After years off the air, King of the Hill returned in 2025 with its long-anticipated Season 14—reviving the Hill family and their Staten suburban Texas life for a new era. The reboot not only honors the tone of the original but finds fresh comedic perspective in modern America. Here’s our comprehensive breakdown of what made this reboot so special—and why fans like me immediately re-binged the original series.

A Faithful Return: Picking Up Where We Left Off

The new King of the Hill doesn’t reboot—it resumes. As you noted, the series picks up directly from the last episode, explaining what Hank and Peggy have been up to since their time abroad. Hank and Peggy return from Saudi Arabia, and viewers rediscover Arlen through wrinkles of time, nostalgia, and culture shock that ring wonderfully true.

Critics agree: the series maintains its character-driven humor under showrunners Mike Judge, Greg Daniels, and Saladin K. Patterson. Seeing Hank, ever the propane purist, thrown into a hyper-modern America with rideshare apps, social media, and wokeness delivers both discomfort and laughs.

Bobby Grows Up—and Shines

Watching Bobby “doing what he truly loves” was one of the highlights—and you’re not alone. Now a 21-year-old, Bobby runs a fusion BBQ restaurant in Dallas. While some reviewers point out that the quirkiness of preteen Bobby is somewhat replaced by adult competence, it’s still a joy to see him pursuing his passions with Peggy’s proud support and Hank’s bemused encouragement. Seeing him reunited with Connie taps into the nostalgic core of the original while moving the story forward, earnestly and affectionately.

Voice Cast Changes: Honoring Legends

The reboot faced several sensitive recasting decisions due to the passing of beloved voice actors.

  • Toby Huss takes over as Dale Gribble, following the death of original voice actor Johnny Hardwick, who had recorded six episodes before his passing in 2023. Huss, who previously voiced Kahn, stepped into the role with humility and care.
  • Toby Huss no longer voices Kahn. That role now belongs to Ronny Chieng, a recasting acknowledged as culturally considerate in light of modern sensibilities.
  • Jonathan Joss, voice of John Redcorn, recorded new episodes before his tragic death in June 2025. The season honors him with poignant tributes—a testament to his legacy.

Some characters were not recast—Luanne (Brittany Murphy) and Lucky (Tom Petty) remain absent, out of respect for the actors’ legacies. This creative decision feels like retiring a jersey for beloved figures.

Standout Episodes & Themes

Highlights from Season 14 echo the original’s heart and humor:

  • “Any Given Hill Day” brings the family together in a fantasy football camp, spotlighting Bobby, Peggy, and Hank with sharp satire and nostalgic warmth.
  • “New Ref in Town” explores Hank’s adjustment to the modern shifts in societal values—an empathetic portrayal of his fish-out-of-water experience.
  • “No Hank Left Behind” focuses on sibling bonds, as Hank tries (and amusingly fails) to reconnect with younger brother GH.

The reboot has been praised for “hoisting the propane tank of relevance without losing its southern charm.” It boasts a 98 % Rotten Tomatoes score and a record-breaking Hulu debut—4.4 million streams in its first week—making it the most-viewed adult animation premiere in Disney/Hulu history.

The Legacy of King of the Hill

Originally running from 1997 to 2009, King of the Hill distinguished itself from broad satire animation by embracing nuanced character dynamics and grounded comedy—set in a world of propane, BBQ, and real people.

Creators Mike Judge and Greg Daniels tapped into suburban empathy. The show offered a rare voice in animation: conservative without caricature, grounded but not dull, reflecting everyday Texan life with warmth and wry honesty.

Its late-career return reaffirms that King of the Hill is more than nostalgia. The reboot pushes its familiar values—family, community, decency—into a modern context, observing culture with gentle satire, not ridicule.

What Fans Are Saying

  • “Really well done and stayed true to the original series.”
  • “Hilarious to see Hank thrown into modern America.”
  • “It was great to see Bobby doing what he truly loves.”
  • “While LuAnne was missed, I’m glad they didn’t replace Brittany Murphy—she was LuAnne at her core.”
  • “A second season has already been announced—I honestly can’t wait.”

These thoughts echo across the fandom, many of whom have jumped back into watching the entire original series again after finishing the new season.

Final Thoughts

The King of the Hill reboot succeeds because it respects its roots while allowing growth. It balances nostalgia with evolution—keeping Bobby’s earnest charm, Hank’s moral center, and the family’s Texan sensibility intact, even as the world around them changes.

Voice cast changes—though emotionally resonant—are handled thoughtfully. Replacing Dale with Toby Huss, recasting Kahn with Ronny Chieng, and honoring the late Jonathan Joss and Brittany Murphy through absence or tribute shows creative integrity.

The show proves that good satire is rooted in genuine characters who grow, adapt, and still hold onto what makes them special. It’s no wonder fans are rewatching the original and counting the days until Season 15.