“King of the Hill,” the animated sitcom that first ran for thirteen Americana-powered seasons between 1997 and 2010, had a deceptively simple premise. The family at its heart collectively represented the median of their suburban Texas milieu: the middle-aged Hank Hill was an uptight fusspot who clung to old-fashioned virtues; his sparkplug wife, Peggy, balked at being labelled a feminist; and their preteen son, Bobby, searched for alternatives to his parents’ cultural inertia. Hank’s passion for the propane business was mirrored by Bobby’s prop-comedy aspirations—one of many quirks that prompted Hank to mutter, “That boy ain’t right.” But the show was full of sly reminders that it’s easier to spout traditional values than to live by them.

At the time, “King of the Hill” was widely praised

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