King of the Hill/Church Hopping

Church Hopping
Season 10, Episode 11
Airdate	April 9, 2006
Production Number	9ABE22
Written by	Jim Dauterive
Directed by	Robin Brigstocke
← 10x10 Hank Fixes Everything	10x12 → 24 Hour Propane People
King of the Hill — Season Ten

Church Hopping is the eleventh episode of the tenth season of King of the Hill, and the one hundred ninety-seventh episode overall.

Starring: Mike Judge (Hank Hill), Kathy Najimy (Peggy Hill), Pamela S. Adlon (Bobby Hill, Mrs. Smith, Donna), Brittany Murphy (Luanne Platter), Johnny Hardwick (Dale Gribble), Stephen Root (Bill Dauterive, Buck Strickland, Announcer)

and Toby Huss (Joe Jack)

Special Guest Voice: Antwan Patton (Reverend Nealey)

Special Guest Voice: Tom Petty (Lucky)

Also Starring: Ashley Gardner (Reverend Stroup), David Herman (Mr. Smith, Bryce Carmody), Sal Lopez (Hispanic Priest), Danny Trejo (Enrique)

Plot Overview

After having a dispute with Reverend Stroup over losing their regular seats to a new family, Hank shops around for a new church and lands on a megachurch that seems heaven sent. However, it's not long before it become too exhausting.

Notes

Stinger Quote

(pager vibrating)
(Hank groans)

Seen, But Not Heard

• Boomhauer

Music

• Hank Williams, Jr. - "All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight"

• Player - "Baby Come Back"

Arc Advancement

Characters

• Buck is seen still a devout churchgoer well after the events of "The Good Buck".

• Bill mentions hugging Reverend Stroup and lingering, but wasn't rebuffed.

Trivia

Allusions and References

• When the Hills open the one church door, we hear everyone singing "Day by Day". While this is a hymn based on a prayer attributed to St Richard of Chichester, the version heard is from Stephen Schwartz's 1971 musical Godspell.

• While never explicit, it's obvious the movie the Hills watch at church is the controversial Mel Gibson film The Passion of the Christ.

Memorable Moments

• Hank trying to keep up in Enrique's Spanish speaking church.

• The Hills approach one church, opens its doors and hears "Day by Day" being played and immediately turn and walk away.

Quotes

• Hank: Reverend Stroup acted like that new family owned the place.

Dale: That's silly, Hank. Everybody knows our church is owned by General Electric himself.

• Peggy: They have their very own coffee shop, florist, mini-mart, bank, and a dry cleaner that accepts all competitors' coupons.

Hank: If I wanted to go that route, I could just walk around the mall and think about Jesus.

• Peggy: It is time to try the megachurch. You know, the preacher used to be a quarterback for the Texas Longhorns.

Hank: Yeah, and I still don't want to go. That ought to tell you something.

Peggy: Fine, we won't go to any church. You and I and our son will live the barren, empty lives of secular humanists.

Bobby: Dad!

• Hank: Well, I guess I can understand buying coffee in church, but do you really think Jesus recommends Nat King Cole?

• Reverend Stroup: Hank, it's times like these I like to ask myself, "What would Jesus do?" And you know what He'd do, Hank? He would grow up.

• Dale: What's that alien transponder-like device?

Hank: Bryce Carmody, the new member honcho, is a manager at Rattlers Steakhouse. He gives 'em out to church members. It vibrates and lights up whenever there's important church news.

Bill: It's like being paged by God without being killed.

• Reverend Nealey: Thank you, Peggy. You are a gift straight from Heaven.

Peggy: I really am.

• Peggy: Sign here, here, here, and here.

Reverend Nealey: Um, Peggy, I'm on the phone.

Peggy: Oh. Oh, sorry. (whispering) Sign here, here, here, and here.

• Luanne: Lucky! Where have you been? I was going to call the police, but I don't know your last name.

• Luanne: If you don't go to church, you'll go to Hell!

Hank: You don't think Lucky's going to Hell, do you?

Luanne: Lucky is true to his faith. You are a apostate. It's a Bible-study word for "you'll go to Hell."