Why King of the Hill Is Returning After 15 Years

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Why King of the Hill Is Returning After 15 Years

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  • Logistical Issues Early in the King of the Hill Production Process
  • Deceased and Non-Returning King of the Hill Cast Members

As a devoted fan of King of the Hill since its debut back in the late 90s, I must say I am both excited and apprehensive about the upcoming revival. Having grown up with Hank, Peggy, Bobby, and the rest of the Hill gang, their lives have become an integral part of my own. The news that the show will be returning after a long hiatus is like finding out that an old friend is coming back to town, but the changes they’ve undergone in the meantime can feel a bit jarring.

Here’s some exciting news: It seems like “King of the Hill” might return to our television sets! Or so we believe. In January 2023, a revival for this legendary Fox animated series was commissioned by Hulu. However, information about production, casting, and possible release dates has been scarce since then.

King of the Hill was one of the longest-running animated shows of all time, airing on Fox from 1997 to 2010. It was creator Mike Judge’s second animated project after Beavis and Butt-Head, which also received a revival of its own in 2022. Given how popular King of the Hill was and is, it would make sense for the revival to be a top priority. Yes, animation is a time-consuming process, but it’s been more than a year and a half since the revival was announced. But it hasn’t been a smooth road. The show dealt with the dual 2023 strikes and the death of main cast member Johnny Hardwick. Let’s look at everything we know about the King of the Hill revival, what could be holding things up, and when we might eventually see the Hill family on TV once again.

King of the Hill’s Original Run and Revival Announcement

Why King of the Hill Is Returning After 15 YearsWhy King of the Hill Is Returning After 15 Years

Originally airing on Fox on January 12, 1997, “King of the Hill” was a long-running animated series that ended its run on May 6, 2010. With this tenure, it became the third longest-lived animated show on the network, following closely behind “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy.” Regrettably, due to decreasing ratings in the late 2000s and to accommodate Seth MacFarlane’s spin-off series, “The Cleveland Show,” production on “King of the Hill” was discontinued.

King of the Hill, initially aired over two decades ago, has garnered a devoted fanbase that’s only grown stronger, earning it two Emmy Awards. Revival discussions for the series on Fox were first hinted at in August 2017, but no significant progress was made until 2021 and 2022 when further negotiations surfaced. At the 2022 Comic-Con, it was announced that the show had a high probability of returning with projects underway. However, Fox decided against the revival in September 2022. In January 2023, Hulu picked up the project and officially greenlit a new series. Original cast members Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, Pamela Adlon, Johnny Hardwick, Lauren Tom, and Stephen Root have all agreed to reprise their roles in the reboot.

Logistical Issues Early in the King of the Hill Production Process

Why King of the Hill Is Returning After 15 YearsWhy King of the Hill Is Returning After 15 Years

As a movie enthusiast, I found myself in a challenging situation when, barely a couple of months into the project, a double whammy hit Hollywood like a storm. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG), two powerful forces in our industry, initiated strikes that lasted from May to November 2023. This pause in production was particularly disruptive for my favorite show, as it coincided with the unfortunate demise of a beloved cast member, Hardwick, who passed away during the strike hiatus in August 2023.

Following the resolution of the writers’ strike in September 2023, creator Greg Daniels and his writing team resumed work in their office, focusing on drafting scripts for episodes three and four while simultaneously revising the first two. The production halt had created complications, causing Daniels to project that the show wouldn’t debut until early 2025. If they manage to maintain this schedule, we might receive updates within the upcoming weeks and months. Given the labor-intensive nature of animation, particularly with a six-month interruption in the middle, progress can be slow.

Deceased and Non-Returning King of the Hill Cast Members

Why King of the Hill Is Returning After 15 YearsWhy King of the Hill Is Returning After 15 YearsWhy King of the Hill Is Returning After 15 Years

From what we gather, there are some updates regarding the storyline. As shared by Bobby Hill’s voice actor, Pamela Adlon, the youngest Hill character will be transitioned from 12 to 21 years old. In the original series run of 13 years, Bobby didn’t age at all. Now, it is said that he has taken up the role of a chef. The way they plan to manage the deceased and non-returning cast members in this revival remains uncertain. It has been confirmed that Dale, played by Hardwick, will make appearances albeit in limited capacities. However, whether they’ll recast him for future episodes or write off his character is still undecided. The original show included the late Brittany Murphy and Tom Petty as Hank and Peggy’s niece, Luanne, and her husband, Lucky.

If the show decides not to replace these characters, managing their absences will be less complicated, for it could be explained that they moved away from Arlen since they were married towards the end of the original series. However, there’s uncertainty about Toby Huss returning, as his character Cotton, who was Hank’s father, died in the show’s 12th season. Additionally, there’s doubt about Huss reprising his role as Kahn, a neighbor, given that he is white and Daniels from TV Line stated that Kahn was portrayed by someone of another ethnicity.

It’s uncertain if Khan will return, but it seems probable that we might substitute Khan’s voice for Toby’s. In other words, if we were to recast today, we probably wouldn’t choose him.

Despite Hulu and the production team keeping silent about the revival of “King of the Hill,” it seems to be moving forward in production. If they manage to adhere to Daniels’ timeline, we might catch up with Hank, Peggy, Bobby, and the rest of the family again within a few months, possibly around 2025. That would indeed be some fantastic news! By the way, don’t forget to check out “King of the Hill” on Hulu.

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2024-09-15 04:01