King of the Hill was a popular animated series that ran for almost a decade and whose political viewpoint seems almost unheard of today.

King of the Hill premiered on Fox in 1997 and became an instant hit for the network, airing for over a decade. From creator Mike Judge, audiences likely tuning in were expecting something similar to his previous series Beavis and Butthead. Yet King of the Hill was a remarkably different series, one focused on the Hill family and its patriarch, Hank Hill, who sells propane and propane accessories. His wife Peggy is a substitute Spanish teacher, who believes she is more talented than she actually is. Bobby Hill, Hank and Peggy's son, aspires to be a prop comic, and Hank and Peggy's niece Luanne Platter is often very naive of the world around her but has a big heart.

The Hill family is a traditionally conservative household, in a traditionally red state like Texas, which has led to some people revisiting the series in the wake of the 2016 election, with many wondering who the various characters would have ended up voting for during the election and how they would navigate today's world. With rumors of a King of the Hill revival circulating, and a possible time jump in store for the series, this is certainly a possibility the show will address.

However, despite the set dressing, King of the Hill is a series all about American conservatism and liberalism coming together to find a common footing. The series is less focused on political ideology and more on moral character. This is how King of the Hill can provide the antidote for political divisions.

Hank Hill's Politics Are Motivated by Common Sense

Fans of King of the Hill know that Hank Hill is very committed to what he believes. Hank identifies as a Republican, and he certainly takes issue with hippies and government bureaucracy. He believes in hard work above all else. However, Hank does not fall in line with complete conservative ideology just because. He acknowledges issues like America's mistreatment of indigenous peoples and even continued doing yoga despite thinking it was a hippie activity because it allowed him to continue working.

Much of Hank's beliefs are defined not by politics but by his own sense of morality and his own common sense. For example, In the season 12 episode titled "Raising the Stakes," Hank gets involved with the organic food business. Hank embraces organic food practices because it just makes for overall better-tasting meat, which as the assistant manager of Strickland Propane makes sense for him.

Hank's belief in 2000 Republican candidate George W. Bush is shaken, not by any political platform, but by the discovery he has a limp handshake. This causes a crisis for Hank, who almost skips out on voting. While Hank does vote in the end, it is never revealed who he voted for, showcasing that Hank is not shaped by political ideology, but something more personal. This makes him a television character that viewers across the political spectrum can identify with.