The Petriot Act
Encyclopedia
"The Petriot Act" is the 177th episode in the Fox animated situation comedy
series King of the Hill
and was the 6th episode of the 9th season. The episode's title refers to the Patriot Act.
arrives in the alley with a spirited golden retriever
named Buster, and explains that he has gotten the dog through a program allowing people to take care of soldiers' pets during their tour of active duty. Hank is excited to learn that civilians are eligible for the program as well. Meanwhile, Peggy
and Bobby
are busy planning a family vacation to Memphis
and Nashville
. When Hank excitedly interrupts their planning with news of the program, Peggy agrees to let Hank participate only as long as it doesn't interfere with the trip. Hank agrees to tell the military that they can't take a pet until after their trip. While Buster impresses everyone with his intelligence, such as fetching Bill a fresh beer, Hank looks forward to taking care of 'Duke'. Later, the Army calls to tell Hank that he'll have to take Duke immediately; this causes Peggy some concern about the vacation, but Hank says that they can just put Duke up at the same farm where Ladybird will be staying. However, when Duke arrives the next morning, he turns out to be not the noble dog Hank was expecting, but a temperamental and disagreeable cat instead.
Hank is upset at having a cat, but tries to the make the most of it. A pet store talks him into buying expensive cat food, and Duke ruins dinner by coughing up a hairball
on the table and scratching Hank's face, then later defecating in his shoes. Peggy suggests that something might be wrong with the cat and suggests taking Duke to their regular vet, but the program agreement requires Hank to take Duke to his owner's vet of choice, Dr. Leslie, for care. Dr. Leslie (played by Jason Bateman
), who practices at a posh, upscale clinic, exploits the agreement and talks Hank into subjecting Duke to a battery of expensive tests to ensure the cat's health and into buying some even more expensive cat food. While being charged for the visit in the lobby, Hank encounters a veterinary equipment salesman, and complains about the expense. He takes Duke home and sheepishly confesses to Peggy and Bobby that the vet expenses have effectively cut out one of the big stops on their vacation.
Dr. Leslie calls to say that Duke's tests were mostly normal, but he needs even more tests, exploratory surgery, and an expensive cat wheelchair. The ungrateful cat, meanwhile, continues to make life miserable for the Hills, even as Buster helps Bill to get a date. Finally, an increasingly livid Peggy convinces Hank to just take Duke to their family veterinarian
, Dr. Yandell, for a second opinion before Duke's vet bills bleed them dry. Dr. Yandell respects Dr. Leslie, much to Hank's dismay, but tells Hank that Duke is just a normal cat, and that Dr. Leslie has to run all the tests to justify the expense of his veterinary machines. The equipment salesman from before happens to also be present, and tells Hank that one machine Dr. Leslie is missing is so expensive that no clinic can make money with it. Taking a brochure for the machine, Hank blackmails Dr. Leslie into signing off on Duke's bill-of-health form by threatening to tell his patients about the new machine.
With their finances drained, the Hills must settle for a 'vacation' at a local rib joint, but are content to simply be rid of Duke at last. Meanwhile, Bill dutifully returns Buster to his owner, a Blue Angels
pilot, on board an aircraft carrier
, and receives a ceremonious welcome from the rest of the crew and a ride home in one of the jets
for his efforts.
Situation comedy
A situation comedy, often shortened to sitcom, is a genre of comedy that features characters sharing the same common environment, such as a home or workplace, accompanied with jokes as part of the dialogue...
series King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
and was the 6th episode of the 9th season. The episode's title refers to the Patriot Act.
Plot
BillBill Dauterive
Bill Dauterive, born Gillaume Fontaine de la Tour D'Haute Rive is a fictional character on the Fox animated series King of the Hill...
arrives in the alley with a spirited golden retriever
Golden Retriever
The Golden Retriever is a medium-sized breed of dog. They were historically developed as gundogs to retrieve shot waterfowl such as ducks and upland game birds during hunting and shooting parties. As such, they were bred to have a soft mouth to retrieve game undamaged and have an instinctive love...
named Buster, and explains that he has gotten the dog through a program allowing people to take care of soldiers' pets during their tour of active duty. Hank is excited to learn that civilians are eligible for the program as well. Meanwhile, Peggy
Peggy Hill
Margaret J. "Peggy" Hill is a fictional character in the American animated series King of the Hill.-Biography:Peggy is the matriarch of the Hill family, and the wife of series protagonist Hank Hill. She wears rimless glasses and is generally seen wearing cut-off blouses and culottes...
and Bobby
Bobby Hill (King of the Hill)
Robert Jeffrey "Bobby" Hill is a character on the animated series King of the Hill and is voiced by Pamela Adlon. Bobby is the only child of Hank and Peggy Hill.- Biography :...
are busy planning a family vacation to Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
and Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. When Hank excitedly interrupts their planning with news of the program, Peggy agrees to let Hank participate only as long as it doesn't interfere with the trip. Hank agrees to tell the military that they can't take a pet until after their trip. While Buster impresses everyone with his intelligence, such as fetching Bill a fresh beer, Hank looks forward to taking care of 'Duke'. Later, the Army calls to tell Hank that he'll have to take Duke immediately; this causes Peggy some concern about the vacation, but Hank says that they can just put Duke up at the same farm where Ladybird will be staying. However, when Duke arrives the next morning, he turns out to be not the noble dog Hank was expecting, but a temperamental and disagreeable cat instead.
Hank is upset at having a cat, but tries to the make the most of it. A pet store talks him into buying expensive cat food, and Duke ruins dinner by coughing up a hairball
Hairball
A hairball is a small collection of hair or fur formed in the stomach of animals that is occasionally vomited up when it becomes too big. Hairballs are primarily a tight elongated cylinder of packed fur, but may include bits of other elements such as swallowed food. Cats are especially prone to...
on the table and scratching Hank's face, then later defecating in his shoes. Peggy suggests that something might be wrong with the cat and suggests taking Duke to their regular vet, but the program agreement requires Hank to take Duke to his owner's vet of choice, Dr. Leslie, for care. Dr. Leslie (played by Jason Bateman
Jason Bateman
Jason Kent Bateman is an American television and film actor. After appearing in several 1980s and 1990s sitcoms including It's Your Move, and The Hogan Family, Bateman came to prominence in the early 2000s for playing Michael Bluth on Arrested Development, for which he won a TV Land, a Golden...
), who practices at a posh, upscale clinic, exploits the agreement and talks Hank into subjecting Duke to a battery of expensive tests to ensure the cat's health and into buying some even more expensive cat food. While being charged for the visit in the lobby, Hank encounters a veterinary equipment salesman, and complains about the expense. He takes Duke home and sheepishly confesses to Peggy and Bobby that the vet expenses have effectively cut out one of the big stops on their vacation.
Dr. Leslie calls to say that Duke's tests were mostly normal, but he needs even more tests, exploratory surgery, and an expensive cat wheelchair. The ungrateful cat, meanwhile, continues to make life miserable for the Hills, even as Buster helps Bill to get a date. Finally, an increasingly livid Peggy convinces Hank to just take Duke to their family veterinarian
Veterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
, Dr. Yandell, for a second opinion before Duke's vet bills bleed them dry. Dr. Yandell respects Dr. Leslie, much to Hank's dismay, but tells Hank that Duke is just a normal cat, and that Dr. Leslie has to run all the tests to justify the expense of his veterinary machines. The equipment salesman from before happens to also be present, and tells Hank that one machine Dr. Leslie is missing is so expensive that no clinic can make money with it. Taking a brochure for the machine, Hank blackmails Dr. Leslie into signing off on Duke's bill-of-health form by threatening to tell his patients about the new machine.
With their finances drained, the Hills must settle for a 'vacation' at a local rib joint, but are content to simply be rid of Duke at last. Meanwhile, Bill dutifully returns Buster to his owner, a Blue Angels
Blue Angels
The United States Navy's Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, popularly known as the Blue Angels, was formed in 1946 and is currently the oldest formal flying aerobatic team...
pilot, on board an aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
, and receives a ceremonious welcome from the rest of the crew and a ride home in one of the jets
F/A-18 Hornet
The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet is a supersonic, all-weather carrier-capable multirole fighter jet, designed to dogfight and attack ground targets . Designed by McDonnell Douglas and Northrop, the F/A-18 was derived from the latter's YF-17 in the 1970s for use by the United States Navy and...
for his efforts.