^{Credit: King of the Hill Season 14 (Hulu)}

Toward the end of King of the Hills’ initial run, Peggy got the family cellphones, and Strickland Propane created a MySpace page. Of course, when those episodes aired in 2008, smartphones were overtaking the market, and Facebook was gradually eclipsing MySpace as the social media site. Even into the late 2000s, the Hills seemed stuck in the past. Time has finally caught up to the Hills in Season 14, where apps are used to rate people, Netflix further enables the Bills of the world to stay in bed all day, and people are dumb enough to elect a conspiracy theory-spewing nut job to office. In this case, Dale Gribble was mayor for a hot second.

King of the Hill is far from the first animated ‘90s show to return decades later. The Animaniacs reboot, Rocko's Modern Life: Static Cling, and even Futurama come to mind. While the times and technologies changed in those shows, the characters didn’t age. This is what separates King of the Hill. Hank is now approaching senior citizen status, while Bobby has gone from a boy who just ain’t right to a man who’s doing alright. Granted, Joseph went through a significant growth spurt between Seasons 4 and 5, but Bobby remained in puberty limbo. The Simpsons and South Park have both explored what adulthood would bring their young protagonists. Where those shows reverted to the status quo, this is the new normal for King of the Hill.

Herein lies what makes Season 14 stand out. While there are several episodes dedicated to current innovations and trends, other storylines simply ask, “What if Bobby Hill grew up?” This opens the door to ideas that wouldn’t have worked in the show’s previous iteration, such as Bobby competing against Hank in a beer-making competition. Bobby himself is a chef now, which seems like a natural stepping stone since the former series finale ended with him firing up the grill with his dad. Yet, Bobby’s profession is still reflective of the times, with fusion food now being all the rage.

Bobby’s passion for Japanese and German cuisine leads to a storyline about cultural appropriation. The debate is given a King of the Hill twist, as the backlash against Bobby comes from a Black man who was raised Japanese. While the show sides with Bobby’s right to embrace other cultures, it does draw the line at having Toby Huss voice Kahn again. Ronny Chieng now plays the Hill’s Asian neighbor, although Huss isn’t out of a job. With Johnny Hardwick passing away during the season’s production, Huss fills in as Dale. It’s not a seamless transition, but the writing for Dale is as hilarious as ever.

Hardwick’s death sadly isn’t the only one that looms over the season. Jonathan Joss managed to record all of his lines as John Redcorn before he was murdered in June. Brittany Murphy and Tom Petty, who voiced Luanne and Lucky, respectively, both died after Season 13 wrapped production. It’s understandable why the creators have decided against recasting their roles, although Luanne and Lucky’s absence is felt. The most we get is a photo of them in the background. Otherwise, the rest of the main cast returns with Mike Judge as Hank, Kathy Najimy as Peggy, and Pamela Adlon as Bobby with a slightly deeper voice. Keith David is a nice addition as Brian Robertson, who rented Hank and Peggy’s house while they were making their nest egg in Saudi Arabia.

Judge and Greg Daniels also return to their creative roles, although Saladin Patterson brings a fresh voice as showrunner. While King of the Hill was always episodic, it had a stronger sense of continuity than most animated sitcoms, especially during the earlier years. Season 14 leans into more ongoing character arcs as Hank and Peggy adjust to retirement, filling the days with part-time gigs and investment ventures like hog hunting. Bobby also rekindles his feelings for Connie (Lauren Tom). The two still have a sweet chemistry, albeit with more sexual tension now. Connie isn’t Bobby’s only love interest, as he also dates a vegan named Willow (Allegra Edwards). Their relationship may build to a dumping, but it still goes better than the time he dated a vegetarian.

For all the changes that’ve come to Arlen, conservatism remains a constant. Hank gushes over the shoe that George W. Bush dodged, and he’ll only watch CNN when Fox News cuts to commercials. In an age where many argue that Republicans and neo-Nazis are interchangeable, King of the Hill reminds us that conservatives are people, too. Some are even decent human beings who know a good change when they see it. That said, the season tiptoes around a certain elephant in the room. To be fair, Season 14 entered production before Trump was reelected. The show may have to address Trump at some point, although for now, South Park has it covered. As for whether or not Hank would’ve voted for Clinton and Harris, he has a change of heart about soccer this season. So, anything’s possible.

Although the season doesn’t directly mention our current administration, it does touch upon byproducts of Trump’s America. In one episode, Hank and a now-teenaged G.H. (Good Hank) attend a retreat run by a thinly veiled Andrew Tate caricature. We see how toxic masculinity has been normalized for a generation raised on smartphones, potentially turning Good Hank into Bad Hank. While the sociopolitical humor is welcome, the character-driven jokes are where the show’s main appeal lies. Season 14 is loaded with callbacks for longtime fans, from Bill dating Kahn’s mother to Bobby kicking Peggy in the groin to defend his nonexistent purse. Yet, the season avoids being a greatest hits retrospective, looking to the future more often than not.

One of the season’s best episodes, “Kahn-scious Uncoupling,” finds three couples at turning points. Technically four, as Connie and Chane Wassanasong are in an open relationship. As Kahn and Minh’s marriage reaches its end, Hank and Peggy’s proves as rock solid as ever. Bobby and Connie’s courtship is taken to the next step, although there are some adjustments. In the season finale, Bobby and Connie conclude that they’ve both changed since they were 12, but what initially drew them to each other remains intact. The same can be said about this season as a whole.

Season 14 is different in inspired ways, but this is still the King of the Hill we know and love. The writing finds humor in everyday scenarios, managing to score big laughs with subtle observations and line deliveries. In a political climate where the right and left are both pushed to extremes, King of the Hill is about as balanced as a show set in Texas can be. The season is the equivalent of catching up with old friends at a barbecue. You see how they’ve changed over the years. Yet, you have no trouble picking up where you left off. So, 5 stars? I’m going to give you a 4.5. That way, it gives you something to work towards. After all, 5s should be rare in this world.

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1 and 2. Available Now!