King Of The Hill - The Complete 2nd Season
Fox Home Entertainment   -   1998   -   506 minutes

Reviewed by Cynthia Knouft & Kyle Crawford

Review Date: November 25, 2003

FOR STARTERS

PHOTO GALLERY Hank preserves his dignity

King of the Hill: Season Two serves up more of Arlen, Texas's favorite family�Hank, Peggy and Bobby Hill � and their supporting cast of eccentric friends and neighbors. Created by Mike Judge (Beavis and Butthead, Office Space) and Greg Daniels (The Simpsons), this animated series highlights daily life in this small Texas town. At the center is Hank Hill, a propane salesman at Strickland Propane, his wife Peggy Hill, a substitute teacher, and their middle school aged son Bobby. Rounding out the cast are Hank's crazy friends � conspiracy theorist and exterminator Dale Gribble, the beer-swilling divorcee Bill Dauterive and the unintelligible ladies-man Boomhauer. Add power tools, barbecue and Texas pride and you've got a blue-collar recipe for success. And the 11 million fans that tune in each week agree.

Episode 1: "How to Fire a Rifle Without Really Trying"
When Bobby displays a talent for target shooting Hank signs up for a father/son funshoot competition � only to discover a buried childhood memory still sadly affecting his aim.
Episode 2: "Texas City Twister"
When Luanne washes Hanks underwear in the same load of wash as hers, a horrified Hank decides it's time his niece moves back to Shiny Pines Trailer Park.
Episode 3: "The Arrowhead"
Hank's excitement over finding Indian artifacts in his front yard turns to distress after an archeologist starts digging up his precious lawn and flirting with Peggy.
Episode 4: "Hilloween"
Hank vows to teach Bobby "the true meaning of Halloween come hell or high water" after a new church member calls it a night for witches and Satanists and gets it cancelled.
Episode 5: "Jumpin' Crack Bass"
Hank finds himself facing possible jail time after a trip to buy homemade fishing bait from a man on a street corner inadvertently turns into a purchase from a drug dealer.

Episode 6: "Husky Bobby"
Hank is determined to save his son from the ultimate humiliation after Bobby decides to model for a photo shoot and then appear in a fashion show featuring husky sized models.
Episode 7: "The Man Who Shot Cane Skretteburg"
Hank, Boomhauer, Bill and Dale all begin exhibiting signs of post-traumatic stress syndrome after losing a humiliating game of paintball against the neighborhood punks.
Episode 8: "The Son That Got Away"
Fearing that Connie and Bobby have gone to "The Caves" to make out, Hank and Kahn rush into the caves only to end up getting lost on top of a pile of old beer cans.
Episode 9: "Bobby Slam"
Hank's delighted when Bobby announces he's joining a wrestling team, but Peggy's mortified when she learns her son must first wrestle Connie in order to make the team.
Episode 10: "The Unbearable Blindness of Laying"
Hank is psychologically shocked into blindness after accidentally catching a glimpse of his mother and her new Jewish boyfriend making love on the kitchen table.
Episode 11: "Meet the Manger Babies"
Hank faces a dilemma of biblical proportions when Luanne asks him to portray God in a live broadcast of her puppet show which airs on Super Bowl Sunday.

Episode 12: "Snow Job"
A shaken and confused Hank becomes disillusioned about his life and career after discovering his boss, the owner of Strickland propane, uses an electric stove in his home.
Episode 13: "I Remember Mono"
While updating files at Arlen High School, Peggy learns that Hank's two-week absence from school back in 1973 was due to mono � which fellow student Amy Edlin also had.
Episode 14: "Three Days of the Kahndo"
A trip south of the border turns into a fiasco after a trick Mihn plays on the Hills backfires, sending them sneaking back across the border to escape the Mexican police.
Episode 15: "Traffic Jam"
Inspired by an African-American comic who teaches at the traffic school Hank is attending, Bobby takes his own White Nationalist comedy to a downtown comedy club.
Episode 16: "Hank's Dirty Laundry"
Hank discovers his good credit is in jeopardy because a local video store claims he owes forty dollars for an adult video called Cuffs & Collars which he never returned.

Episode 17: "The Final Shinsult"
Angry at Hank, Cotton not only moves in with Dale but then convinces Dale to help him steal the artificial leg of a famous Mexican general from the Arlen museum.
Episode 18: "Leanne's Saga"
All heck breaks loose when Luanne's mom, Leanne, arrives in Arlen after being released from prison and falls in love with an unsuspecting Bill.
Episode 19: "Junkie Business"
Hank's excitement over hiring a new accessories associate is short-lived after he unknowingly hires a drug addict who hires his own attorney when Hank tries to fire him.
Episode 20: "Life in the Fast Lane, Bobby's Saga"
Realizing that Bobby doesn't understand the value of a dollar, Hank proceeds to get his son a job at the Arlen Speedway � unaware that the owner is a tyrannical taskmaster.
Episode 21: "Peggy's Turtle Song"
When Bobby is diagnosed with attention deficit disorder a distraught Peggy quits her job as a substitute teacher so she can focus her energy on being a better mother.
Episode 22: "Propane Boom � Part 1"
Hank's world falls apart after the local Mega Lo Mart starts selling propane at prices that threaten to put Strickland Propane right out of business.

VIDEO

King Of The Hill: Season 2 is presented in the television aspect ratio of 1.33:1. There is a noticable amount of grain present but Fox has done a nice job with the compression, as there are almost no visible artifacts. The color palette is okay, leaning a tad toward the red side and the black levels are a little bit muddy. This is by far the best this show has ever looked, but you won't be using this as demo material any time soon.

AUDIO

The audio track for this set is a standard Dolby Digital 2.0 surround and, like the video, won't blow your socks off. The soundfield tends to be boxy and front-heavy. Dialouge is clear but confined entirely to the center channel. The rears don't get much of a workout and the subwoofer is rarely used. This is a workmanlike audio experience, but doesn't really disappoint. A spanish 2.0 surround track is also presented.

SUPPLEMENTS

The second season box set contains a variety of supplements that will satisfy any King of the Hill fan's desire for more. Each disc contains character and creator commentaries from selected episodes in addition to deleted and extended scenes. However, the supplemental highlights are the "Animation Evolution" featurette and "The Arlen School of Drawing' tutorial. "Animation Evolution" focuses on one of the more complicated animations from "Texas City Twister" and takes the viewer on a journey that begins with the animated storyboards (animatics) and ends with the final video. The feature also contains a split screen effect that allows the viewer to compare the animatics against the final video. Commentary by co-creator Greg Daniels provides insight into the process and highlights some of the problem-solving and decision-making experienced by the animators. This feature is a treat for anyone whose interest in animation extends beyond the finished product.

"The Arlen School of Drawing" tutorial features lessons on how to draw five characters: Hank Hill, Peggy Hill, Bobby Hill, Luanne Platter and Cotton Hill. Each lesson features commentary by animator Glenn Dion as he illustrates everything from Hank's worry lines to Bobby's belly. Die-hard fans can grab a pencil and follow along, or simply watch in fascination as Dion brings each character to life. Additional supplements include never-before-seen Director's introductions to selected episodes (many still in the animatics phase of development), music videos, and excerpts from Hank's book "The Boy Ain't Right."

THE BOTTOM LINE

The King of the Hill series is already in its eight season and for the show's fans, the second season DVD set is an important addition to any collection. The second season features hilarious episodes ("Husky Bobby", "Jumpin' Crack Bass" and "The Unbearable Blindness of Laying") in addition to a strong collection of supplements. So fire up the grill (propane of course!), crack open an Alamo, grab your friends from the alley, and enjoy.