To Sirloin with Love
Encyclopedia
"To Sirloin with Love" is the 20th episode of the 13th season and the official series finale
of King of the Hill
(though not the last new episode to air) and originally premiered on September 13, 2009 on Fox Broadcasting Company
. In the series finale, Hank discovers that Bobby has a talent for inspecting and distinguishing cuts of meat, and puts Bobby on a meat-inspecting team run by Heimlich County's community college.
The episode was written by Jim Dauterive, Tony Gama-Lobo, Rebecca May, and Christy Stratton. "To Sirloin with Love" received a 2.9/6 and received positive reviews from critics.
finds himself left alone with Bobby
when Peggy
decides to spend an evening with the other women of the neighborhood. The two have an uneasy dinner at a steakhouse, during which Bobby surprises Hank by accurately pointing out the inferior quality of their steaks. This draws the attention of the coach of the Heimlich County Junior College meat inspection team, and Hank enthusiastically supports Bobby's decision to join them. Driven by his talents - which are brought on by Hank teaching Bobby meat cuts ever since he was a baby - the team performs well until the final event of the regional competition. Bobby represents HCJC, confident that he can deliver a victory, but makes a crucial mistake that results in a fourth-place finish. Even though the team has qualified at the statewide level, Bobby's teammates lose all their confidence in him.
At dinner the night before State, Bobby discovers that the rest of the team does not share his passion for meat and will do anything to win, even assaulting rival squads if necessary. He decides to quit, but Hank insists on riding to State with the team as well; however, the bus is hijacked by supporters of Texas A&F (parody of Texas A&M University
) who hope to win the championship, HCJC's arch-nemesis, and stranded in a creek. At home, Peggy, Enrique, and Joe Jack bring out a small propane grill meant as a surprise present for Bobby after State, so that he and Hank can grill together. Seeing the grill inspires Bobby to rejoin the team, but when Peggy drives him to State, they learn of the others' absence and Bobby has to represent HCJC by himself.
Dale
, Bill
, and Boomhauer
find the stranded bus, having followed it from Arlen, and give Hank and the team a ride to State. On the way, Hank realizes that Bobby was right about the others and berates them sharply for giving up on him so easily. Peggy calls Boomhauer to find out what is going on, having first tried to call Hank, whose cell phone was taken during the hijacking; by the time the team arrives, Bobby has reached the final event and is about to face off against Texas A&F (The hijackers were neither shown to be caught nor mentioned after this). His teammates push him to the sidelines, but a pep talk from Hank gives him the confidence to stand up to them. This time, his judgment is correct and HCJC wins the championship.
Afterward, Hank and Bobby fire up their grills, having finally found a common interest, and attract a yard full of happy, hungry neighbors ready for a cookout. Kahn tells Connie to take the night off from studying; Dale has figured out how to relieve Nancy's headaches on his own (indirectly revealing he knew about Nancy's affair probably after the affair ended); Lucky and Luanne scoop up Gracie and head for the Hills'; and Boomhauer hurries over, leaving his wallet behind - which flips open to reveal a Texas Ranger
badge with Boomhauer's name and picture.
, Duff Goldman
as Himself, Ernie Grunwald
, David Herman
, Scott Klace
, Phil LaMarr
, and Geoffry Manthorne as Himself.
The episode has received positive reviews. In a review of the whole hour James Poniewozik of Time
gave the episode a positive review saying "It is one of the most moving things I've seen on TV this year. Hank, and Mike Judge: you've done right." Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
gave the episode a positive review saying "Because the show was often content to go for knowing smiles rather than belly laughs, it became easy to take for granted over the years. In these final seasons, I would often let four or five episodes build up on the DVR before I got around to watching one -- yet I never felt dissatisfied when I put it on." Danny Gallagher of TV Squad gave the episode a positive review as well writing "The episodes didn't take the usual road to a long-running series finale by having the Hills pack up and move out of Arlen into the next phase of their lives or in some other predictable manner. It kept the characters honest, true and humble in their own unique ways and sent the audience off exactly where they started -- by being funny and fresh without being cheap or crass in their caricatures." and "It actually made me wish I was reviewing another season premiere instead of a series finale." Mike Moody of TV Squad said the episode was one of the best series finale
s of 2009.
Series finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
of 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...
(though not the last new episode to air) and originally premiered on September 13, 2009 on Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
. In the series finale, Hank discovers that Bobby has a talent for inspecting and distinguishing cuts of meat, and puts Bobby on a meat-inspecting team run by Heimlich County's community college.
The episode was written by Jim Dauterive, Tony Gama-Lobo, Rebecca May, and Christy Stratton. "To Sirloin with Love" received a 2.9/6 and received positive reviews from critics.
Plot
HankHank Hill
Henry Rutherford "Hank" Hill Age 50 animated series King of the Hill. Hank lives in Arlen, Texas and works at the fictional Strickland Propane selling propane and propane accessories. Hank's voice is provided by series creator Mike Judge. The Economist named Hank Hill as one of the wisest people...
finds himself left alone with 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 :...
when 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...
decides to spend an evening with the other women of the neighborhood. The two have an uneasy dinner at a steakhouse, during which Bobby surprises Hank by accurately pointing out the inferior quality of their steaks. This draws the attention of the coach of the Heimlich County Junior College meat inspection team, and Hank enthusiastically supports Bobby's decision to join them. Driven by his talents - which are brought on by Hank teaching Bobby meat cuts ever since he was a baby - the team performs well until the final event of the regional competition. Bobby represents HCJC, confident that he can deliver a victory, but makes a crucial mistake that results in a fourth-place finish. Even though the team has qualified at the statewide level, Bobby's teammates lose all their confidence in him.
At dinner the night before State, Bobby discovers that the rest of the team does not share his passion for meat and will do anything to win, even assaulting rival squads if necessary. He decides to quit, but Hank insists on riding to State with the team as well; however, the bus is hijacked by supporters of Texas A&F (parody of Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
) who hope to win the championship, HCJC's arch-nemesis, and stranded in a creek. At home, Peggy, Enrique, and Joe Jack bring out a small propane grill meant as a surprise present for Bobby after State, so that he and Hank can grill together. Seeing the grill inspires Bobby to rejoin the team, but when Peggy drives him to State, they learn of the others' absence and Bobby has to represent HCJC by himself.
Dale
Dale Gribble
Dale Alvin Gribble is a fictional character in the animated series King of the Hill. and is voiced by Johnny Hardwick . He is an exterminator, bounty hunter, smoker, gun fanatic, and paranoid believer of almost all conspiracy theories and urban legends...
, Bill
Bill 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...
, and Boomhauer
Boomhauer
Jeff Dexter Boomhauer III, almost always referred to as simply Boomhauer, is a fictional character in the animated series King of the Hill. The character is voiced by series creator Mike Judge, and is known for his nearly incomprehensible speech....
find the stranded bus, having followed it from Arlen, and give Hank and the team a ride to State. On the way, Hank realizes that Bobby was right about the others and berates them sharply for giving up on him so easily. Peggy calls Boomhauer to find out what is going on, having first tried to call Hank, whose cell phone was taken during the hijacking; by the time the team arrives, Bobby has reached the final event and is about to face off against Texas A&F (The hijackers were neither shown to be caught nor mentioned after this). His teammates push him to the sidelines, but a pep talk from Hank gives him the confidence to stand up to them. This time, his judgment is correct and HCJC wins the championship.
Afterward, Hank and Bobby fire up their grills, having finally found a common interest, and attract a yard full of happy, hungry neighbors ready for a cookout. Kahn tells Connie to take the night off from studying; Dale has figured out how to relieve Nancy's headaches on his own (indirectly revealing he knew about Nancy's affair probably after the affair ended); Lucky and Luanne scoop up Gracie and head for the Hills'; and Boomhauer hurries over, leaving his wallet behind - which flips open to reveal a Texas Ranger
Texas Ranger Division
The Texas Ranger Division, commonly called the Texas Rangers, is a law enforcement agency with statewide jurisdiction in Texas, and is based in Austin, Texas...
badge with Boomhauer's name and picture.
Production
The episode was written by Jim Dauterive, Tony Gama-Lobo, Rebecca May, and Christy Stratton and directed by Kyounghee Lim. The episode also guest stars Ashley GardnerAshley Gardner
Ashley Gardner is an American stage actress. A graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, she has an extensive resume in live theatre, as well as supporting parts in various movies and television programs. She appeared in the sitcom Seinfeld episode "The Library" as Marion...
, Duff Goldman
Duff Goldman
Jeffrey Adam "Duff" Goldman is a pastry chef and television personality. He is the executive chef of the Baltimore-based Charm City Cakes shop which is featured in the Food Network reality television show Ace of Cakes...
as Himself, Ernie Grunwald
Ernie Grunwald
Ernie Grunwald is a Canadian-born actor who has had made guest appearances in a number of notable television series. He has also had recurring roles on, One on One, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody , and Two of a Kind opposite Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen...
, David Herman
David Herman
David Herman is an American actor, comedian and voice actor best known as an original cast member of MADtv and for his role as Michael Bolton in Office Space. He is also known for his voice roles on television programs such as Futurama and King of the Hill.- Biography :David Herman was born in New...
, Scott Klace
Scott Klace
Scott Klace is an American actor. He has appeared in over 80 films, television series, and cartoons.- Early television and film appearances :...
, Phil LaMarr
Phil LaMarr
Phillip "Phil" LaMarr is an American actor, comedian and voice actor. One of the original cast members on the sketch comedy series MADtv, he is also known for his small, but memorable role as Marvin in Pulp Fiction...
, and Geoffry Manthorne as Himself.
Reception
In its original American broadcast "To Sirloin with Love" was viewed by an estimated 6.11 million households and received a 2.9 rating/8% share in the 18-49 demographic.The episode has received positive reviews. In a review of the whole hour James Poniewozik of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
gave the episode a positive review saying "It is one of the most moving things I've seen on TV this year. Hank, and Mike Judge: you've done right." Alan Sepinwall of The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
gave the episode a positive review saying "Because the show was often content to go for knowing smiles rather than belly laughs, it became easy to take for granted over the years. In these final seasons, I would often let four or five episodes build up on the DVR before I got around to watching one -- yet I never felt dissatisfied when I put it on." Danny Gallagher of TV Squad gave the episode a positive review as well writing "The episodes didn't take the usual road to a long-running series finale by having the Hills pack up and move out of Arlen into the next phase of their lives or in some other predictable manner. It kept the characters honest, true and humble in their own unique ways and sent the audience off exactly where they started -- by being funny and fresh without being cheap or crass in their caricatures." and "It actually made me wish I was reviewing another season premiere instead of a series finale." Mike Moody of TV Squad said the episode was one of the best series finale
Series finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
s of 2009.