Is "King of The Hill" conservative propaganda?

[armyowalgreens]

I've been watching this show for years. But I just now realized that it kind of sends the wrong message on a lot of issues.

It doesn't seem to directly attack any progressive position. But it implies a lot of things.

Anyone else notice this?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

1. Oh, good gravy. n/t

[omega minimo]

20. :rofl:

[rwheeler31]

2. It is strange, Family Guy is much better.

[ingac70]

3. They are suppose to be Texas rednecks.

My favorite was when Hank said Chief Justice Warren was the first woman on the Supreme Court.

That show shows the mentality of alot of Southerners. Reminds me of people I know (I'm Southern).

[Bill219]

19. I liked the episode with Ann Richards

It's one of my favorites

[aquart]

39. Did she do another one, also?

[Warpy]

4. Lighten up, willya?

It's a satirical but friendly take on the people the series author grew up with, men's men who are lawn care crazy, people who think they're a lot more competent than they really are, and people who go around in a haze of self delusion that helps them cope with a life well beyond their ability to understand.

Middle America is shown, warts and all, but the series never stoops to hating any of them. In fact, the series is downright affectionate even as it's providing us with laughs at their expense.

[armyowalgreens]

17. hmmm I guess that makes sense. I never knew that Judge based this on his experience.

[dmr]

23. Yea, I read that he goes back there every year just to keep up with

whatever it is to keep up with. I also hear they canceled the show to make more room for other newer toons. Personally I think that's a mistake because I enjoy Dale, Hank, Bobby and of course overly confident Peggy making her SpaPeggy.

I think the poster you responded to described it very well.

[AllenVanAllen]

29. I think you described it very well.

I'm glad they are airing it on Adult Swim. It's kinda' funny living here in the Texan suburbs I had a neighbor who was a real life Hank Hill. Under all of his conservative conditioning he was a really good guy with a really good heart and definitely a good neighbor.

[Jennicut]

5. Mike Judge based it on his upbringing in Texas

I like how the son is totally not into anything the Dad is into.
I think it is a caricature of what life is like growing up in the South.

[eShirl]

6. no. n/t

[dorkulon]

7. Yeah, it kinda is. Besides which it just isn't funny. nt

[CreekDog]

18. remember the episode where Hank hopes Bobby will like Nascar

then Bobby decides he likes Jeff Gordon instead of Dale Earnhardt and calls him "dreamy"

the anguish on Hank's face and in his voice.

[rucky]

49. one of the funniest scenes ever on TV was from KOTH:

Hank tries to fix a dooknob. he pulls out a can of WD-40, but can't get the cap off. So he pulls out a small can of WD-40 from his tool belt, sprays it on the big can of WD-40, takes off the cap and fixes the doorknob.

[xfundy]

8. Yes it is. Just like Colbert.

Freak out over nonsense much?

[armyowalgreens]

9. Who says I'm freaking out? I said I have watched the show for years.

[CreekDog]

10. Whoosh

[aquart]

11. So you missed the episode where Hank shook Bush's hand?

Hank, btw, is a good bedrock Republican and he was so pleased to shake the hand of the man he was voting for for President....except the hand was limp and damp. And Hank came away filled with secret horror he was unable to share.

[armyowalgreens]

16. Actually, I think I remember that episode.

[proud patriot]

44. LOL .. I missed that one ..LOL

[REP]

12. Been a fan since you were 7, eh?

Wow, your posts just get more and more unbelievable!

[armyowalgreens]

15. huh?

[REP]

34. It's been on for 12 years.

[armyowalgreens]

37. And I said that I've been watching it for years. Not 12 years.

I've probably watched it off and on since I was 14 or 15.

[Bicoastal]

13. No, and I'd suggest you stop looking at every single fucking thing...

...in terms of the political.

[Jackpine Radical]

14. Was All in the Family propaganda? And if so, dfor whom?

Those deeply embedded in a position aren't likely to notice when they are being had.

[misanthrope]

36. It WAS propaganda, but not in the sense most thought...

...as it showed both sides of the political divide in unflattering light while Edith subliminally revealed its more, well, "humanist" undercurrent.

[omega minimo]

21. Child, you need some schoolin'

A little Sardonomy

followed by some Trickonometry

and a smoke break with George Carlin

[Rowdyboy]

22. Light. en. up.......

Please, its "King of the Hill"

That boy ain't right.....

[Libertas1776]

24. After watching the

show since the beginning, you really get to appreciate a show like King of the Hill. In fact, Hank Hill is probably one of my most favorite characters on television. He is just old fashioned, actually honest, conservative, hard working, Middle American, propane selling family man, who does his best to be tolerant and accepting in a very changing world. Like a real hard working American who actually cares about small business, he greatly despises the local Mega Lo Mart (aka: Wal-Mart) He dreamily yearns for the days of the Reagan presidency (which I just find hilarious) but also hold great respect for old school Dems like LBJ (his dog is named Lady Bird, by the way) and even the former Governor of Texas, the late Anne Richards, who guest starred in one episode.

He also suffers from great naivete in his too traditional way of thinking. In one episode, Hank passes over a highly qualified Latina woman, fearing that he would be too attracted to her, for a young man who like the Dallas Cowboys. Of course, it turns out he is a raving, useless drug addict. It is through episodes like these that traditional conservative Hank learns a lesson or two. In the end, his character ends up pointing out the idiocies of his own character and many conservative ways of thinking. But I also love how King of the Hill can point out the many idiocies from more liberal people as well. It really is an equal opportunity offender.

Also, not to mention the fact that Kathy Najimy (the voice of Peggy) is a flaming liberal feminist, as far as I know. And Mike Judge created one of the best, most underrated satires ever, Idiocracy.
Anyway, whenever I watch the show and hear these supposed messages, they always come across at me as satirical or sarcastic, and I just get a really good laugh. Sometimes, there is even an actual nugget of truth to be found.

(Although I will say that with its last season coming around, I have to say the show has really gone downhill plot wise, and I can't stand that character Lucky. Oh well, all good things must come to an end. Hopefully the eventual finale will be a good one.)



Hank Hill...wise American sage, mm-hmm.

And sometimes a pimp

[proteus_lives]

25. Hank Hill is actually quite liberal.

And so is the rest of the show.

"I've been watching this show for years. But I just now realized that it kind of sends the wrong message on a lot of issues.

It doesn't seem to directly attack any progressive position. But it implies a lot of things."

Please provide examples for your claims.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

47. Definitely a Democrat. His dog's name is Ladybird. :)

[Vickers]

26. You don't *get* it.

You think you do, but you don't.

It's OK, yer young. There's hope.

[Morning Dew]

27. Let go of my purse. I don't know you!

[MichaelHarris]

28. I

killed fitty men

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

30. I love KOTH and The Goode Family too

I have met Mike Judge, I know nothing of his politics but everything he does is genius.

The Goode Family is one of the best things on TV since "The Critic"

[proteus_lives]

38. Oh, I loved The Critic.

Gone before its time.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

31. Think about Dale the gun nut.

He's always talking about conspiracies.

And they all think women come from another planet and are not human. LuAnn was talking about menstruating and Hank really really really freaked out over that "girl stuff".

[armyowalgreens]

32. Whoa. I did not realize that mike judge did Idiocracy.

[Edweird]

41. And "office space" and of course, "Beavis and Butthead".

[Echo In Light]

42. If I recall, the Hank character began on B&B: "Damn hippie clerk!"

[Echo In Light]

43. Here ya go...

The original Hank:

[Edweird]

50. So many awesome characters.

I LOVE that show.

[proud patriot]

33. I really like King of the hill

makes me laugh .. the dudes start out all tough and then
learn lessons the hard way . The son tests gender stereotypes
constantly .

[Joe the Liberal]

35. Lol not at all, I love that show, been watching it since the beginning....

The first season is my favorite, a lot of the earlier episodes are great and the show as a whole is hilarious in it's own unique way.

[MADem]

40. It's a cartoon. If you want to analyze it, what it does is promote

progressive ideas in a manner that's palatable to mostly red staters who tend to live in places that tout the conservative mindset.

At the end of the day, though, it's a cartoon. If you don't like it, vote with your remote.

[Echo In Light]

45. B&B spawned another character who had her own series: DARIA!

....and quite preferable to KOTH, in my estimation

"Next on...

[rucky]

46. As much as the Colbert Report is.

Satire, dude.

[Iris]

48. No, but it does a nice job at poking fun of conservative propaganda

[DailyGrind51]

51. More parody than paragon with KOTH.

[TexasObserver]

52. No, it's not. King of the Hill is a decent comedy cartoon.

Was "All in the Family" conservative propaganda?

It's the story of a very tight assed Texan who lives in a town of modest size, where it is heavily impacted by Meglo Mart (Walmart), where it is caught in the events of a variety of its citizens.

I don't see its stories as particularly conservative. For example, Hank gets a haircut from his army neighbor and says he'll pay for it. He gets a bill from the Army for almost $1000. That's about wasteful spending in the military.

It's mainly about family dynamics.

[reflection]

53. No. It's just comedy.

The ox getting gored changes from episode to episode.

[SeriousEbony]

54. Not only that, have you seen the US Army in the closing credits?

It's there! Word has it that too many hours of watching KOTH, you will begin to mumble like Boomhauer.

[fishwax]

55. not propaganda, no, though occasionally conservative

[a la izquierda]

56. The dog's name is LadyBird.

Come on...Hank loves that dog more than he loves Bobby. How conservative can the show be??

And don't worry, the show's not having any more new episodes.