In a somewhat surprising move, the FOX network has decided to cancel one of the staples of its Sunday night line-up. On the eve of Halloween, the King of the Hill TV show has been cancelled after 13 seasons on the air.
King of the Hill follows the animated adventures of the Hill family from the small town of Arlen, Texas. The family’s patriarch, Hank (Mike Judge), is a propane salesman who’s obsessed with his lawn and the Dallas Cowboys. His well-meaning wife Peggy (Kathy Najimy) holds several part-time jobs and together, they raise their husky teenage son, Bobby (Pamela Adlon). Other characters include niece Luanne (Brittany Murphy), neighbor Bill (Stephen Root), and conspiracy-lover Dale (Johnny Hardwick).
The series debuted on January 12, 1997 on FOX and quickly became a staple of the network’s animation line-up. Having survived to produce over 240 episodes, King has become the second longest-running animated series, following The Simpsons. It’s become very popular in syndication, both in the US and internationally.
In recent years, King has been on the verge of cancellation several times. Earlier this month, Gary Newman, the co-chair of 20th Century Fox TV, hinted to TV Week that it may be time to pull the plug. He said, “I don’t know if the network will be ordering more seasons or not. That show has had its last rites read to it several times, and keeps rearing its head again.”
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This season, King has been averaging seven million viewers and a 3.4/8 rating/share in the 18-49 demographic, a far cry from the series’ heyday. Simpsons and Family Guy, the shows that air before and after, both attract better numbers.
Back in early April, FOX ordered 13 episodes for the show’s 13th season. Production is nearly completed on those and the network has decided that they will be the series’ last. The episodes that are currently airing are actually from the show’s 12th season. FOX won’t begin showing King’s final batch of episodes until February 2009 which means that, though cancelled, the series could end up on the network’s 2009-10 schedule.
King isn’t scheduled to have any kind of series-closing finale. Executive producer John Altschuler says that this is by design. If there’d been a series finale when the show ceased production in the past, it would have been difficult to revive it.
If this is truly the end of King, Altschuler feels good about the run but ultimately isn’t totally convinced it’s over. He told Variety, We’ve been here before… When it’s time for King of the Hill to go, it will go. But I think with the ratings this good, and with quality that doesn’t seem to be diminishing, it would be very odd for King of the Hill not to keep going.”
Influencing the network’s decision to cancel King, aside from the declining ratings, is the fact that FOX is hot to introduce two new animated series in midseason; Sit Down, Shut Up, from Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz, and The Cleveland Show, a spin-off of Family Guy. Stay tuned! 
Image courtesy FOX.
KingGanja420 you’re perhaps as big an ******* as Hank Hill.As far as feeling any regret for my comments I DON’T **** HEAD if feel any thing about my remarks is fine. That along with KOTH going down in a sea of fire will be My Name is Earl also “brings warm feelings to my heart” as far as my approach it’s not supposed to be funny *******.
@Skysoldier****face : After reading your numerous reviews and replies to evryone else, I see that you pretty much go about your arguements with a “im a dumb**** little 13 yr old that learned how to turn the computer on” attitude, what’s funnier than your approach is that fact that you may very well be a 34 yr old with this childish mentaily, and for you I feel sorry. King of the Hill did have people with flaws, thats why it was more realistic, so if you want to get a taste of your own medicine, then read this review that… Read more »
To get the full effect of King of the Hill, a person had to live in Texas or below the Mason-Dixon line. If you have lived in those places, chances are you know everyone of those characters. That show is so true to life, that it is hard to describe.
To CroosshairJY Look ******* i’m 34 yrs old and yes I’m a fan of of Family Guy and American Dad and as far as King Of The Hill comming back don’t count on it. It’s DEAD DEADER than Michael Jackson.This CRAPPY SHOW Never had anything close a good story (other than Boobie Hill getting his lardass kicked around)Family Guy and American Dad will continue to shatter boundries of humor long after KOTH long forgooten.If you can’t accept that ******* than go suck your “fatone”or Bill Dautrives “FATONE”(unless his thunder thighs crushed it”
@ Skysoldier173, You must be an ignorant little kid that did not understand the morals that King of the Hill has taught people. I’m sure your favorite animated series is American Dad or Family Guy, which are two shows that have no story or moral value. Have fun watching shows that are aimed at 13 year old prepubescent children, and take your trolling elsewhere. They will end up putting KotH back on the air just like they did before, because they will have lower ratings. Same damn thing happend to Family Guy. But I guess you wouldn’t know that, you… Read more »
Look simple simon anyone who believes King of the Hill is (or was ever worth watching to begin with)is a complete and total MORON.The show is and will always be a total piece of crap and the sonner it goes down in flames along with My name is Earl the better.
I believe King of the hill is still worth watching because,the characters are awesome,the stories are awesome,and the parts where the characters find something they like,learn from their mistakes,do something stupid but funny(Dale),and of course popular actors playing the rolls of new and few times shown characters!!!!!!!
To the MORON who said “that’s my childhood you’re killing off” it’s not it’s a crappy show finally going down in flames.
please dont cancell king of the hill look inside your hearts thats my child hood you guys are doin a great job
Monica King of the Hill is dead get over it.If there’s was going to be a series finale I would’ve loved seeing Nancy divorcing Dale and telling Joeseph that John Redcorn was his REAL father,Second seeing Buck Strickland being arrested for his numerous unethical acts along with seeing Strickland Propane getting “BLOWN OFF THE ******* MAP”by a large airstrike and to all you idiots who believe this was a great and/or wonderful show need to get your head out of your asses.
I love king of the hill it was my favorite show. I hate sit down shut up it’s so stupid. I really hate the fact that there is no series finale. I was really looking forword to more episodes with luannes baby. I hope fox brings back king of the hill.
King of the hill is foxs only good show…the simpsons is only tolerable at best…family guy sucks… both simpsons and family have repeatitive jokes and plots.american dad and sit down shut up were never funny,,,no hopes for the cleveland show either… King of the hill is all fox has.
They shouldn’t ******* cancel king of the hill its a really goo show and they at least need a finale so and sit down **** up bites ass why do the freakin do this dammit!
king of the hill is the bst show i have ever wacthrd besides the simpsons.I hate sit down shut up hopefully fox will recognize there making a big mistake
I think king of the hill has to go but it at least deserves a chance to have a series finale with a long goodbye like an old show like 7th heaven had. I do not like the show replacing the cleveland show is a joke when i saw the promo on fox i thought they were kidding it was so bad. i hope they move american dad to 8:30est instead of 9:30est