Dang it! I love this show and have enjoyed it since its debut back in 1997 when Beavis and Butthead creator Mike Judge first introduced us to the Hill family and residents of Arlen, Texas. It has since become the longest running show for the FOX network behind The Simpsons and deals with the everyday trials and tribulations of the Hill family, Hank, Peggy and son Bobby. The show's success was based on it's ability to allow us to recognize ourselves in these ordinary people and it comes as no surprise that Judge himself is a former resident of the Dallas, Texas suburb of Garland (sound like Arlen to you!?).
The humor was often accurately observational and the characters well written including the hilarious supporting cast of Bill, Boomhauer, Dale and others. The show was also well known having many famous stars doing voices of guest characters and the list is substantial:
Lisa Kudrow, Trace Adkins, Pamela Anderson, Jennifer Aniston, Will Arnett, Tom Arnold, Diedrich Bader, Big Boi, Clint Black, Lisa Hartman Black, Brooks & Dunn, Dennis Burkley, Gary Busey, Drew Carey, Kelly Clarkson, Mo Collins, David Cross, Johnny Depp, Laura Dern, Ani DiFranco, Dale Earnhardt, Shannon Elizabeth, Will Ferrell, Sally Field, Nathan Fillion, John Force, Brendan Fraser, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Paul Giamatti, Vince Gill, Jeff Goldblum, John Goodman, Topher Grace, Green Day, Kirk Hammett, Ed Harris, Phil Hendrie, Dennis Hopper, Michael Keaton, Jamie Kennedy, Kid Rock, Johnny Knoxville, Laura Linney, Lucy Liu, Heather Locklear, Lindsay Lohan, Bernie Mac, Danny Masterson, Rue McClanahan, Matthew McConaughey, Mary Tyler Moore, Mitchel Musso, Willie Nelson, No Doubt, Brad Pitt, Laura Prepon, Brad Renfro, Alan Rickman, John Ritter, Chris Rock, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Dax Shepard, Cybill Shepherd, Gene Simmons, Lane Smith, Robert Smith, Snoop Dogg, Ben Stiller, George Strait, Meryl Streep, Sum 41, Mikey Teutul, Paul Teutul Jr., Paul Teutul Sr., Billy Bob Thornton, Tone Lōc, Randy Travis, Danny Trejo, Jane Wiedlin, Fred Willard, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Amy Hill, Dwight Yoakam, Renee Zellweger and ZZ Top.
But all good things come to an end eventually and on Halloween this year FOX announced that the next and 13th season will be the last. Naturally this won't be the last we see of the Hills and their friends as they are already in ultra-heavy syndicated rotation on a TV near you now. So now is the time to start really appreciating this show if you haven't before and if you want to check out full episodes from the current season click here.
Oh and if you want gauge just how this show has seeped into our consciousness in the Real Time with Bill Maher episode aired on October 24, 2008, Maher compares Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin with Hank's wife ... Perfect!
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