Hey Everybody, Titanaman here with more Black Jacket Reviews!
Today, because I'm such an unbelievable nerd, I will be taking a stab at all the retcons present in the long-running prime-time animated series, King of the Hill. Why? As I stated, I'm a huge nerd and a long-time viewer of the show. These days, whenever I catch an episode, I always notice one or two retcon errors in the show that often create huge series plot holes. Of course, with any animated series, there's going to be a little retcon, however this show was meant to be a pseudo-realistic look at real life, with limitations and gravity and everything, so it's massive breaks from continuity are sometimes too outstanding to ignore. With that said, I give you the major and minor King of the Hill rectons, starting with the episodic plot hole, and ending with the 5 Major retcons which affect the entire series.
KING OF THE HILL: RETCONS
A
Firefighting We Will Go
In this episode, a fireman is seen riding the
side of the truck with Heck Dorland, presumably another volunteer since Dorland
stated the regulars were striking.
Within the episode, the exact same man is seen striking with the other
protesting firefighters, asking civilians to sign a petition.
Night and Deity
Luanne
has her 21st birthday, and three Thanksgivings have passed since she
stated she was 19 years old three seasons ago, meaning her age is
accurate. However, Bobby remains 13 and
doesn’t mention turning 14 until two seasons later.
Hank’s
Back Story
After suffering back problems, Hank is revealed to have a genetically
diminished rear and forced to wear an orthotic, however his rear has never
appeared irregular. In a previous
episode, “Junkie Business,” Maria Montalvo grabbed it firmly and Hank even flexed it at the camera
later on in, “The Incredible Hank.” He
also suffers back problems in the future episode, “Hank’s
Back,” however this time yoga appears to cure him while the orthotic is
never mentioned.
Hank’s
Bad Hair Day
The barber unit at Bill’s army base is revoked in this episode,
however in the end the army secretly keeps him barbering in a hidden room. However, in future seasons, not only does Bill
mention working at the official barber station, but he is clearly seen working in
said location in the episodes “Tankin’ It to the Streets” and “Bill,
Bulk and Body Buddies,” the latter depicting him cutting hair with other army barbers.
Yankee
Hankee
Cotton’s war buddy, “Topsy,” makes his first appearance, though he
looks exactly like another war buddy named Irwin Linker, who was introduced in
a previous episode, “Cotton’s Plot.” Linker also has a different
appearance in this episode, as well as the episode, “Unfortunate
Son,” which debuted some time after, “Cotton’s Plot.”
Hall-of-Flame
Episode (OFFICIAL TITLE TOO LONG)
Hank’s boss, Buck Strickland, meets his bastard son, Ray-Roy, for the
first time, even though he’s mentioned him by name in the past. Moreover, he hesitates and cannot remember
whether his name is Ray or Roy this episode, as well as mentions his mother
refusing the two to meet before.
However, in a previous season episode, “Blood and Sauce,” he refers to
his bastard son immediately as Ray-Roy with no hesitation, and mentions
conflict with him.
Bill’s
House
Peggy admits she cannot ride a
bicycle, and fails to learn even after Bobby attempts to teach her. However, in a previous episode, “Goodbye
Normal Jeans,” she steals a turkey in her robe and slippers, gets on Bobby’s bike, and
rides them both through town. Not only
could she ride a bike, but she could apparently ride under extreme duress.
Blood
and Sauce
Bill is seen receiving a food delivery from a truck labeled “Larsen
Pig Products,” the primary pork processing company in Arlen as established in
the previous episode, “Pigmalion.” However, in that episode the
company was called “Larsen Pork Products.”
The
Honeymooners
Hank’s mom proves to be a proficient driver of an enormous RV when
she drives through rough terrain to save Hank and her boyfriend at the end. However, in a previous episode, “Escape
from Party Island,” she can barely drive a van across the state.
Born
Again on the Fourth of July
Heck Dorland
makes his last appearance in the series.
Heck looks completely different from his previous appearance in the
episode, “A Firefighting We Will Go,” in age, hair, and build.
Khan states
that the Milton Street “4th of July” decorations have beaten their
street’s 7 years in a row. This means
Khan and family have lived in the neighborhood at least 7 years, yet Connie, Bobby,
and Joseph have not aged.
Cops
and Robert
The safety patrol officer at Tom Landry Middle School is a disgraced former
police officer. However, in a previous episode,
“Phish and Wildlife,” he was originally stationed as a park ranger.
Lady
and Gentrification
Enrique has a birthday for his teenage daughter, Inez, though in a
previous episode, “Enrique-cilable Differences,” he tells Hank that the kids have left the
house and nothing feels the same.
The
Accidental Terrorist
Hank has apparently purchased at least three cars from the same
salesman, Tom Hammond, for twenty-five years.
However, in a previous episode, “Chasing Bobby,” Hank’s
original truck, one he claimed to have taken care of for many years, was
destroyed. He later buys a new one from
Pick-Up Truck Heaven, but not from Hammond.
Raise
the Steaks
Appleseed, a hippie character, apparently has history with Hank. However, he first met Hank and Bobby in the
episode, “Phish and Wildlife,” and was not only seen as a nuisance, but
never seen or heard of after his first appearance.
serPUNt
A python escapes into the city sewer through
Hank’s toilet, causing everyone in Arlen to panic. However, in a previous episode, “Not
in My Back Hoe,” Hank states where the septic tank for his home is apparently
located.
A
Rover Runs Through It
Peggy’s mother appears as a slim, fit, masculine woman, however in a
previous episode, “I Remember Mono,” she was a short, stocky elderly woman. Moreover, her elderly form more closely
resembles an older version of Peggy in previous flashbacks of the episodes, “Square
Peg,” “I Remember Mono,” and “Peggy’s Magic Sex Feet.”
George
S. Patton Toilet Episode
Cotton leaves Hank his ashes and a list of
last wishes, the latter instructing the former to be flushed down the toilet in
a bar where General Patton used the restroom.
However, in a previous episode, “Cotton’s Plot,” Cotton
desperately tries to reserve a burial plot at the Texas State Cemetery,
eventually receiving one.
Life: A Loser’s Manual
Throughout the series the family claims Luanne’s father,
Hoyt, is hiding out on a coastal oil rig out of fear of his ex-wife, Leanne,
and swears he won’t come ashore until she is dead. He is presumably a decent individual, however
in this episode he is revealed to be an ex-con serving in prison the whole
time. However, at the end of the episode,
“Happy Hank’s Giving,” Peggy reports her brother has visited the Platters
and gone back to the rig.
Luanne’s father states that this is the first time
he’s seen her since she was 5 years old, however, in the series pilot Luanne is
introduced as an 18 year-old dropped off at the Hill’s, stating she witnessed
her father getting stabbed by her mother.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
SERIES RETCONS: The Biggest Retcons of the Series
1. Boomhauer
is a cop.
Boomhauer is revealed to be a
Texas Ranger in the series finale, but has clearly participated with or
observed illegal activities involving both friends and enemies during the
course of the series and never once intervened.
If he had flexed any authority, several series plotlines would have been
resolved early. Probably the most
glaring example of this is in the episode, “High Anxiety,” when the
Texas Rangers are called in to solve the murder of Debbie Grund. Boomhauer is nowhere to be seen during the
investigation, even though he lives in the same town and knows the victim’s
acquaintances.
2. Arlen
kids are ageless.
No matter how many weeks,
months, and even years go by, Bobby remains thirteen years old in middle
school, even though there are three Christmas episodes after he turns thirteen
in season five and before season twelve.
In the twelfth season episode, “Lady and Gentrification,” Bobby
reminds people that his 14th birthday is coming up, but by that time
he should already have been at least two years older, 15, and attending High
School. Presumably, all of the kids in
the series that attend Bobby’s school remain the same as well, and while this
is a common retcon in animated series’ it raises too many questions to ignore.
3. Peggy’s
original home.
Peggy claims to be born and
raised in Montana throughout the series, and we eventually see her childhood
home in the episode, “A Rover Runs Through It,” where Peggy’s mother runs a large ranch and
claims Peggy left it for Texas.
Moreover, the Hills attempt to travel to Montana to visit the Platters
in a previous episode, “Happy Hank’s Giving.”
However, in several season-one episodes, such as, “I
Remember Mono,” she flashes back to her childhood and teenage years with her mother
in Arlen. Both are apparently Texas
residents who live near a young Hank Hill, however in later seasons she claims
to have spent her whole young life in Montana.
4. Laoma’s
disappearance.
Khan’s mother, Laoma, leaves
the show after her debut episode, “Maid in Arlen,” and her disappearance is
never explained. Despite the fact that she
gets together with Bill at the end of this episode, she is never seen again. Even though Bill refers to her in the immediate
next episode as his girlfriend, she is never seen on screen. Later on, in the episode, “Bystand Me,” Laoma
is heard talking to Minh over the phone, but with no reference of her
relationship with Bill ever ending. Bill
continues hopelessly searching for women throughout the series and has several
love interests, however he never again mentions Laoma to anyone, despite the
fact that he constantly shares his love life with anyone and everyone.
5. Donna
From Accounting.
Donna from accounting has been referenced
working for Strickland Propane throughout the entire series. She makes her first real appearance in the
episode, “Meet the Propaniacs,” where she is a tall, heavy-set, dark-skinned
woman (possibly black). This Donna never
appears again, however Buck at one point mentions firing her for stealing from
work in the episode, “Are You There God?
It’s Me Margaret Hill,” and makes mention of her as his mistress. Later on in the series, we see Strickland
Propane and its workers a lot more often, usually with the primary cast of
Strickland employees: Joe Jack, Enrique, and Donna from accounting. Around season eight, Donna starts regularly appearing
in episodes starting with, “That’s What She Said,” however now she is a
short, white woman. Either Buck hired
another Donna off screen, or Donna has inexplicably changed her race and body.
on Monday, 19 March 2012
in Misc Reviews
