Hank Hill returns to a changed world in new ‘King of the Hill’ episodes

This image released by Hulu shows, characters, from left, Peggy Hill, voiced by Kathy Najimy, Bobby Hill, voiced by Pamela Adlon, and Hank Hill, voiced by Mike Judge, from the animated series "King of the Hill." (Hulu via AP)

NEW YORK — Hank Hill is back and he’s the same ol’ Hank Hill, but a lot of things around him have changed.

The lovable animated hero of “King of the Hill” has returned from a 15-year lull and he isn’t sure what boba tea is, how ridesharing works and is confused by all-gender bathrooms. “What kind of food is poke?” he asks his wife, Peggy.

Hank and Peggy have returned to their hometown of Arlen, Texas — and our TV sets — but a lot has happened over the years and they’re stepping into a world they don’t always recognize.

“Hank, have things changed here more than we thought?” Peggy asks, worried, in the first new episode. “Did we make a mistake coming back?”

Hulu is definitely hoping not, reuniting many of the same writers and voice cast who turned the propane-loving, beer-sipping Hill into one of TV’s few blue-collar icons. The first 10 episodes hit Hulu on Monday.

A new ‘King of the Hill’ leader

Saladin K. Patterson, the executive producer and showrunner for the new season 14, hopes the original fans will return to see how Hill copes in the modern day.

“That’s always key because you want that core fan base to validate what you’ve done because they’re like the gatekeepers in a way,” he says. “So when they sign off and say, ‘OK, they didn’t mess it up, it’s still the same special show,’ I think other people who may be unfamiliar with it, or even on the fence, feel like, ‘OK, well, now we want to like it.’”

Viewers will learn that Hank and Peggy have been in Saudi Arabia all this time, where he served as “assistant manager in charge of Arabian propane and Arabian propane accessories.” Their son Bobby, now 21, is the chef of a “down home, German-Asian fusion” restaurant. (Sample dish: Grilled mackerel with a side of mustard pretzel.)

Hank and Peggy have retired and he happily rejoins his line of friends drinking cans of beer in an alley. Boomhauer gives him a hug and Dale has grown even more paranoid, becoming “an election-denier-denier.”

Bill has let himself go, staying indoors and living off Amazon deliveries. “I finished Netflix, Hank. Did you know that when you get to the end of Netflix, you get something called ‘a wellness check?’” Viewers in the second episode hear Tom Petty’s “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” a nice nod to the late rocker’s embrace of the show when it first appeared.

“The writers have found that balance between the vintage ‘King of the Hill’ that we adore and the new — and letting them coexist,” says Pamela Adlon, who voices Bobby.

Same gentle tone

Creators Mike Judge, the mastermind behind “Beavis and Butt-Head,” and Greg Daniels, who would go on to co-create “The Office,” helped Patterson navigate this world, which they sheparded during its first 13 seasons, airing from 1997 to 2009.

The show’s tone maintains its gentle mocking of modern life, from hipsters and their craft ales to bike lanes. Hill at one point shakes his head over modern outdoor grills having sensors and app connections: “I shouldn’t have to call technical support to make a burger.”

Patterson says the humor is grounded in real life. “I do have a barbecue grill that is Wi-Fi- and Bluetooth-enabled. I have three devices to run it, but I’m calling tech support because I have guests coming over and the meat needs to be done,” he says. “And I do think over the pandemic, my wife finished Netflix.”

While there are changes, some things are immutable. “Hank’s still going to drink beer. Dale’s still going to be a conspiracy theorist. Bill’s still going to be a lovable sad sack,” says Patterson. “Those core character things had to be the same. I had a pastor who told me one time, ‘Grown folks don’t change.’”

Viewers will see in upcoming episodes if Hank — a happy propane seller and garage tinkerer — can really ever retire and watch as Hank’s friends navigate new chapters. They’ll also explore the relationship between an adult Bobby and his parents.

“He’s of age now and it’s really kind of cool because you see the similarities and all the attributes that he took from his parents that he wasn’t even aware of when he was a boy — or didn’t want to have anything to do with — and now he’s using them to keep his business going and move himself forward,” says Adlon.

A politics-free zone

While debates have raged over where Hank Hill sits on the political spectrum, his creators argue he represents a sensible, common-sense middle. He follows the rules and does the best he can without hurting anyone.

“It’s so not a Republican or a Democratic show or an independent show. It’s all of that,” says Adlon. “There’s space in the world for everybody. It’s hard for us all to find a safe space in a common area anymore and that’s what this show really is.”

And even though the new “King of the Hill” episodes arrive during President Donald Trump’s second term, don’t expect any politics from Hank Hill.

“We want to tell relatable stories where people can see themselves in our characters or their family members in our characters,” says Patterson.

“There are enough cultural things and relationship things that have shifted to where he can comment on that without us wading into tariffs and immigration policy and stuff like that.”

Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press