This episode is so good, I'm surprised they got away with writing it.
I find it pleasingly ironic what King of the Hill chose to ridicule in this episode: namely the tactics of off-color, simple-minded, unrelenting and--above all--zero-talent humor that seems to tickle the funny bone of so much of America. And no character or television show could have done it better.
The newest employee of Strickland Propane, Rich (Ben Stiller), is a riot. He's hilarious. At least, that's how everyone except priggish Hank perceives him. As it turns out, Rich's brand of humor is of the "ground-breaking," "edgy" variety. He's opened everyone's eyes to the uproariously funny, clever, and new opportunities for much of Hank's favorite business vocabulary: "meat," "buns," "unit," etc., but Hank just can't approach these new comedic horizons. It soon becomes such a nuisance for straitlaced prude Hank, that to stop it he seems ready to make it known that Rich's harmless ribbing is "male on male sexual harassment" in the workplace--certainly an uncomfortable situation for assistant manager Hank.
...The above description is perhaps the synopsis of this episode from countless viewers, perhaps even fans of the show...
But in the world of King of the Hill and Hank Hill, what Hank feels is (generally) what we feel. His opinions are (generally) our opinions. But if they are not, and we are fans of the show, then we still have "mad respect and love" for the way Hank sees things and deals with them because, after all, he's such a nice guy.
So when Hank is made extremely uncomfortable by the constant, lowbrow, markedly unfunny comments of a hopelessly immature Rich, we applaud his action on the matter. (Or at least respect it, and Hank's reason for doing what he does.) I liked this episode a lot. But in the end, I think one's appreciation for the outcome of this particular episode is inversely proportionate to how titillated and amused one is by Rich's brand of humor. Hank wasn't amused by it at all, and neither was I. Nor will I ever be. That's why I love this show. Good for you, Hank. Go get 'em. 10 out of 10.
I find it pleasingly ironic what King of the Hill chose to ridicule in this episode: namely the tactics of off-color, simple-minded, unrelenting and--above all--zero-talent humor that seems to tickle the funny bone of so much of America. And no character or television show could have done it better.
The newest employee of Strickland Propane, Rich (Ben Stiller), is a riot. He's hilarious. At least, that's how everyone except priggish Hank perceives him. As it turns out, Rich's brand of humor is of the "ground-breaking," "edgy" variety. He's opened everyone's eyes to the uproariously funny, clever, and new opportunities for much of Hank's favorite business vocabulary: "meat," "buns," "unit," etc., but Hank just can't approach these new comedic horizons. It soon becomes such a nuisance for straitlaced prude Hank, that to stop it he seems ready to make it known that Rich's harmless ribbing is "male on male sexual harassment" in the workplace--certainly an uncomfortable situation for assistant manager Hank.
...The above description is perhaps the synopsis of this episode from countless viewers, perhaps even fans of the show...
But in the world of King of the Hill and Hank Hill, what Hank feels is (generally) what we feel. His opinions are (generally) our opinions. But if they are not, and we are fans of the show, then we still have "mad respect and love" for the way Hank sees things and deals with them because, after all, he's such a nice guy.
So when Hank is made extremely uncomfortable by the constant, lowbrow, markedly unfunny comments of a hopelessly immature Rich, we applaud his action on the matter. (Or at least respect it, and Hank's reason for doing what he does.) I liked this episode a lot. But in the end, I think one's appreciation for the outcome of this particular episode is inversely proportionate to how titillated and amused one is by Rich's brand of humor. Hank wasn't amused by it at all, and neither was I. Nor will I ever be. That's why I love this show. Good for you, Hank. Go get 'em. 10 out of 10.
