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Arlen, Texas, is in its glory. "King of the Hill" returned to Hulu on July 20 with its second season since the animated comedy's 2025 revival, and critics are already calling it the strongest batch of episodes the show has produced in years.
All 10 episodes of Season 15 dropped simultaneously, picking up with Hank (Mike Judge) and Peggy Hill (Kathy Najimy) settling into retirement on Rainey Street while their now-twentysomething son Bobby (Pamela Adlon) navigates old friendships and the stress of running his own restaurant. Kathy Najimy, Stephen Root and Lauren Tom all returned to voice their original characters, joined by Toby Huss, who has taken over as Dale Dauterive following the death of original voice actor Johnny Hardwick.
The reviews have been close to unanimous. The new season debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a Tomatometer score of 100 percent, edging out Season 14's already impressive 98 percent Certified Fresh rating. One critic went so far as to call it one of the best television revivals ever produced. Another reviewer, writing for Rotten Tomatoes, described the show as settling back into itself "like a farmhouse after a thunderstorm," praising it as a distinctly memorable reflection on American life nearly 270 episodes into its run.
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Much of that praise has centered on the finale, titled "Propane Recall," which finally answers a question that's lingered since the revival began: why Hank and Peggy moved to Saudi Arabia in the first place. The episode unfolds through an extended flashback, filling in eight years of backstory while bringing Hank full circle with his old employer, Strickland Propane. By the episode's end, Hank has taken over as the company's new owner, a status quo shift showrunner Saladin K. Patterson has said will shape where Season 16 goes next.
That revival could have gone poorly. The original series aired on Fox from 1997 to 2010 before Hulu revived it 15 years later, a gap long enough that many revivals would stumble trying to recapture their old chemistry. Season 14 largely earned praise for reintroducing longtime fans to an older, wiser Hank and company, but some reviewers noted it played things safe. Season 15, by contrast, has been credited with fully committing to the bit, tackling modern issues like the loneliness epidemic while keeping the show's dry, deadpan humor intact.
Hulu has already committed to the show's future, having renewed "King of the Hill" for Seasons 16 and 17 back in October. Patterson has said writing on Season 16 is already complete, meaning Arlen's residents aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
