The King of the Hill revival trailer is here, and fans are getting emotional over the return of Arlen, Texas, and its beloved characters!
Yup, it’s really happening. The Hills are back in Arlen—and fans are already feeling the feels. The first official trailer for the long-awaited King of the Hill revival dropped on YouTube July 10, and it didn’t take long for the internet to light up with reactions.
The upcoming season, which will stream on Hulu, picks up years after the original series wrapped. According to the official synopsis, King of the Hill finds Hank and Peggy Hill returning to a very different Arlen, Texas, following a lengthy stint in Saudi Arabia. The couple had relocated overseas to build up their retirement fund, but now they’re back—and hoping to reconnect with longtime friends Dale, Bill, and Boomhauer. As Boomhauer puts it in the trailer, “Return of the dang ol king, man.”
Meanwhile, Bobby Hill is all grown up and living his dream in Dallas, working as a chef. The revival will explore his journey into adulthood alongside his childhood crew—Connie, Joseph, and Chan—adding a fresh layer to the series’ signature heart and humor.
The fan response was immediate and passionate. Viewers praised how naturally the revival was woven into the original storyline, with one fan commenting, “Using the revival to correspond with the Hills returning back to town narratively is the smartest thing any of the returning series have done. Makes it feel so much more natural and fitting.”
While the tone of the trailer hits all the right nostalgic notes, it also stirred some emotions. Many fans took time to honor original cast members who have passed away, including Johnny Hardwick, Brittany Murphy, Tom Petty, and Jonathan Joss. One commenter wrote, “It’s really sad realizing we’ve lost so many members of the cast. Johnny Hardwick, Brittany Murphy, Tom Petty, Jonathan Joss. RIP y’all.” Another echoed the sentiment, writing, “Their passing adds a tragic note to a return I’ve been anticipating for a long time.”
Still, the return of King of the Hill is being embraced as a meaningful moment for fans. There’s also strong faith in creator Mike Judge to steer the show in the right direction. “Mike Judge is a master of satire. This is exactly the show we need right now,” one fan wrote. Another added, “I think this will be one of the few TV reboots that can actually work in a different decade.”
Many longtime viewers expressed how deeply personal the show’s return feels. “I grew up and learned a lot about life from this show,” one person wrote. “Having it back now as a grown man, I can’t tell you how much I love having it back.” And perhaps the most fitting tribute came from a fan channeling Boomhauer himself: “Dang ole, bring a tear to my dang ole eye man. I’ll tell you hwat.”
The King of the Hill revival doesn’t have a release date just yet, but if the trailer is any indication, Arlen is ready to welcome viewers home.
