King of the Hill is one of the few TV reboots that gets it right, and these three episodes prove it

King of the Hill season 14 is finally here, and baby, we're back. We're so back. The new season of King of the Hill is one of the rare reboots of a classic TV series that manages to live up to the beloved original. And while I'm not ready to update my list of the best King of the Hill episodes just yet, there are three episodes in season 14 that live up to the legacy of the show's best moments.

With King of the Hill season 14 now streaming on Hulu, you better believe I've been binge-watching it. And true to my love of rewatching the original seasons, I've found myself rewatching episodes of the new season multiple times. The original King of the Hill thrived on watching Hank Hill and his family come closer together while also learning to understand each other – and the world around them – with more compassion.

I'm happy to say that while the new season has a few jokes that don't quite land and a few bits that feel slightly out of place, King of the Hill season 14 recaptures that sense of warmth and hilarity, and these three episodes prove it.

3. No Hank Left Behind (Season 14, Episode 9)

My first pick is this late-season episode in which Hank tries to bond with his much younger brother, Good Hank, by taking him to an "alpha male" style boot camp that promises to train young men to take power for themselves and make a lot of money. Of course, it's all a misogynist grift, with the program's founder (a spot-on caricature of a certain notorious influencer) using a false message of love and respect between men as a gateway to denigrate women.

Hank has a typically negative reaction to the nonsense, showing GH a much more respectful and compassionate form of masculinity. In the end, the episode winds up being the series' first big bonding moment between Hank and his baby brother, and it's perfectly illustrative of why Hank Hill is a truly good person whose sincerity and integrity wind up rubbing off on others in ultimately positive ways.

2. New Ref in Town (Season 14, Episode 5)

'New Ref in Town' winds up proving to be the show's best mission statement on exactly how the new Hank Hill fits back into Arlen. It also encapsulates how the show's dynamic has flipped somewhat, with Hank now challenging the social norms of a less evolved Arlen. It all comes down to Hank and Peggy's time living and working in Saudi Arabia (or as Peggy pronounces it, "saw-die a-ray-bee-eye"), where Hank developed a totally uncharacteristic love of soccer, a sport he traditionally hates so much that an entire episode of the original series centered on it.

Here, Hank finds himself taking on the role of Arlen's new soccer ref, prompting some of Dale's usual self-aggrandizing shenanigans in what winds up being a perfect send-off for Dale's late voice actor Johnny Hardwick (replaced in some of this season's episodes by veteran King of the Hill voice actor Toby Huss). It also features a lovely moment for the late Jonathan Joss' John Redcorn.

1. Any Given Hill Day (Season 14, Episode 7)

This episode is pound-for-pound my favorite episode of King of the Hill season 14, thanks in large part to the bonding between Hank and Bobby. The story centers on Bobby's new hippie girlfriend Willow joining the pair at the Dallas Cowboys football fantasy camp, only to surprise them by showing off her incredible skills at the game.

Despite Hank and Bobby displaying their own talent and chemistry on the field and finding common ground as father and son in the process, Hank and Willow start to leave Bobby in the lurch due to their shared love of football. What follows next however, is a callback to the most absurdly funny moments of the original King of the Hill, with Willow doing something so weird and heinous that Bobby and Hank ditch her to hang out together. At the same time, Peggy gets her best story in the episode's b-plot, making 'Any Given Hill Day' an all-around winner.

All 10 episodes of King of the Hill season 14 are now streaming, so be sure to check out our King of the Hill season 14 review next. For more, check out our list of the best new TV shows coming your way in 2025 and beyond.