Boomhauer’s Job Creates A King Of The Hill Season 2 Plot Hole

King of the Hill is a classic animated sitcom, but not many fans noticed a season 2 plot hole caused by Boomhauer’s job. Running from 1997-2010, Beavis & Butthead creator Mike Judge’s King of the Hill was one of many animated sitcoms to follow in the footsteps of The Simpsons and fuse wholesome family comedy with dry social satire. Less cynical than the creator’s earlier MTV effort and not as ambitious as his later cult classic Idiocracy, King of the Hill was Judge’s most affectionate piece of satire, and won over a sizable audience thanks to its wit and charm.

More deadpan than The Simpsons and less profane than Seth MacFarlane’s anarchic offerings Family Guy and American Dad, King of the Hill carved out a niche for itself as a more understated and drily funny slice of prime-time animated satire. Set in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas, King of the Hill relied on its cast of recognizable, relatable figures from beleaguered everyman Hank Hill to irascible conspiracy theorist Dale Gribble for its laughs. However, despite its consistency, the show wasn’t immune to tripping over plot holes on occasion as evidenced by a season 2 installment.

The cold open to King of the Hill season 2, episode 21, “Life in the Fast Lane”, sees the famously indecipherable Boomhauer racing a Chevy Nova and soundly beating his unseen competitor. Unfortunately for Boomhauer, the other driver is soon revealed to be a police officer, who pulls him over after the drag race ends. Boomhauer is immediately (understandably) worried about getting a speeding ticket, which makes it all the funnier when the impressed cop instead invites him to take part in an upcoming drag race. Much of the subsequent episode’s action centers around Bobby’s job on a NASCAR track, but the cold open’s Fast & Furious-style setup does pay off… until a later revelation turns it into a confusing plot hole.

A classic running gag, Boomhauer’s job was hinted at but never definitively revealed during King of the Hill’s 13 season run. Never revealed, that is, until the show’s finale “To Sirloin With Love.” Although this may not have been the last episode to air due to scheduling issues, “To Sirloin With Love” was intended to be King of the Hill’s finale, and a fine finale it was. It’s a fittingly funny, sweet end for the hit show and in the process of tying up all manner of loose ends, the episode finally reveals Boomhauer’s job. He’s a Texas Ranger, which makes for a funny revelation about the mumbly supporting character, but begs a question: why was he worried about getting a speeding ticket?

If the King of the Hill character has been working as a Texas Ranger this entire time, it seems unlikely that Boomhauer would be scared when pulled over by the police, since he’s one of them. Even if he’s outside his jurisdiction and off duty, the fact that he doesn’t mention his own job to save himself when the incident occurs is an admittedly very pedantic but unexplained plot hole. Maybe the writers hadn’t decided that Boomhauer’s job would eventually be revealed this early on in proceedings, maybe he’s simply one of the “good cops” who doesn’t take advantage of his position – but whatever the case, King of the Hill crashed into a plot hole with the cold open in retrospect.

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Cathal Gunning
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Cathal Gunning has been writing about movies and TV online since 2020. His obsessions include The Simpsons, Stephen King, the Scream series, and the horror genre in general. He has spent more time thinking about Stranger Things than the writers of Stranger Things, and he has never seen a Star War.

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