King of the Hill is back with new episodes for the first time in 15 years. The adult animated sitcom first premiered in 1997 and follows the Hill family as they try to navigate a constantly changing world from their home of Arlon, Texas.
“Instead of just like being like, ‘Let’s do a reboot or a revival,’ I think they’re much more thoughtful than that,” says Pamela Adlon, who voices Bobby, the son of Hank and Peggy Hill.
Season 14 of King of the Hill picks up several years after we last saw the Hill family, with Hank and Peggy returning from a trip to Saudi Arabia and Bobby becoming a chef at a German-Japanese fusion restaurant. Adlon says the creative team was a mix of new writers and veterans from the show’s original run.
“So you’ve got all, like, the good vintage OG King of the Hill juice happening in the show, and then you’ve got the new, fresh perspective,” she tells ABC Audio.
Adlon says King of the Hill has always been a very grounded show, with this season referencing current events like the COVID-19 pandemic. Unlike other animated sitcoms, characters on King of the Hill age, which Adlon says informed her vocal performance.
“Instead of like, you know, pitching it down in the studio or doing something like that — it was something I that I did subtly and was able to give that kind of OG Bobby,” she says.
Adlon says despite the prominence of conservative characters on the show, the politics of King of the Hill are far more nuanced than simply pitting Republicans against Democrats.
“It’s a good mirror for where we are. … You don’t want people to tell you you’re right or wrong. You just want people to show you how funny both sides are,” says Adlon.
Season 14 of King of the Hill is now streaming on Hulu.
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