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[–] [S] 14 points 5 months ago (4 children)

The season 14 revival of the show was actually decent.

spoilerIn one episode, Hank's teen-aged half-brother invites him to attend one of the new 'alpha male' right wing training camps. The camp leader is a satire of Andrew Tate. Hank naively agrees to attend the retreat, believing that it will teach traditional conservative value, similar to boy scouts. Hank does not like the 'alpha male' camp. He tells the camp something like that they have toxic masculinity because they are insecure and misogynistic. He makes the brother leave the camp. Hank decides that the proper way to teach his half-brother to be masculine is by helping him restore an old car.

The political commentary is interesting and contemporary, without feeling forced or exaggerated. Hank is a flawed character; he rejects extreme right wing politics but still is a conservative himself. The show has felt like it presents a good-right-winger vs bad-right-winger dynamic, for many seasons.

I like that season 14 ended on a cliffhanger. This is a trope that the show has followed since the beginning. I believe that they did this so that they can secure funding for the next season due to demand. The finale of Season 2 (1998) also had a massive cliffhanger ending, the same for Season 3. This detail makes me feel like the show is returning to its roots.

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  • [–] 10 points 5 months ago

    Nice! I actually enjoyed this last season a lot more than I thought I would.

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  • [–] 7 points 5 months ago (5 children)

    Of shows like this

    I know my dad likes/liked Futurama and The Simpsons

    I've always wondered why he didn't like king of the hill

    does anyone have an idea

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  • [–] 8 points 5 months ago* (1 child)

    I was that way when I was younger, I love it now, but for me King of the Hill was too "serious" or realistic, it's less absurd than other similar shows like the Simpsons, the plots are usually more like something that could happen to real people, and the comedy style is drier/more subtle. I have friends who never really got into it when it was newer because of that.

    Also having family from the southern/midwest US there are aspects of the characters that tie into cultural tropes that if you aren't familiar with wouldn't appreciate as much, whereas Simpsons and Futurama have less specific references to US culture more based on Hollywood and political history of the US. For example my grandma who was born in Nebraska and has lived around the south most her life loves King of the Hill after getting into it not too long ago and isn't so much into The Simpsons.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    King of the Hill is a lot more steeped in US culture. For example, Dale Gribble is pretty much an archetypal right-wing conspiracy nut, to quote one of the writers. The right-wing conspiracy nut is a particular US character, and his version is the 90s version that is pro-gun, obsessed with UFOs, thinks the government is spying on him, and gets away with paying taxes to stick it to the Man. They got politicized through Ruby Ridge and Waco. If you're familiar with the X-Files or Deus Ex, they are a good intro into the mindspace of the average conspiracy theorist from the 90s albeit with far less racism.

    Modern right-wing conspiracy theorist is Qanon/Alex Jones bullshit. It's a pretty different vibe from the 90s version that Dale represents. His modern counterpart is like sovereign citizens.

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  • [–] 3 points 5 months ago

    Modern right-wing conspiracy theorist is Qanon/Alex Jones bullshit. It's a pretty different vibe from the 90s version that Dale represents

    And it also seems like every modern right winger is the same as Alex Jones, with degrees of slight difference but they all believe a neo Marxist Islamic cabal is responsible for " destroying " the west.

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  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago

    Hell yeah! My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed bingeing season 14 last year

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