‘King of the Hill’ Season 14 Review: Return Of The King

King of the Hill finally makes its triumphant return, 15 years after the original series finale. The series revival, which will mark the show’s 14th season, releases August 4 on Hulu. The series picks up several years after the Season 13 finale, with Hank and Peggy returning back to Arlen after having lived in Saudi Arabia (or Saw-di Arabi-eye as Peggy would call it) for several years. Bobby is the head chef at a Japanese-German fusion restaurant called Robata Chane.

While most of the original King of the Hill voice cast is set to return, there are some changes in the cast, due to various circumstances. The most notable is Toby Huss, taking over for the late Johnny Hardwick, as Dale Gribble, while Kenneth Choi takes over for Toby Huss as businessman Ted. Pamela Adlon has been replaced with Ki Hong Lee as Ted’s son Chane. Dale’s son, Joseph Gribble, is now voiced by Tai Leclaire, taking over the role from Breckin Meyer. Although John Redcorn’s voice actor, Jonathan Joss, was tragically killed in early 2025, his work on the season was completed.

The ‘King of the Hill’ Comes Back to Arlen

In the King of the Hill revival, we first see Hank and Peggy Hill traveling back to Texas. The two had been living in Saudi Arabia for several years, where Hank worked for a propane company (unsurprisingly). Things have changed in America, and the two retirees must find their way back in the world and learn how to occupy all of their free time. Despite the changes, the neighborhood still feels relatively the same as it did when the series ended. Meanwhile, Bobby is doing his best to navigate the life of a young adult who chose a career over college.

The first episode doesn’t quite hit its mark for me as a long-time King of the Hill fan, but it quickly finds its stride in the later episodes. Although the characters are much older than we last saw them, their personalities remain the same. Over the course of the season, everyone seems to grow and change in some way by facing new challenges. Even Hank finally learns to open up a little more, in his own way, of course. All it took was two bananas.

Although the show certainly looks the same, as far as the style goes, something about the animation style seems…different. Maybe because it’s in much higher quality than it was all those years ago, but sometimes while watching it, it feels a little off. Maybe too detailed at times, being able to see all of the characters fingernails all the time. It’s a small thing, but it feels a little distracting. Of course, the show can’t be a perfect 1:1 recreation considering modern computer animation, but I can’t help but be nostalgic for the original.

A Worthy Revival or Cash Grab?

Do we really need it, or is it a desperate cash grab feeding off nostalgia? Maybe it is, but the King of the Hill, in my opinion, is worth watching. It’s funny and still has the same charm that it had originally. It remains a series that, despite having a lot of adult humor, can be watched as a family. I’ll admit, I miss Bobby Hill as a kid, trying to figure himself out, but it’s nice to see that same kid having a decent head on his shoulders as a young adult. All of the characters are so fun to watch, and even the new additions, such as Anthony Crampos‘ Emilio, fit in flawlessly within the world.

‘King of the Hill’ Season 14 – Final Thoughts

If you’re a fan, I have no doubt you’ll enjoy this new season. Unfortunately, like most modern television series, the season is much shorter with only 10 episodes. I wouldn’t expect a full 20+ episode season, but it would have been nice to have a few more. The series revival is set for only two 10-episode seasons, so hopefully the series end will give the fans a satisfying ending, once and for all. If you’ve never watched the original series, do yourself a favor and watch it, you’ll thank me later. All seasons are available now on Hulu.

King of the Hill returns August 5 on Hulu. Check out the trailer below.