't be at the mercy of them whenever they conflict with common sense or common decency.
It might sound like a joke, but if you go to some of the small suburban towns in Texas people act a lot like Hank and his neighbors. There is a strong sense of community in those small towns, and while many might fall a bit too far to the right, most of those people live by a live and let live type of mentality. Furthermore, when it comes to it people are their neighbors before they are their political opponents. This finest happen Everywhere, but you would be surprised just how accepting suburban Texans can be.
Speaking in broad strokes, I'm legitimately excited to see what some overeducated "twig boys" think about the most hard working and practical salt of the earth character ever conceived. Said with the most love.
A sincere and well thought out take. Perhaps a little condescending, but maybe that's just me being overly protective of what I consider an excellent and even important piece of media. very well done.
@@dougtheheavy The comment you replied to didn't appear thanks to whatever the hell is wrong with TH-cam and its comment section. But it looks like you're just replying to yourself and calling your own comment a sincere and well thought out take. Just saying it looks funny, like you're complimenting yourself.
@@seventeenseventythirteen7465 Ha! That's pretty good. I bet it does read that way. In fact I made the initial comment before watching the video and the reply after watching the video. I haven't even considered how my phrasing wouldn't reflect that. I'm going to leave it as is but I appreciate you pointing it out for my future reference.
The message of KotH distilled in this video was refreshing, because it highlights the persuasive power of showing you are willing to be non-partisan, be civil, and act in good faith. However, if you truly hold an ideal or have a political goal with a strong philosophical grounding, at what point does it become immoral to engage in bipartisanship? I agree that the polarization of politics, magnified by the abstraction and alienation of online discourse and identity, is very toxic, but wouldn't this view lead to a radical centrism? I guess, if we're staying in the lens of KotH, the message is to always attempt to maintain the bridge, while being willing to fight over it when it becomes morally necessary. If nothing else, it is pragmatic and avoids putting an undue burden on the political agent to maintain complete political purity.
That said, Hank wouldn't have voted for Hillary either do to his fairly rigid beliefs on gender roles. He might have voted for Biden, but I tend to think that he would have voted 3rd party/independent in both elections.
Ya there’s a very distinct difference between Republicans of even as close back as 2010 that are completely different 10 years later. Hank is what a real conservative should look like and i doubt he’d just vote with his own party if he disagrees with them
@@flyingphoenix113 Throughout the show, when push came to shove, he's always erred on the side of compassion and open-mindedness though. I'm thinking of The Peggy Horror Picture Show in particular. He was very open-minded when he figured out Peggy's friend was a drag queen. I don't think any of the Trans Rights issues would have been a huge deal for him. I don't think a female president would have bothered him either. He really liked Anne Richards, and Peggy is a pretty strong, independent woman. I feel like his views would have progressed a far bit in the time that the show was off the air too. Since around 2012, the traditional "leave me alone, and I'll leave you alone" Republicans in my family all switched over to the Democratic Party. Democrats are the new Republicans, and Progressives are the new Democrats. I feel like Hank is very much a Biden voter. He would have gone all in for, "Let's mend fences and unite the country again" messaging.
Richard Petty voted for Trump, which seems like a case-study in 'regular old conservatives' not flinching over the reactionary nationalist wannabe dictator they chose to represent them. Unless Hank started watching Beau of the Fifth Column it seems reasonable to assume he'd vote for the same party he's always voted for.
It seems like one of the most key elements of Hank Hill's ideals and actions is that ideology and politics happens Over There, but people live Over Here. He is deeply unwilling to change his mind let alone his values no matter how well people argue their positions or what he sees happen in general, but if his decisions or ways of thinking are obviously hurting the people near him he is capable of change. It can be tiring to have these people as friends or family - and no doubt they find someone like me tiring too - but at least you can still find ways to bring them in. It's much preferable to people who will render even the actual, visible harms to people invisible to save themselves having to do a little thinking.
My husband and I have been obsessed with this show since like last November. I had never really watched it before that. I actually just watched the yoga/workers comp episode last night (lol!). Hank is great. I consider myself a "strong Democrat" per all those political surveys (lol again), and I feel Hank just represents someone who has strong beliefs and is steadfast. I think that is why we all love him and the show. Not to mention, like you said, he is there for his family, community and job (even though his boss is a troll). Verdict.. hella deep.
As a pretty steadfast Conservative I completely relate to Hank on many levels but watching the show when it came out to re-watching it again this year, the differences in our society are stark. I think the issue is the labeling of Democrat=Liberal and Republican=Conservative as the parties change over time but our definitions of Liberal/Conservative should not. I am a "reluctant Democrat", I roll my eyes at most Democrats but fear Republicans on many levels.
Hank has morally conservative values that are pertained throughout the show’s run. But he has also shown that he is willing to open up to changes and new ideas with the help of his son Bobby. If Hank wasn’t built as a hard core conservative, the concept of King of The Hill would not make sense.
I love the community building in King of the Hill and wish that was more the focus of modern American conservatives more than this idea of "every man an island unto himself" bootstraps ideology that ignores the concerns of the community outside their immediate circle in favor of actions, policies, and pursuit of success that represents their own comfort at the cost of others.
I'd absolutely say hank is a conservative. While I would agree Hank cares about character, hence the scene with Jimmy Carter. However in the modern day in which politics have become so starkly devided, I'd argue the democratic party has completely abandoned the traditional way of life, one that Hank absolutely lives.
I'm going to humbly disagree with that one. The Democratic party contains people as different as Joe Manchin and Acozio Cortez. And while that means it contains its share of judgmental jerks, it also contains people who are supportive of all sorts of ways of life. Accommodating diverse ways of living is not the same thing as being hostile to what was once, at least seemingly, a monolithic way of life. It's just that, when you are supportive of things that don't conform to tradition, it's like nails standing out, people notice those deviations more than the fact that they're sticking out of the same old plank of wood.
I would also put forth a slight problem in Hank’s thinking when it comes to Bobby. The idea of making everything a competition. Such as when he got an interest in growing roses and decides to enter him into a rose competition. The problem with this way of thinking is if you approach everything in life as a competition then the world can become your enemy if you let it.
I think that King Of The Hill subtley undermines conservatism by appealing to the average right winger's better nature and empathizing with their perspective. It showed how right wing positions were antithetical to their demographic's interests, while never appearing to look down upon them, or alienate them by being overtly political. People didn't notice the politics because everything was framed as something more personal. People with bad ideas rarely had bad intentions.
@@moonlily1 My point exactly. For too long, we've been putting flowers into the barrels of their rifles and then standing there as they shoot us (both figuratively and literally).
@@Kaylakaze I think conservatives are radicalized to the point of not recognizing their better nature and how their policies don't really align with what they THINK their values are. You know, you see someone post something hateful and stupid on facebook, you look at their page and there's always some link to donating to some children's cancer thing, but you can't just say, well what if that kid's cancer treatment didn't cost $100,000, what if he didn't have to rely on charity? That simple train of thought is just not going to arrive at the station.
Hank considers himself conservative because he feels like it is expected of him being a stereotype of a Texan, but he really is pretty centrist at the very least in how he approaches the world. He opposes bigotry and doesn't want to be thought of as on the same side as hateful people, he is very uncomfortable with people insinuating that he is racist, homophobic, xenophobic, etc. He represents a squeaky clean conservative who doesn't hate people for what they are, only dislikes things he disagrees with at some moral or cultural level. He is willing to not just tolerate but accept his friend's gay father, the Laotian family next door, black coworkers, and his son and niece who aren't very like him. Most episodes which include challenges to conservative beliefs and talking points usually end with him in a state of "It isn't for me, but it is for others and I'm not against that." He really just wants people to enjoy their lives in a way that doesn't hurt others, and to not have others' ways of life forced on him. He believes in a lot of very positive things like work ethic, loyalty, good health practices, cooperation and community, responsibility. In many ways he is like an ideal conservative, someone willing to call out when new policies have problems but not opposed to change if he can be convinced it will actually make life better for others or himself.
I forget the episode but at one point it’s suggested that Hank doesn’t believe in civil disobedience which I don’t quite get. It’s also contradicted many times in the show
I consider King of the Hill to be one of the more thoughtful/deep shows of its type, so the question 'Are we reading too deep' comes across as more tacked on than actually a real question. The depths are huge and evident.
There's a published paper on this exact topic in the sense of the show being all about Hank trying in good faith to square his values/world view with a shifting cultural landscape--often due to Bobby. It's a pretty old paper, if I recall.
i think its important to note that it’s not that we shouldn’t engage in political discourse all together, or say “both sides are bad” and then drop it. but rather that after careful consideration we should come together and try to understand one another or find common ground & a common enemy. we, especially as americans, have so much more in common with each other than the surface level political discourse might lead us to believe. yes, we do need to be able to distinguish between moral wrong and moral right and communicate the things we don’t understand about each other or that hurt us. but we should do so with the goal NOT to “other” one another but to come out the other side stronger and united together!
Hank is just a person who doesn’t let propaganda guide his life . He’s a man that lives and let’s live.a man with honor .a man that will kick your ass just for testing his beliefs
I realized while watching this that Hank Hill and I have similar character alignments (to put it in role-playing game terms). That is, the moral alignment of good and evil, and the ethical (rule following) alignment. We're both "good" and by and large mostly "lawful." I say "mostly" only because Hank will knowingly break a law when such a law goes against his goodness/conscience/morality (such as in the episode where they destroy the fake house during a strong windstorm). Yet, to make a point of his overarching lawfulness, when he was being chased by the pimp, Hank said something like "Don't worry, I have him right where I want him" as Hank slowed at a yellow light and then gunned it before it turned red, and when the pimp ran the red light Hank angrily yelled "He ran a red light! You can't do that!"
Wow, I don't know if it's the show or your interpretation I'm vibing with but I love it. Gov & big-biz are too far removed to give a meaningful life that a devoted family/community can. Absolute poetry.
When King of the Hill first aired Hank and his friends were mainstream conservatives. Maybe not relatable to every conservative and certainly tongue-in-cheek but they were meant to appeal to Texans. It must be awkward for conservatives to go back and watch this show again now that their worldview has shifted so far from that desire to be left alone and make their own way in life.
Hank is a conservative with dignity. He wouldn’t be a Trump guy and was barely a Bush guy back in the days of the tea party, etc. He’s a conservative in the literal sense. He’s old school, he manages money well and he’s not particularly hip to any given party line. That’s one of the things that makes his character so awesome
6:01 couple things 1. I’m amazed Peggy didn’t flip over what hank just said knowing how strong willed and independent she sees herself as, 2. If a man can’t prepare food and clean 🧼 up after himself is he a grown man?
The weak hamdshake E.P is something I took to heart. When Detroit Kwame Kill Patrick was sent to jail and Interim mayor Ken Cockrell was placed in Charged. I was 17 and I got to shake Ken Cockrell's hand it was the worst handshake of life. I knew Cockrell was a loser.
8:37 I still 'member what Hank said to the co-op butcher: "I'd shake your hand right now if it wasn't covered in blood." 10:48 "Oh, boy! I always wanted to get arrested for my beliefs!" OK, now that you've explored Hank's politics, I DARE you to make any sense out of Dale's!
Hank is conservative no doubt about it. That being said he’s not a stupid nor irrational person. If a new idea or something unusual to him is shown and he comes to understand the merits behind said idea. He could empathize with it or even support it.
I heard "A family who isn't afraid to throw some meat on the grill," and was like "Oh wow a Bob's Burgers episode. Didn't expect that with a King of the Hill thumbnail and title and everything else leading up to this point." Like the idiot I am.
The thing about Hank is, There are episodes where he gets excited about civil duty and even bureaucracy. He's closer to Leslie Knope than Ron Swanson And it's funny that Mike Judge doesn't think his work is political, when he made Idiocracy, the eugenics anthem
I think that many connect to this show due to the fact it likes to show at least a few times in every episode something that directly reflects reality. It could be as small as using WD-40 on another can of WD-40 to fix "everything" to bigger things such as looking past differences to live and respect life. With politics specifically, I don't think that Hank's willingness to "compromise" makes him a standout among conservatives, or even a standout among Americans. Most Americans make both big and small "compromises" everyday. Despite how played up the situations might be, everyone can look and FEEL what the Hill family goes through (without a cutscene to spell it out). I truly believe that this show is for everyone...unless you like well-done steaks of course.
Hank, if you can't cook a tender well-done steak, just say that. My mom used to love this show. I love it even though I don't remember much of anything outside of Hank's love for propane and Dale's tomfoolery.
"Dale you giblet head, we live in Texas. It's already 110° in the summer, and if it gets one degree hotter I'm gonna kick your ass."
One of my favorite lines in the show
That was the line that made Hank one of my favorite characters. 😊
My favorite link of hank is "I'm gonna kick your ass!" when he says it in general, peroid.
I grew up about an hour to four hours(depending on traffic) from where Arlen is supposedly and I very much feel the same. I remember countless summers laying on the tile floor in my underwear because that was the only way to stay moderately cool.
and thus Dale got his ass kicked.
Every year
Like Clockwork
On the Dot
His politics: Propane and propane accessories.
I tell ya hwhat
.....yyyyyyup
Oh so true
And Alamo beer
Well said, said well...
Hank is very much an old-school "character voter." He doesn't appear to have a fixed, rigid political ideology, but he DOES have an immovable moral philosophy (hence why he can acknowledge his moral role in things like climate change or the moral failures of his predecessors regarding the theft of native lands). His moral and aesthetic beliefs are evidently based on the evolution of Protestant values in the South. That is the lense through which the show can best be understood.
I was going to make a joke about how Hank's politics are propane and propane accessories. However, you highlight Hank's character pretty well, with the one exception that Hank believes in "traditional values" and a huge part of King of the Hill is Hank having to adjust with how those values conflict with a changing world. With that in mind, he would likely lean conservative/libertarian.
@@henrypeters5291 The thing is "traditional values" is essentially shorthand for don't fix what ain't broken.
Hank has time and time again transcended the notion of tradition if the flaws were glaring enough (even admitting you can a pretty good burger with charcoal). It just takes time for the problems with tradition to manifest sometimes.
He is pragmatism with a southern drawl.
@@quintessenceSL, it's so much more than pragmatism though. Hank, for instance is really obsessive about what he eats--the quality of meat being of paramount importance to him. He's willing to abandon his traditional habits and go to an organic co-op because the quality of meat is more important than his routine. The key to understanding Hank is finding the matters on which he will not compromise, and pragmatism will never allow you to do that.
@@quintessenceSL Let me replace the term traditional values with Hank's values. Hank's values hardly ever, if at all change, it is just that his perspective on the world changes. A good example is the sex-ed episode where Hank realizes that not teaching Bobby about sex is just as likely to screw him up as teaching him too much. Hank even reveals before he learns the lesson that he wants Bobby to have sex and would only be concerned if it were his daughter rather than his son. His values do not change, he just has a new perspective on the world.
However there are times where Hank is to be honest wrong (at least by today's standards) and the writers give him the moral victory. For instance the time when Hank punishes Bobby for not acting like "the man" in a relationship with two older girls. Another instance was the Alamo episode where Hank has to agree that his version of history might be white-washed but he still holds that what really is important is that soldiers died so Texas could become a state, no matter the actual reason they fought for. And there are other instances where Hank is practically wrong but he never actually changes his values, like the time he got angry at Bobby for wanting to be a Buddhist.
@@flyingphoenix113 Disagree. Pragmatism isn't amoral. It simply seeks a resolution from available circumstances, and if need be, create new ones. It, by necessity, must have a moral center to guide its choices.
Per your example, suppose there was no hippy co-op, would Hank forgo eating meat altogether, not compromising in any sense? Not bloody likely, and may even go so far as raising his own cattle as a pragmatic response.
KotH is an exercise in empathy. That's the underlying theme in most episodes - trying to understand what made these characters who they are, and why they think the way they do. When Hank is met with changes, the episode will examine it, and he'll gain some insight into what this change means, why it's happening, and whether or not it's a good thing.
On the surface, it's about one man handling the changes happening around him, but the core of the show is empathy.
brilliantly said. it reminds me of my boomer dad quite a bit.
This is considerably more thoughtful and concise than the 99% of commenters who shit out "da show is conservative and thats good"
brilliant response. this show is all about understanding/accepting.
Empathy something we need to teach kids in school more.
@@antipsychotic451 I mean, Hank is a good example of what my step-mother used to call the "small-c conservatives."
He's "traditional" in the sense that he prefers to see neighbours who have a strong sense of community and who can lean on each-other when things are going tough, he hates what the Big Box Chains have done to erase local culture, and while he may seem sceptical of "progress" it's cos he wants to see it truly happen for the greater good.
I mean, the man stood up for the hippies at the food co-op, said most of the recommendations in one of Bobby's environmentalist pamphlets was "just common sense -like doing a car pool and using more efficient light bulbs," and called out "carbon offsets" as feel-good nonsense from Big Business LONG before John Oliver had an episode that went into the gory details of how offsets are just a corporate scam! He also told Bill and Boomhaur that they were acting foolish cos the gay rodeo was a "legitimate sporting event -the guys on ESPN, say so!"
Is he a prude with a disdain for people even just recreationally smoking grass? Sure, but he's also the kind of guy who'd look at the legit research about the medical benefits and come around at least that much, before looking down his nose at someone who smokes grass; he might even eventually come around to regulated recreational use, if he looked at enough research about how it's no worse than alcohol, and with fewer long-term risks to the body. Doesn't mean he'd start smoking out, himself, but as long as his neighbours are doing it on their own time, and not, like, driving around or being a public nuisance, he'd be mostly-OK with recreational use.
Politically, he's a Texan, first and foremost!
KOTH has a unique way of taping into the zeitgeist. It makes the idea of detached boomer reacting ‘modernity’ relatable because we can see why Hank would find comfort and appeal in tradition most of the time.
Also, he grows as a person and loosens up some as the show goes on
For me Hank is very traditional but his willingness to alter traditions if it met a better relationship family or community.
That’s what made him such a great character his core value system never changed.
Now how & when he applies those values are where things get interesting about Hank Hill.
Because... Cotton hasn't left him anything else?
I think what you said about KOTH capturing the "zeitgeist" is key in that this really captures the pre-social media way many people interacted with politics and changes occuring in society. Hank's attitude is kind of confounding because, 10 years removed, there are a vanishingly small number of people who act like this when it used to be much more common, before politics became wholly a part of identity. It's refreshing to see someone who would be willing to change their perceptions even if they still kept their core moral values, something nearly impossible to get away with today as society has become very tribalized. I think it's also a good example if why the "boomer" me became so large, since once upon a time many were flexible like Hank and taught their kids the value of being willing to accept societal change and their kids took this to heart, only to know have many boomers push so hard now against that social change. It's frankly kind of depressing seeing KOTH in 2022 because you get a sense of what we have lost.
Tradition is just solutions to problems that we've forgotten.
It should be noted Hank is a Methodist, and they are usually among the most moderate and progressive of the protestants. If he was Southern Baptist the show would've been entirely different.
It's funny you mention that because within the show is is constantly clashing with the sometimes progressive nature of his church, like in the episode where Bobby joins the new youth group.
@Squire He's not wrong on that second one.
@@Loganthetexan Or the time where Stroup and Bill were openly dating and displaying PDAs.
@@Loganthetexan in that sense it helps introduce him to stuff and moderate him compared to one of the ones that would push him to be more anti things.
@@DSan-kl2yc hmm no i disagree. there’s an episode where hank’s trying to find a new church. he tries out a roman catholic church, where he can hardly understand the spanish language, over a new wave of protestantism that might not even be christianity. he’d rather try out a religion that at least takes god seriously (despite the differences between catholicism and protestantism) over one that doesn’t.
I've always thought of Hank as a true conservative, like from when my parents were young. He follows traditions which are wise and innovates on them when they no longer fit the world he lives in. He doesn't impose his ideas on others, he just lives them.
100%
This. My parents are just like hank conservatives but pivot their beliefs and don't impose on others' decisions. I'm mostly Democratic\liberal in my ideas and my beliefs and my parents respect that which is why I love them.
There is no true conservative. Conservatism was invented with Ronald Reagan, and it's values are closer to Ayn Rand's objectivism than what Hank demonstrates. Rather Hank's ideology is closer to the liberal ideals espoused from Poor Richard's Almanac which themselves are a combination of Puritan and Enlightenment thought. But that's the problem with modern politics. They've distorted and co-opted traditional American values to such an extent that people don't recognize the snake oil being sold to them.
Retro conservatives. I feel like the definition has changed a lot over the last 20 years.
I feel like they never really were this way and Hank is more just how they wanted to be seen
I'm a UK lefty and I quite look up to Hank in some ways. I love how down-to-earth and honest he is and he has a real streak of humility. He's also damned practical - I think he'd be proud that I've learned DIY and woodworking since I first watched the show. It's great to have characters like Hank who have depth and layers and who aren't black and white ciphers - just like real people.
Woodworking sounds epic. Good job, dude
Hm.
"Honest" is a stretch, because Hank has been shown lying about a bunch of things over the years, both to his friends and his own wife.
@@decepticonxhunter4850 yer because good people never do bad things ever. And bad people never do anything good ever. People are black or white with nothing in between.
Hank is not real.
Hank: Are you Chinese or Japanese?
Kahn: Laos. We’re Laotian
Bill: The ocean. What ocean?
Kahn: Laos. It’s between Vietnam and Thailand
Hank: So, are you Chinese or Japanese?
to be fair you can forgiven him to think that, given they don't really teach things about the world in school. also like it that Laos get a little notice here and there.
I love that out of all of them, it's Cotton that knows Kahn is Laotian just by looking at him.
@@BlueAzul831 Despite his mannerisms, Cotton was not racist. He just really didn't like the Japanese.
Dale:Kahn is Japanese
Cotton: *squints looking at kahn* he ain't no damn Japanese he's Laotian... ain't ya Mr Kahn?
Kahn: 😶
@@zsewqthewolf1194 where did you grow up where they don’t teach anything about the world in school?
Hank seems like the generation whose parents would have taught him about and supported the Vietnam war and he would have heard about Cambodia and Laos as part of that, right?
Weirdly enough I think Hank works as a character for the same reason Steve Rogers does, ultimately his integrity is more important to him than his ideology. You know that even when he disagrees with you, he's still speaking in good faith.
Perfectly said.
The thing I like about Hank is you can see where he's coming from. that in his own way he is trying to take in an ever changing world and apply his own moral compas to it, politics be damned. He isn't the perfect person, but he tries to be a good one.
Most importantly though is we see the thought process. See why even if Hank is wrong, that it isn't from a place of malice or an egotistical 'i'm right and i want you to KNEEL while admitting it.'
Also had the best ending of any show.
Father and son. Grilling together. Whatever else between those two. Hank always made an effort to be understanding in that Bobby is his own person.
Yea in his own way, he's trying to have what he didn't with his dad.
I saw the same thing with mine. I was probably his bobby.
I have a nephew and I can relate to Hank.
King of the Hill is probably the most wholesome show ever while also challenging both sides of its viewers’ ideals. And it still manages to be funny.
You forgot to mention a sequel series is coming out!
I cannot wait! I just hope that they don't act tepidly towards one side or the other. What made the show so great was that it challenged both sides and even to this day the episodes can still be found to be so relevant.
A sequel?!? Really?!?!
I am equal parts excited and terrified.
I would really like to see Hank deal with Trumpism, which is super popular in Texas. (If Dale doesn't fall down the QAnon hole, who will?) Hank would be just as exasperated by "woke" culture, threatening to kick their asses.
name??????
The last thing we need is a modern koth sequel series. Itll be heavily biased and godawful to the nth degree.
King of the Hill is so great because of its intense focus on normal life. While it was a cartoon, almost nothing cartoonish or unreal happened in the episodes. It also avoids the artificial feel of sitcoms, where an implausible situation was manufactured and each character says something that heightens the next planned joke.
The characters felt like people first, not props used to mouth whatever the writers wanted a puppet to tell the audience that week.
The best moments in the series are when his neighbors speak well of him.
Dale telling Peggy that Hank has a good head on his shoulders.
Mr. Strickland telling Kahn you don't kill the golden goose when referring to Hank quitting their conjoined business.
Hank might be a bit anal-retentive and insular, but he acts like the superego to a lot of people that lack common sense or are at their wit's end.
Apparently Mike Judge had everyone in production read a book titled "The death of common sense" before they started the show.
I still wanna look into that book.
From what little I've read of the synopsis, I can see why.
There's a common recurring structure in KotH episodes where the community is troubled by an arbitrary government initiative or a well meaning regulation that is suborned to provide legal backing for some grifter's grift. For instance, the episode with the mold eviction. The law is often meant for good, but applied without nuance or understanding.
It's the difference between telling people 'hey, there's a drought, you're going to have to ration x-gallons of water a week, here's a chart to give you an idea of what that means and here's a list of things you can do to fit inside the ration limit.'
And 'hey, there's a drought, so we're mandating low flow toilets, banning washing your car, and punishing you if your lawn is green.'
I was stationed down in Texas for 2 years at Fort Hood and yes there's Texans that have the mentality of Hank Hill.
I have family in texas and most texans outside the big cities have a mentality like hank😂 obviously exaggerated but similar nonetheless
KotH is the most accurate media portrayal of suburban Texas. I say that because I live here.
What I loved about King of the Hill was its relatability. My father was a workaholic and my mother was an egotist. I guess that makes me a Bobby then. This series is the best animation ever created and will always be something more than a show for me.
So, how many times was it observed that you "ain't right" growing up?
Ditto, though my dad was probably more liberal in more ways than Hank (and my did didn't care about anything as much as Hank cared about propane!). Meanwhile, here I was with autism and obsessed with games and (later) music, film, literature, etc.
First of all I really hope the shot of Peggy synched up with the phrase “vengeful ideological dicks” was intentional.
Secondly I firmly believe that King of the Hill is a masterclass in tv comedy. Growing up, my relationship with my father had/has shades of Hank and Bobby’s relationship. As a kid I’d stay up late and watch it with him. We’ve grown into very different people but watching king of the hill as an adult has helped me better understand my own upbringing. Even now my dad and I can watch King of the Hill together and enjoy it. (Even if he doesn’t see it as a satire that often)
It’s also worth noting Mike has said that Hank wouldn’t have voted in 2016
Yeah, but that Peggy clip used doesn’t really fit the whole “vengeful ideological dicks” comment.
Instead of Peggy trying to tell Dale about Joseph’s parentage, the perfect clip for the dicks would be when Peggy kidnapped Lupe.
Or pretty much any later season episode where Peggy is in way over her head.
Why does everyone hate Peggy all of a sudden?
@@innitbruv-lascocomics9910 I think it varies per person but generally it's her over confidence, lack of self awareness, and hostile dependence on being right. It's important to note that I (and others but not all Peggy haters) Think she's a great character who happens to be a dick. Kinda like how I hate Cersei Lannister but she's one of the best characters in Game of Thrones.
@@hellofrominside8524 I subscribe to the idea that Peggy got worse after the sky diving accident.
I know it's Mike saying it, but I find it insanely hard to believe that Hank wouldn't vote in any election.
I don't think he'd like voting for Hillary or Biden, maybe he'd vote third party, but I know he wouldn't vote for Trump. I don't think Hank would vote for any modern Republicans just because their values have become "liberal tears."
The Republican party has become the party of bullies, and that's something Hank would never support.
I feel like if you asked hank how he voted he'd respond " what, how dare you ? " or
" that's personal! "
Hank Hill is a great character. He stood firm by his beliefs, yet was open to criticism. He would acknowledge his mistakes and allowed himself to grow as a person. Although he didn't agree with opposing ideologies, he never looked down on them.
Yes! He's actually a great role model for that sort of self reflection and compromise. A lot of people don't have real world models of such healthy behavior.
I agree. When you take a step back and look at Hank as a whole, he really is a complex character. Yes, he's set in his ways, but he never makes the case that everyone should live by those same ways. Nor does he build his identity around his politics. He understands there are things in this world he doesn't like. But his first instinct isn't to attack them or make it so they don't exist. He just tolerates them like any civilized person would, up until they directly affect him or his family. He encounters multiple people who are gay or diverse, but he never calls them flawed, immoral, or decadent. He deals with them as individuals. And if they act in a way that warrant him kicking their ass, he makes sure they deserve it.
That's a perspective that anyone of any political affiliation can respect.
@@katattack907 tell me the last time liberals compormised
@@bryanice3313 ??? Sweetie. You drunk?
@@bryanice3313tell me the last time the elephants and asses ever compromised? I'll wait.
I saw this early on with the skinny guy conspiracy “guns don’t kill people, the government does”. He clearly has a drastic different political view than others, but they are all still friends
That's Dale. The show kinda of smoothed him out from being a right wing stereotypical conspiracy guy. He's not really taken seriously like conspiracy people are today. Hank grew up with Dale and the other guys (Boomhouer, Bill) plus they are all neighbors. I wouldn't say that they have different political views necessarily, more like Hank thinks Dale, is in his words, is a "giblet head" who he just ignores when Dale's spouting off. Btw, Dale turns into one of the funniest guys on the show and sometimes the most disruptive.
@@nomarsenrab I love that episode where he 180°'s into a overzealous patriot when he discovers he made an error in his own JFK Assassination Conspiracy, and that the recorded incidents of the event actually make sense.
@@nomarsenrab FWIW at the time, Dale's conspiracy nature wasn't specifically right wing. He was all over the map. It's just that life has...kinda gone that direction.
I think a super underrated aspect of koth is how strong the friendships between the Rainey Street guys are. They're built on forgiveness, understanding, and compassion, I wish it's something that got more credit
I've started to pay attention to people's handshakes ever since watching that handshake episode.
King of the Hill was such a good series especially with how realistic and relatable most of the problems the main cast faced. Also side note is there any Disney show based topics u plan to cover or anyalis.
This is one of those Disney shows.
The best animated series yet. The creators didn’t pimp it out for profit.
This is one of the best animated comedies ever! I can't wait for it's return but I just hope that they continue with the formula that made the original series so successful.
Can you imagine how confused Hank would be by multiple gender names, social media, and Democrats' embrace of socialism? I want to see an episode where Bobby freaks out that his poor family is guilty of white privilege.
@badluck5647 That episode already happened, funny enough. The one where they were trying to do a school fair and it just turned into a blame fest. As for gender, Hank either doesn't notice, or didn't care that some of Peggy's friends are drag queens, and while that doesn't mean a full throated support of trans people, it also means he likely won't be asinine towards them
@@badluck5647 Well to be fair, that depends on which Democrats you're talking about. Cuz it's a party that contains both AOC and Joe Manchin (a literal coal baron) at the same time so . . .
That said, I remember that Hayao Miyazaki was an avowed Marxist when he was younger. And still seems to hold a lot of Marxist ideals in his old age (he's a huge believer in the value of something coming from the work of the people who actually, y'know, create it, and values hard work in general.) That's the kind of Marxist that I think Hank could respect, if not agree with.
Once he got over the shock, so long as we're talking about pro democracy, community oriented, grass roots ground up democratic socialism rather than soviet 'vanguard socialism/i.e. dictatorship of the party elite', Hank could probably be brought around to the idea that it's a system of belief that shares some of the same values he does, just arriving from a different direction.
He might not agree with it, but he'd be able to respect the common ground.
I love how it started out as a satire of American culture but gradually morphed into a show about Hank grappling with the death of comon sense in a world saturated with legislation, red tape an loopholes
Much like my life.
Isn't that life in a way as you get older you realize there's significant amounts of problems only exacerbated by the internet and that populist have destroyed any political conversation we can have
It's a yearning for a simpler, more visceral life. Most of us work in offices, staring at different sized screens all day. Arlen just seems nice and the crises are less... existential.
My current understanding: traditional right wing but not hard right and very easily swayed by the candidate's character.
Pretty much my parents.
Well said. One thing that Hank values more than anything is integrity. He makes it clear throughout the show that if someone doesn't have integrity, he won't support them. These days, that's a radical concept for all the wrong reasons.
@@jakec9522 The fact that he deeply respect Jimmy Carter and has yearned to work on a habitat for humanity house.
A relative of mine once criticized Obama (regardless of how you feel about the former President) with, what he thought, was a backhanded insult by saying something like 'of course he'd get a birthday from Jimmy Carter' and I shut him down with the reply that Carter, whether or not he was a good president, has genuinely tried to be a phenomenal human being, and it would be an honor to know the man.
Even the "Yup" scenes are basically performing a certain kind of "beer-n'-buds" masculinity. One where the men aren't really talkative, and there's some kind of comfort in not having to talk...
What I like about hank is he has true values and believes that he sticks to in a republican violated those values he would not vote for them. Modern conservatives seem to justify everything with the idea that liberals are evil or that it’s fun to trigger liberals. Hank would vote for someone who shared morals and values more than caring that they were on his “team”
he would also probably agree on gun laws that just update the current ones to avoid discrepancies that they create currently
@@noobnexttome no he wouldn't
@@joncook7510 unlike most of the country meaning the dramatic left laws and the dramatic removal of laws hank hill was always a reasonable person and would find the current state of the country asinine
Fun Fact: Megalo Mart was based on the very first Super Walmart in G(arlan)d Texas. And Chuck Mangione really did play at the grand opening.
I remember that, I lived in farmers branch at the time, it was all the news like it was a huge event
@@brandonmaddox4862 we lived not too far away. The funny thing is, that whole area of Garland started going way downhill shortly after that store opened. It really did alter the business/commercial landscape of that area, and not for the better. I will forever love Mike Judge for that storyline.
@@MajorTomGroundControl I love him for it, because king of the hill is just a love letter to the idea of Texas That we all love, kind to our neighbors, hard working people working together to carve out a good life and at the end of the day, sit back and have a beer
Hey man...I knew that there was something kinda familiar the way that town's name sounded. So the shows town name was actually based off Garland? Man, that makes a lot of sense to me now. I'm a Plano resident
Hey man...I knew that there was something kinda familiar the way that town's name sounded. So the shows town name was actually based off Garland? Man, that makes a lot of sense to me now. I'm a Plano resident
Those Yep moments are the deepest ones.
Moments of pure understanding
Hank is apolitical. He is literally the grill dad meme personified.
Dont you love when us grown folks gather up online to discuss hank hill.
The legend.
The one point you missed I think was Hank’s Relationship with his father, Cotton Hill. So much conflict in the series arises from the dysfunction between Hank and his father. Otherwise an outstanding deep dive into a great character!
I'm so glad people are finally recognizing King of the Hill for the masterpiece it is. God I wish they would rebroadcast it. It's the kind of down to earth and sincere entertainment that I think would genuinely help a lot of people become more open minded
Do you have a VPN? Do you know how reliable they are? If the answers to these questions are "YES" and "VERY", then you can pretend to be in Switzerland and watch it on a streaming site. You could technically even download, but not in a way that makes the video available for download via your own download. Watching and downloading is legal in Switzerland, but the providing of a way to download something is not.
Proceed at your own risk.
If anything this show is a great example of doing your best to live by your ideals, being ready to stick by them and being able to change when the time comes.
I've been watching a few King of the Hill analysis vids by Shady Doorags over the past 8 months. You guys gave me the push to finally sit down and watch the whole show.
yess I love Shadydoorags!
5:59 Oh Hank, I learned how to cook & clean for myself, the motivation was still there 😜
I always thought Hank’s politics were grounded in common sense and sensibility. He always had a solution for any problem whether he agreed with the method or not.
So more like a Moderate Independent? If that's the case, Hank and my father may have met.
A few years back there was a discourse on Twitter where people said that Hank Hill would have voted for Trump as President. And if you know Hank Hill, that's wrong for several reasons.
I'd say Hank was a Southern Democrat like LBJ up to the 1980s where he became a Reagan Republican but he still kept an open mind. I don't think he would've voted for Bill Clinton just because he was from Arkansas. He may have supported H. Ross Perot. The limp handshake about W. tells us he believes more in character than political stance. He would've voted for McCain because he was a POW and served in Vietnam. However, he wouldn't have voted for Mitt Romney. He would find Greg Abbott and Ted Cruz to be awful representatives of government. He wouldn't have been swayed by Trumpism.
Hank would have been disgusted by Trump. However, Bill would have fallen for that crap.
"Damn it Bill, you're in the Army. They're not going to give your job to an *illegal immigrant*."
@@seanbrewer1232 with Dale I don't think he woulda trusted The Donald. Trump's one of those big business city types, and Dale may be tempted by some of his talk, but ole Dale's paranoid enough it wouldn't have grabbed him so much as it did other people, he'd probably see it as insincere pandering (which I feel like is probably accurate, at least originally, but who knows how much Trump's brain has melted after recent revelations). Any conspiracy theory Trump could accuse Clinton or Biden of being involved in, he very easily could have been involved with too given on the photos of him with the Clintons there are.
@@seanbrewer1232 then Dale would have fallen for Qanon.
Buck Strickland certainly would have gone MAGA
Hank would have pick Trump over Hillary Clinton
@@waynefrench1562 I don't think he would've chose either. He would've wrote in someone else in protest. Peggy would've chosen Clinton and so would Luann but Lucky would vote for Trump thinking he's going to get money from Trump for his vote. The pro-cannabis stance of Gary Johnson would've turned Hank off. He would've supported Ted Cruz just because he's from Texas in the primaries. But Hank would've never supported the border wall and found the "Grab them by the pussy" comment to be too vulgar for a President to act. Bobby would've been a Jill Stein supporter and the episode would revolve around Hank telling Bobby he's throwing away his vote. Then Hank realizing that Bobby is of voting age and his vote should be respected just as anyone else's.
But he couldn't support Trump and he couldn't vote for Clinton. He would tell the poll workers there needs to be more choices in America and thus would write in a candidate. And Bobby would say something about throwing away a vote and Hank would tell him, "Bobby, it's people who don't vote at all that throw away their votes."
And he and Bobby would smile and have a moment as they leave the polling place. End credits.
I'd kill to watch a scene of Bob Belcher serving Hank a burger.
It would go poorly. Bob likes to experiment with burgers, Hank likes tradition.
I’d like to see Bobby and Gene share a scene.
@@Burritomouth It'd make Hank appreciate Bobby a whole lot more. I love Gene, but if Hank thinks Bobby ain't right...
Gene and Bobby would be tight
@@Burritomouth I disagree as long as Bob provides a quality classic burger Hank would be right with him.
(remember that episode where Hank hated the family style seating but loved the food so much) also we know Bob uses quality ingredients he just shouldn’t serve Hank a burger of the day (at first atleast)
@@fakename2956
Hot diggity daffodil! A good take *and supporting evidence *from the series!
Come for the wisecracks, stay for the Fox Adult Animation discourse!
Finally a King of the Hill episode
Forgot why i loved this show so much as a kid until Hank asked why the kids couldn't agree on the fact that eating people is wrong
Hank was raised to be a narrow minded reactionary conservative. But he's also empathetic, adaptable and generous. And these traits push him to make the decision to go against his upbringing very often but without ever speaking ill of what made him (except when it's painting his father as a deranged potentially abusive parent).
From narrow mind to narrow urethra
Hanks morals in the show were proven to be right more often than wrong.
"Narrow minded reactionary conservative"
What are you talking about, Hank is literally just a normal person. To "progressives" this seems reactionary.
I would love to see a Soviet King of the Hill set in the 80s.
Zere are no Kings in Soviet Russia, only State!
@@jeremygilbert7989
Lol, I had a hearty chuckle to that comrade.
Perhaps Valorous Laborers of the Hill
The other problem is that the Soviets intentionally tried to prevent suburbanization, so he will either have to live on a farm or in an apartment block in a city.
@@kendomyers lol I can see that. "Comrade of Hill" He work hard on hill growing and selling turnip and turnip growing accessories.
that editing with hank panicing?briliant, good job editors
They really should make shows more like this. I sincerely believe it can bring us all together with laughter
After all, it’s really hard to hate someone or take a swing at them once you’re laughing your ass off
Would definitely like to hear what Hank has to say about minimum wage not raising one cent since 2010 and corporations making record profits every time the economy crashes.
All wars are class wars.
Hanks just a good guy with solid moral fiber. He 4sure leans conservative or libertarian but his views aren't fixed.
I think Hank would lean whatever seemed most reasonable and least asinine. He's the kind of person who has his political leanings, but won't be at the mercy of them whenever they conflict with common sense or common decency.
The libertarian of the show is defnitely Dale lol
@@0oidiedinatimemachineo024 I honestly think Dale's politics defy classification. lol
It might sound like a joke, but if you go to some of the small suburban towns in Texas people act a lot like Hank and his neighbors.
There is a strong sense of community in those small towns, and while many might fall a bit too far to the right, most of those people live by a live and let live type of mentality. Furthermore, when it comes to it people are their neighbors before they are their political opponents.
This finest happen Everywhere, but you would be surprised just how accepting suburban Texans can be.
Used to watch KotH with my dad before I had to go to bed. May he rest in peace.
He's not dead, it's night, he's probably asleep.
Speaking in broad strokes, I'm legitimately excited to see what some overeducated "twig boys" think about the most hard working and practical salt of the earth character ever conceived.
Said with the most love.
A sincere and well thought out take.
Perhaps a little condescending, but maybe that's just me being overly protective of what I consider an excellent and even important piece of media.
very well done.
@@dougtheheavy The comment you replied to didn't appear thanks to whatever the hell is wrong with TH-cam and its comment section.
But it looks like you're just replying to yourself and calling your own comment a sincere and well thought out take. Just saying it looks funny, like you're complimenting yourself.
@@seventeenseventythirteen7465
Ha! That's pretty good. I bet it does read that way.
In fact I made the initial comment before watching the video and the reply after watching the video. I haven't even considered how my phrasing wouldn't reflect that.
I'm going to leave it as is but I appreciate you pointing it out for my future reference.
The message of KotH distilled in this video was refreshing, because it highlights the persuasive power of showing you are willing to be non-partisan, be civil, and act in good faith. However, if you truly hold an ideal or have a political goal with a strong philosophical grounding, at what point does it become immoral to engage in bipartisanship? I agree that the polarization of politics, magnified by the abstraction and alienation of online discourse and identity, is very toxic, but wouldn't this view lead to a radical centrism?
I guess, if we're staying in the lens of KotH, the message is to always attempt to maintain the bridge, while being willing to fight over it when it becomes morally necessary. If nothing else, it is pragmatic and avoids putting an undue burden on the political agent to maintain complete political purity.
I'm pretty sure Mike said Hank wouldn't vote for Trump, because he's a rich coal-pusher who acts like a fool.
That and Hank cares about his steak.
That said, Hank wouldn't have voted for Hillary either do to his fairly rigid beliefs on gender roles. He might have voted for Biden, but I tend to think that he would have voted 3rd party/independent in both elections.
Ya there’s a very distinct difference between Republicans of even as close back as 2010 that are completely different 10 years later. Hank is what a real conservative should look like and i doubt he’d just vote with his own party if he disagrees with them
@@flyingphoenix113 Throughout the show, when push came to shove, he's always erred on the side of compassion and open-mindedness though. I'm thinking of The Peggy Horror Picture Show in particular. He was very open-minded when he figured out Peggy's friend was a drag queen. I don't think any of the Trans Rights issues would have been a huge deal for him. I don't think a female president would have bothered him either. He really liked Anne Richards, and Peggy is a pretty strong, independent woman.
I feel like his views would have progressed a far bit in the time that the show was off the air too. Since around 2012, the traditional "leave me alone, and I'll leave you alone" Republicans in my family all switched over to the Democratic Party. Democrats are the new Republicans, and Progressives are the new Democrats. I feel like Hank is very much a Biden voter. He would have gone all in for, "Let's mend fences and unite the country again" messaging.
Richard Petty voted for Trump, which seems like a case-study in 'regular old conservatives' not flinching over the reactionary nationalist wannabe dictator they chose to represent them. Unless Hank started watching Beau of the Fifth Column it seems reasonable to assume he'd vote for the same party he's always voted for.
It seems like one of the most key elements of Hank Hill's ideals and actions is that ideology and politics happens Over There, but people live Over Here. He is deeply unwilling to change his mind let alone his values no matter how well people argue their positions or what he sees happen in general, but if his decisions or ways of thinking are obviously hurting the people near him he is capable of change. It can be tiring to have these people as friends or family - and no doubt they find someone like me tiring too - but at least you can still find ways to bring them in. It's much preferable to people who will render even the actual, visible harms to people invisible to save themselves having to do a little thinking.
Speaking as a Texan, Arlen is barely fictional. It's just Garland.
He did explicitly say he missed voting for Ronald Raegan.
I'm sure he would have felt very differently if he knew more about what Reagan actually did.
Except he doesnt vote for their politics but because of his sense of their integrity. Basically the vibes they give off.
My husband and I have been obsessed with this show since like last November. I had never really watched it before that. I actually just watched the yoga/workers comp episode last night (lol!). Hank is great. I consider myself a "strong Democrat" per all those political surveys (lol again), and I feel Hank just represents someone who has strong beliefs and is steadfast. I think that is why we all love him and the show. Not to mention, like you said, he is there for his family, community and job (even though his boss is a troll).
Verdict.. hella deep.
As a pretty steadfast Conservative I completely relate to Hank on many levels but watching the show when it came out to re-watching it again this year, the differences in our society are stark. I think the issue is the labeling of Democrat=Liberal and Republican=Conservative as the parties change over time but our definitions of Liberal/Conservative should not. I am a "reluctant Democrat", I roll my eyes at most Democrats but fear Republicans on many levels.
13:21 - A lot was said with those yeps.
Hank has morally conservative values that are pertained throughout the show’s run. But he has also shown that he is willing to open up to changes and new ideas with the help of his son Bobby. If Hank wasn’t built as a hard core conservative, the concept of King of The Hill would not make sense.
I love the community building in King of the Hill and wish that was more the focus of modern American conservatives more than this idea of "every man an island unto himself" bootstraps ideology that ignores the concerns of the community outside their immediate circle in favor of actions, policies, and pursuit of success that represents their own comfort at the cost of others.
King of the Hill was so good. It showed the kind of relating to others I WISH was happening in reality.
What is Wisecrack's quick take on Mike Judge's other great work "Beavis & Butthead"?
“Can I put a gun rack on my bicycle?”
“Do you know how long I’ve waited for you to ask me that?”
The only thing Hank likes about Saddam Hussein is his haircut.
I'd absolutely say hank is a conservative. While I would agree Hank cares about character, hence the scene with Jimmy Carter. However in the modern day in which politics have become so starkly devided, I'd argue the democratic party has completely abandoned the traditional way of life, one that Hank absolutely lives.
I'm going to humbly disagree with that one. The Democratic party contains people as different as Joe Manchin and Acozio Cortez. And while that means it contains its share of judgmental jerks, it also contains people who are supportive of all sorts of ways of life. Accommodating diverse ways of living is not the same thing as being hostile to what was once, at least seemingly, a monolithic way of life. It's just that, when you are supportive of things that don't conform to tradition, it's like nails standing out, people notice those deviations more than the fact that they're sticking out of the same old plank of wood.
I would also put forth a slight problem in Hank’s thinking when it comes to Bobby. The idea of making everything a competition. Such as when he got an interest in growing roses and decides to enter him into a rose competition. The problem with this way of thinking is if you approach everything in life as a competition then the world can become your enemy if you let it.
I think that King Of The Hill subtley undermines conservatism by appealing to the average right winger's better nature and empathizing with their perspective. It showed how right wing positions were antithetical to their demographic's interests, while never appearing to look down upon them, or alienate them by being overtly political. People didn't notice the politics because everything was framed as something more personal. People with bad ideas rarely had bad intentions.
And we can certainly see what benefit that has had by taking a look at the change in the political landscape since the show started airing, right?
@@Kaylakaze I don't think that they can be reasoned with at this time. Collectively, they aren't there anymore, they're down the rabbit hole.
@@moonlily1 says you , the ones who acusses everyone right of Stalin of being a fascist
@@moonlily1 My point exactly. For too long, we've been putting flowers into the barrels of their rifles and then standing there as they shoot us (both figuratively and literally).
@@Kaylakaze I think conservatives are radicalized to the point of not recognizing their better nature and how their policies don't really align with what they THINK their values are. You know, you see someone post something hateful and stupid on facebook, you look at their page and there's always some link to donating to some children's cancer thing, but you can't just say, well what if that kid's cancer treatment didn't cost $100,000, what if he didn't have to rely on charity? That simple train of thought is just not going to arrive at the station.
Hank considers himself conservative because he feels like it is expected of him being a stereotype of a Texan, but he really is pretty centrist at the very least in how he approaches the world. He opposes bigotry and doesn't want to be thought of as on the same side as hateful people, he is very uncomfortable with people insinuating that he is racist, homophobic, xenophobic, etc. He represents a squeaky clean conservative who doesn't hate people for what they are, only dislikes things he disagrees with at some moral or cultural level. He is willing to not just tolerate but accept his friend's gay father, the Laotian family next door, black coworkers, and his son and niece who aren't very like him. Most episodes which include challenges to conservative beliefs and talking points usually end with him in a state of "It isn't for me, but it is for others and I'm not against that." He really just wants people to enjoy their lives in a way that doesn't hurt others, and to not have others' ways of life forced on him. He believes in a lot of very positive things like work ethic, loyalty, good health practices, cooperation and community, responsibility. In many ways he is like an ideal conservative, someone willing to call out when new policies have problems but not opposed to change if he can be convinced it will actually make life better for others or himself.
lol u would hate those people anjyway u want them to aeept ur blm crpa or ur pride crap
I didn't give this show enough credit if anything we need more shows like it now then we ever did before
I forget the episode but at one point it’s suggested that Hank doesn’t believe in civil disobedience which I don’t quite get. It’s also contradicted many times in the show
King of the hill is the most underrated show. At least the earlier seasons, 10/10.
I consider King of the Hill to be one of the more thoughtful/deep shows of its type, so the question 'Are we reading too deep' comes across as more tacked on than actually a real question. The depths are huge and evident.
There's a published paper on this exact topic in the sense of the show being all about Hank trying in good faith to square his values/world view with a shifting cultural landscape--often due to Bobby. It's a pretty old paper, if I recall.
i think its important to note that it’s not that we shouldn’t engage in political discourse all together, or say “both sides are bad” and then drop it. but rather that after careful consideration we should come together and try to understand one another or find common ground & a common enemy. we, especially as americans, have so much more in common with each other than the surface level political discourse might lead us to believe. yes, we do need to be able to distinguish between moral wrong and moral right and communicate the things we don’t understand about each other or that hurt us. but we should do so with the goal NOT to “other” one another but to come out the other side stronger and united together!
Hank is just a person who doesn’t let propaganda guide his life . He’s a man that lives and let’s live.a man with honor .a man that will kick your ass just for testing his beliefs
He’d be an old school Reagan republican. Between Hillary and Trump he’d vote third party.
I realized while watching this that Hank Hill and I have similar character alignments (to put it in role-playing game terms). That is, the moral alignment of good and evil, and the ethical (rule following) alignment. We're both "good" and by and large mostly "lawful." I say "mostly" only because Hank will knowingly break a law when such a law goes against his goodness/conscience/morality (such as in the episode where they destroy the fake house during a strong windstorm). Yet, to make a point of his overarching lawfulness, when he was being chased by the pimp, Hank said something like "Don't worry, I have him right where I want him" as Hank slowed at a yellow light and then gunned it before it turned red, and when the pimp ran the red light Hank angrily yelled "He ran a red light! You can't do that!"
Wow, I don't know if it's the show or your interpretation I'm vibing with but I love it. Gov & big-biz are too far removed to give a meaningful life that a devoted family/community can. Absolute poetry.
One of the best shows ever to be on television.
We need Hank Hill again. The most ignorant, tolerant man on TV.
I always saw Hank as a centrist conservative boomer, in a good way. Absolute role model, even though I'm not the same politically.
When King of the Hill first aired Hank and his friends were mainstream conservatives. Maybe not relatable to every conservative and certainly tongue-in-cheek but they were meant to appeal to Texans. It must be awkward for conservatives to go back and watch this show again now that their worldview has shifted so far from that desire to be left alone and make their own way in life.
6:32 I don't care WHO you are, that's some good editin' right thur
"Thank you for calling the federal reserve. How may I direct your call?"
"You don't know me, but I know what you're up to!"
-Dale Gribble
6:30 segue was pure fucking gold
Hank is a conservative with dignity. He wouldn’t be a Trump guy and was barely a Bush guy back in the days of the tea party, etc. He’s a conservative in the literal sense. He’s old school, he manages money well and he’s not particularly hip to any given party line. That’s one of the things that makes his character so awesome
6:01 couple things 1. I’m amazed Peggy didn’t flip over what hank just said knowing how strong willed and independent she sees herself as, 2. If a man can’t prepare food and clean 🧼 up after himself is he a grown man?
The weak hamdshake E.P is something I took to heart. When Detroit Kwame Kill Patrick was sent to jail and Interim mayor Ken Cockrell was placed in Charged. I was 17 and I got to shake Ken Cockrell's hand it was the worst handshake of life. I knew Cockrell was a loser.
8:37 I still 'member what Hank said to the co-op butcher: "I'd shake your hand right now if it wasn't covered in blood."
10:48 "Oh, boy! I always wanted to get arrested for my beliefs!"
OK, now that you've explored Hank's politics, I DARE you to make any sense out of Dale's!
Hank is conservative no doubt about it. That being said he’s not a stupid nor irrational person. If a new idea or something unusual to him is shown and he comes to understand the merits behind said idea. He could empathize with it or even support it.
I heard "A family who isn't afraid to throw some meat on the grill," and was like "Oh wow a Bob's Burgers episode. Didn't expect that with a King of the Hill thumbnail and title and everything else leading up to this point." Like the idiot I am.
The thing about Hank is, There are episodes where he gets excited about civil duty and even bureaucracy.
He's closer to Leslie Knope than Ron Swanson
And it's funny that Mike Judge doesn't think his work is political, when he made Idiocracy, the eugenics anthem
0:31 "Ran for over a decade in the late 90s and early 2000s"
nice one
I think that many connect to this show due to the fact it likes to show at least a few times in every episode something that directly reflects reality. It could be as small as using WD-40 on another can of WD-40 to fix "everything" to bigger things such as looking past differences to live and respect life. With politics specifically, I don't think that Hank's willingness to "compromise" makes him a standout among conservatives, or even a standout among Americans. Most Americans make both big and small "compromises" everyday. Despite how played up the situations might be, everyone can look and FEEL what the Hill family goes through (without a cutscene to spell it out). I truly believe that this show is for everyone...unless you like well-done steaks of course.
Bout time you did KOTH
Very underrated adult programming
Hank would be called a RINO in 2022.
Hank, if you can't cook a tender well-done steak, just say that. My mom used to love this show. I love it even though I don't remember much of anything outside of Hank's love for propane and Dale's tomfoolery.