[7.6/10] Tons of fun, and a well-built, heartening holiday story. Hank deciding to get a big rig to move his mom’s inherited furniture across the country because he admires truckers so much is a good premise. And as always, there’s a great mix between Hank’s high-minded, straight and narrow, aspirational view of truckers as “the last cowboys,” and his knuckleheaded friends tagging along and causing trouble. The juxtaposition of the two, mixed with Bobby actually being into this adventure or adopting his dad’s style for once, is a good source of comedy or drama.
THe alley crew are especially fun here. Watching Dale, Bill, and Bomhauer screw around in the back, annoy Hank in the cab, or stand behind the “line of shame” is a hoot. Bobby getting so into the job here that he shushes them like his dad might is a particular treat.
And there’s a good mix of a pride-based problem and a practical problem. The pride part is that Hank wants to be admired as a genuine trucker, even if he’s a dilettante and hobbyist, but the real rig-jockeys look down on him and won’t allow him in the “trucker” section of the truck stops the team visits. The practical problem is that Bobby and the knuckleheads accidentally get their truck stuck on top of a mountain (“possibly a rocky mountain” -- thanks Dale!).
So the show deftly solves both problems at once. With some MacGuyver-like improvisation, Hank figures out a way to get their stalled, mountain-stranded rig into gear and back to a place where they can fuel up. And after listening to the events on C.B. radio, the truckers welcome Hank and company into the fold. It’s some strong plotting, and there's a lot of laughs to be had from Hank’s blind admiration and Dale’s idiocy.
The B-story, where Peggy and Luann try to write a novelty song about Hank and Bobby’s adventures, is a little mild. But it has one really great (albeit dark) gag where Nancy’s politely trying to indulge the two of them, even though she’s filing a missing persons report for Dale. And I like the payoff, where the country music guest stars who voice the naysaying truckers sing their own novelty song about their Christmas Convoy.
Overall, this is another winner in the Xmas special department for King of the Hill, one that takes a bit of a big premise and grounds it in Hank’s aspirations, while spackling in enough laughs thanks to his idiot friends to keep things light.
Review by Andrew BloomVIP 9BlockedParentSpoilers2021-12-05T21:30:56Z
[7.6/10] Tons of fun, and a well-built, heartening holiday story. Hank deciding to get a big rig to move his mom’s inherited furniture across the country because he admires truckers so much is a good premise. And as always, there’s a great mix between Hank’s high-minded, straight and narrow, aspirational view of truckers as “the last cowboys,” and his knuckleheaded friends tagging along and causing trouble. The juxtaposition of the two, mixed with Bobby actually being into this adventure or adopting his dad’s style for once, is a good source of comedy or drama.
THe alley crew are especially fun here. Watching Dale, Bill, and Bomhauer screw around in the back, annoy Hank in the cab, or stand behind the “line of shame” is a hoot. Bobby getting so into the job here that he shushes them like his dad might is a particular treat.
And there’s a good mix of a pride-based problem and a practical problem. The pride part is that Hank wants to be admired as a genuine trucker, even if he’s a dilettante and hobbyist, but the real rig-jockeys look down on him and won’t allow him in the “trucker” section of the truck stops the team visits. The practical problem is that Bobby and the knuckleheads accidentally get their truck stuck on top of a mountain (“possibly a rocky mountain” -- thanks Dale!).
So the show deftly solves both problems at once. With some MacGuyver-like improvisation, Hank figures out a way to get their stalled, mountain-stranded rig into gear and back to a place where they can fuel up. And after listening to the events on C.B. radio, the truckers welcome Hank and company into the fold. It’s some strong plotting, and there's a lot of laughs to be had from Hank’s blind admiration and Dale’s idiocy.
The B-story, where Peggy and Luann try to write a novelty song about Hank and Bobby’s adventures, is a little mild. But it has one really great (albeit dark) gag where Nancy’s politely trying to indulge the two of them, even though she’s filing a missing persons report for Dale. And I like the payoff, where the country music guest stars who voice the naysaying truckers sing their own novelty song about their Christmas Convoy.
Overall, this is another winner in the Xmas special department for King of the Hill, one that takes a bit of a big premise and grounds it in Hank’s aspirations, while spackling in enough laughs thanks to his idiot friends to keep things light.