After 15 years, the King of the Hill is back and it’s finally here! Season 14 drops on Hulu August 4, 2025. Mike and Greg brought back the Hill family and their wacky neighbors from Arlen, Texas with a fresh but true to the original take. With a time jump, new animation and a mix of nostalgia and relevance, Season 14 is one of the best animated revivals in a long time. It’s funny and emotional and explores what it means to be a society in change.
The new season starts eight years after the original series ended with Hank and Peggy Hill back in Arlen after being in Saudi Arabia for years where Hank worked for a propane company to secure their retirement. Their son Bobby is 21 and voiced by Pamela Adlon and has decided to not go to college and is now a chef at a Japanese-German fusion restaurant in Dallas. I love that this show is taking the bold move of aging Bobby and allowing the world around the Hills to change. Unlike other animated revivals like The Simpsons or Family Guy, which keep their characters frozen in time. By doing so, the show gets to explore new storylines while staying true to its character driven roots.
Season 14 gets off to a great start and shows what makes King of the Hill so good: it balances funny with real. Hank, voiced by Judge, is a traditionalist and sells propane. He’s confused by gender-neutral bathrooms, ride share ratings and vegan diets. The show doesn’t mock “woke” culture. Instead it shows Hank trying to navigate the changes in Arlen while being his good self. A great moment is Hank trying to decide whether to give a ride share driver 4 stars instead of 5. He thinks 4 stars means there’s “room for improvement.” That’s a classic Hank line that’s both funny and lovable.
Peggy Hill, voiced by Kathy Najimy, is a force to be reckoned with. She doesn’t back down from bedbugs or her own social faux pas. Bobby’s coming of age is a highlight, Adlon’s voice is a little deeper, but still Bobby. His storylines, like his cooking dreams and his rekindled romance with Connie, feel real and authentic. They build on the original series where Hank and Bobby bonded over grilling. The supporting characters - Dale, Boomhauer and Bill are back with their usual quirks. But this season is sad because we lost voice actors Johnny Hardwick (Dale) and Jonathan Joss (John Redcorn). Hardwick’s final episodes as Dale are a nice tribute to him. Toby Huss slides in seamlessly after Hardwick. Joss’ final episode is a fun, wild hog themed one and he gets a sweet send off.
Saladin K. Patterson is the new showrunner, Judge and Daniels are combining old with new. 10 episodes, shorter than the usual 22. Feels brief but makes an impact. One episode goes a bit too far with a character and makes them feel cartoonish. Nice nods to old episodes like Laoma and a Tom Petty song. Good for long time fans but not confusing for new viewers. The new animation style takes a little to get used to. Looks smoother and more polished thanks to Hulu, but doesn’t take away from the show’s simplicity.
What sets Season 14 apart is that it doesn’t rely on nostalgia. Other revivals feel like cash grabs. King of the Hill moves its characters forward, how they adapt to a post-COVID, tech driven world without losing who they are. Hank’s conservative values aren’t glorified or mocked. They’re just presented. He’s open to growth but true to himself. The humor is sharp, fun at modern absurdities like “fruity beer” and nepo babies. But the emotional beats – Hank and Peggy’s marriage or Bobby’s coming of age – is what gives the season its heart.
Some say it doesn’t tackle the divisions. But that’s the point. King of the Hill has always been about people, not ideas and Season 14 is more so. The result is a nice little return that feels like running into old friends in a new place with a cold Alamo Beer. King of the Hill Season 14 has been good for almost all 10 episodes. This is not just a good return. It’s why the show is still great.