King of the Hill/Shins of the Father

Shins of the Father
Season 1, Episode 8
Airdate	March 23, 1997
Production Number	4E08
Written by	Alan R. Cohen & Alan Freedland
Directed by	Martin Archer Jr.
← 1x07 Westie Side Story	1x09 → Peggy the Boggle Champ
King of the Hill — Season One

Shins of the Father is the eighth episode of the first season of King of the Hill.

Starring: Mike Judge (Hank Hill, Boomhauer, Dooley), Kathy Najimy (Peggy Hill, Partygoer), Pamela Segall (Bobby Hill), Brittany Murphy (Luanne Platter, Joseph Gribble)

and Johnny Hardwick (Dale Gribble)

Also Starring: Ashley Gardner (Nancy Gribble, Didi Hill), Toby Huss (Cotton Hill, Kahn Souphanousinphone), Lauren Tom (Minh and Connie Souphanousinphone)

Uncredited: Stephen Root (Bill Dauterive, Customer)

Plot Overview

Bobby's grandfather, Cotton, visits for his birthday, much to Peggy's frustration. Hank is forced to face his father's misogynist nature when it begins to rub off on Bobby.

Arc Advancement

Characters

• It's revealed that Cotton lost his shins in World War II and had his feet sown to his knees, leading his short stature.

• Cotton married his nurse who, at 39, is young enough to have gone to kindergarten with Hank.

• Cotton is shown to be a sexist. Hank shows respect and adoration for his father, despite this, choosing to ignore the worst of him, despite often being belittled by him.

• Hank's still unseen and not-yet-named mother left Cotton.

• Bobby says he wants to become a prop comic and shows a penchant for comedy.

• We once again see that Luanne appears to have some fairly good mechanical know-how.

Referbacks

• Kahn has to remind the guys, as he did in "Westie Side Story", that he is Laotian; not Japanese.

Trivia

The Show

• This marks the first formal appearance of Cotton Hill. Until this point, the character had only been seen in flashbacks and Peggy's nightmare.

Goofs

• In the overhead shot of the food fight, all the students (save for one) are wearing the exact same three different clothing styles.

Quotes

• Cotton: Look at here, Hank. What'cha think of your mama's new ta-tas?

Hank: She is not my mother! Hell, we went to kindergarten together!

Didi: Hey, Hank. Do you still like finger-painting?

• Peggy: Good grief, Cotton! You gave him a loaded shotgun?

Cotton: Well, you don't give a toy without batteries.

• Hank: Well, Bobby and I both want him to stay. So that means you're outvoted.

Peggy: Oh, yeah? Well, Luanne hates him, too. That means we're even.

Hank: Well, Jesus loves him. So I win.

• Luanne: Aunt Peg, I found this timing belt in the laundry. You want me to wash it with the darks?

• Cotton: I never thought I'd see the day when my own son would stop loving me. (begins walking away) It's about time! Love's for sissies!

• Hank: Bobby, you gotta try and forget all that gobbledegook your grandpa told you. You listen to your mother. She knows best.

Bobby: But she's a woman. How could she know better than grandpa?

Hank: Well, because she's a lot smarter than him, for one. Your mother's probably got a better head on her shoulders than anybody in Arlen.

Bobby: Better than Bill? Or Dale? Or Boomhauer?

Hank: Jeez, Bobby, why not compare her to a baboon in the zoo?