Hulu's King Of The Hill Reboot Footage Reveals Adult Bobby Hill, And We're Not Ready For This

Animated sitcoms about families have become something of a television mainstay, but no one ever did it quite like "King of the Hill." The Mike Judge series about the Hill family and their neighbors in the fictional blue-collar town of Arlen, Texas is a sweet slice of Americana that delivers heart and humor in equal measure. Watching "King of the Hill" feels like visiting old friends and neighbors, and over the course of the show's 13 seasons it really felt like you got to know everyone in the alley, from sad sack divorcee Bill Dauterive (Stephen Root) across the street from the Hills to their chaotic conspiracy theorist next-door neighbor Dale Gribble (the late great Johnny Hardwick). Now we're going to get a chance to head back to Arlen for the first time in 15 years because of a reboot series on Hulu, and the very first images have been released courtesy of the new opening credits. 

Just hearing the title music again is enough for a pure nostalgia rush, but then we get to see what's become of propane salesman Hank (Judge), his wife Peggy (Kathy Najimy), and their son Bobby (Pamela Adlon) and the rest of the folks from the alley, and it's honestly making me feel more than I anticipated. "King of the Hill" is back and it feels authentic to its roots, so here's hoping the show itself is as perfect as the opening sequence. 

The opening credits of the original series showed the happenings in the alley on a day-to-day basis, and in order to catch us up, the new intro shows what happened in the 15 years between the show's ending in 2010 and now. It looks like the Hill family moved away and they got a new neighbor, Dale ran for mayor of Arlen, ladies man Boomhauer (Judge) seems to have settled down with a wife and child, COVID-19 made things unpleasant, and now the Hills are back, baby! The official synopsis lays it down for us: 

"After years working a propane job in Saudi Arabia to earn their retirement nest egg, Hank and Peggy Hill return to a changed Arlen, Texas to reconnect with old friends Dale, Boomhauer and Bill. Meanwhile, Bobby is living his dream as a chef in Dallas and enjoying his 20s with his former classmates Connie, Joseph and Chane."

While it's honestly kind of wild to imagine Hank and Peggy in Saudi Arabia, having them move away and come back is a great way to re-introduce Arlen and any changes will have to be explained to them just as much as the audience. As a fan who has been watching since they were a child themselves, seeing Bobby all grown up is a really wonderful thing — cartoon kids almost never get to grow up. 

Unfortunately, this return to Arlen also feels somewhat bittersweet, as the voice actors for several characters have died in the years since, including Hardwick (who recorded his lines before passing), Brittany Murphy, who voiced Peggy's niece Luanne, and Tom Petty, who voiced Luanne's husband Lucky. Arlen won't be the same without Luanne and Lucky, but that's kind of like real life, isn't it? 

The new season of "King of the Hill" will premiere on Hulu on August 4, 2025.