judge not lest ye be judge
If you’re in your twenties – and the secret microchip we place in every issue of The Walruss tells us that you are – you probably spent a great deal of the 1990s laughing at the antics (yes, they were antics) of Beavis and Butt-Head. It’s only much later in life that most of us realize that Beavis and Butt-Head was a brilliant slapstick social satire about a go-nowhere, do-nothing generation raised on TV… us. Since that series, creator Mike Judge has gone on to different projects, including movies such as “Office Space,” a scathing portrayal of the indifferent white-collar workplace, and the recent “Idiocracy.” Haven’t heard of “Idiocracy?” If you have, then Fox is very disappointed in you. They spent a lot of time making sure that no advertising was produced and only a handful of theaters received the film.

But perhaps a movie about a dystopian future where anti-intellectualism reigns supreme and the stupidity of American culture has increased to ridiculous levels hit a little too close to home for the major movie studio.

Mike Judge isn’t all that unlucky, though. He’s had a show that’s been a solid success and is nearing its tenth year on the air. “King of the Hill” received a recent stay of execution, and will have its eleventh season premiere this January. Yup.

To many, “King of the Hill” hardly seems cool. Countless articles on both Judge and the show refer to “King of the Hill” as being “about hicks” or “exclusively Texan.” The shocking – if not horrible – truth is that, much like Beavis and Butt-Head, “King of the Hill” is also a social satire. Instead of focusing on Gen X and Y burnouts, “King” instead takes a look at the pale, doughy underbelly of the American Midwest. Far from blue collar comedy, in the past decade “King of the Hill” has been one of the smartest shows on television. And series creator Greg Daniels, who worked on The Simpsons and currently runs the show on the American version of “The Office,” helped Judge lay the groundwork for one of the most rule-breaking and unexpectedly intelligent sitcoms on the air.

Don’t believe me? Let’s take a look at Hank Hill, the nucleus of “King of the Hill.” While the sitcom tradition is to make the male lead functionally retarded, Hank is smart, competent and has dignity; a far cry from the bumbling Homer Simpson or joke delivery system Peter Griffin. Even “normal” male leads like Ray Romano and the fat guy from “King of Queens” (Kingy Queenerton?) are so nondescript that their only character traits seem to be “doesn’t get along with wife” and “makes wisecracking a regular occurrence.”

Unlike most sitcom dads, you actually wouldn’t mind being neighbors with Hank; even though he’s the straight man of “King of the Hill,” he still has a tangible, non-idiotic personality. But Hank Hill is no like Chandler, and the show even mocks the lame senses of humor that most people have and willingly inflict upon their peers. The shame, guilt, and insecurities of white middle-aged middle-America make Hank who he is, as well his devotion and obsession with his go-nowhere job of selling propane and propane accessories. And when dealing with his eccentric son, Bobby, Hank’s advice is limited to: “This is a carburetor. Take it apart. Put it back together. Repeat until you're normal.”

The show’s rulebreaking extends to Hank’s wife, Peggy, which is probably the most daring portrayal of a suburban mother on television. Daring, because Peggy is a buffoon. Not in the same sense as Homer Simpson, though; Peggy has an overbearing sense of pride and a sort of method to her madness. This character represents the barely-seen-on-TV stereotype of the know-it-all middle-aged woman; I had no idea that life had so many Peggy Hills until “King of the Hill” started airing. Just think of all the slighty-frumpy women who seem to have an answer for everything, despite not having a source. Still a little unsure of what I’m talking about? Consider this quote from Peggy: “I find that I am too busy being successful so I have trouble remembering all of my bright ideas. That's why I keep a folder.”

Peggy’s arrogance is a large hurdle many can’t cross when trying to get into the show, mainly because it’s not punished on the level that if often should be. But this is where anyone can see that “King of the Hill” has a refreshing sort of gentleness with its characters (too numerous to discuss here), even if they are the objects of satire. The reason the show is starting to show only a little rust over ten years is because of this devotion to character; around the third season, the few existing catchphrases were dropped, artificial quirkiness was set aside, and the Hills and co. became real people. And it’s this consistency that so many shows – animated or not - lack which has brought me back to Fox on whatever random Sunday nights they decide to air the show. Maybe all of this realism is inappropriate for an animated series, but I’m eagerly looking forward to another year in the anthropological study of the white man. Thank you, Mike Judge.