King of The Hill

Dale To the Chief

Season 9, Episode 5, Aired 1/30/05

Episode Summary

When Dale re-reads the Warren Commission Report, he is stunned to realize that maybe the government was right all along about who killed Kennedy. Dale decides to abandon his anti-government ways and becomes an insufferable flag-waving patriot. Meanwhile, Hank tries to battle through government red tape when his sex is listed as "female" on his new driver's license.moreless

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Cast & Crew

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Stephen Root

Voice of Bill Dauterive, Buck Strickland
Pamela Adlon

Voice of Bobby Hill
Mike Judge

Voice of Hank Hill, Boomhauer, Stuart Dooley

Fan Episode Reviews (4)

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An interesting episode.

8.0

"Great"

By cactusjack39, Mar 04, 2009 Report Abuse

I liked the episode for the most part. It actually was quite good in plenty of ways. I think that now with the way things are going, it is sometimes fun to laugh at things that aren't normally funny. I like how many times Dale contradicted himself when he was trying to figure out if he could trust the government. Seeing him switch was very entertaining. The writing was good, the storylines were fresh, and the comedy was decent. One thing I couldn't stand was how long it took Dale to get back into his normal, paranoid self. Overall, it was decent. Thank you.moreless

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A bit tiresome, but funny at times

7.7

"Good"

By thomasmj99, Jun 16, 2008 Report Abuse

Another fairly average episode from this series. I can see why people would really likely, esspecialy Dale fans, but I think this is not as good as it could have been. The Synopsis sounded brilliant, but actualy they didn't make that much of what I felt could have been a great episode in the right hands. The parts with Hankl are actualy the best but when he gets so frustrated its hard to find things funny. We feel for him as a persons so when all the bad things happen we actualy want him to do well. I though Dale was annoying at times, but not in his ussual way, he was just really ANNOYING! Maybe I'm being to harsh it is still an alright later series episode.moreless

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Dale re-reads the Warren Commission Report and decides that it wasn't a conspiracy after all, and is soon an all-American patriot. Meanwhile, Hank is dismayed to find that his new drivers license states him as female. A silly but very enjoyable episode...moreless

9.4

"Superb"

By Jay-Spacedust, Nov 23, 2007 Report Abuse

This episode very much centres on Dale, which is great, as he is one of the best characters (and one of the funniest) in the series.

After the years of Dale believing in even the most ridiculous conspiracy theories, it is amusing to suddenly see him as a flag-waving patriot who won't hear a word said against the Government.

It is indeed a sudden change of character, rather like the previous season's 'The Redneck on Rainey Street'. But if you're prepared to look past the sudden change (and his eventual sudden change back), this is a really nice, enjoyable episode.

Hank's dismay at finding his new drivers license states him to be female, and his subsequent futile attempts to get it corrected, makes for a great parallel plot, and the two tie up nicely in the end.moreless

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While reading the Warren Commission Report to Joseph at bedtime, he realizes the government was right about who shot Kennedy, and decides the government is right about other things. Meanwhile, Hank can't get the DPS to correct a mistake on his license.moreless

9.7

"Superb"

By darlingdarcy, Jan 14, 2007 Report Abuse

Watching Dale become a government supporter is hilarious, esecially after eight seasons of his nutty, anti-government rantings. Suddenly, just because he believes the government was right about the Kennedy assasination, he is convinced they are right about everything. He abandons his anarchist ways and conspiracy-theorist beliefs, and begins adorning himself in pro-America gear, and even decks out the Bug-a-Bagoo with American flags that aren't upside-down. Of course, Hank has always loved his country and its government, especially the Old Gipper ("What president should I do my report on, dad - oh right, Ronald Reagan."), but his struggle with the Department of Public Safety (Texas does not have a DMV division, DPS handles licenses) is leading him to believe the government isn't so great after all. It's nice to see Hank frustrated and unable to quickly fix the problem with a clever idea and creative thinking - watching Hank fix everyone's problems gets a little predictable and boring at times. Also, Bobby and Peggy's jokes at Hank's expense - Bobby: "This letter is addressed to 'Mrs. Hill' but I don't know which one." Hank: "I'm getting tired of that joke!" - are dumb, but pretty funny - "Are you going to wear that, Hank? Because I have a cute little purse that would go right with it!" - and even funnier is Hank's reaction: banishing Bobby, then Peggy, to the living room so he can sort mail in peace in the kitchen.

One of the funniest parts of thie episode is the Homeland Security agent that comes to visit Hank. It all starts when Dale paints a giant American flag on Hank's roof. While a patriot, Hank does not want a giant flag on his roof, so he begins to wash it off (after threatening Dale - "We've proved I can kick your ass when I'm on a ladder before!") Dale, like the good, watchful American citizen he is, reports Hank's flag destruction and informs Homeland Security of Hank's complaints against the DPS, resulting in a visit from a government official who explains he's not looking for anything in particular, but Hank isn't it.

While many episodes in the later seasons of King of the Hill become less centered around more realistic, everyday-life story lines than the earlier seasons' plots of Nancy's affair, Peggy's teaching trials and tribulations and Kahn's dissatisfaction with his neighbors, this episode manages to pull off the slightly different style of story but is still great to watch and doesn't deter from the characters that have already been developed - Hank gets angry, but he never believes the DPS is conspiring against him, as Dale would, saving this from being a stereotypical "switching places" plotline.moreless

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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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Trivia
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- Hank's license says he weighs 220. Previously, in "Lupe's Revenge", it said 197. It doesn't look like he's gained 23 pounds, but 220 is more accurate for someone with his muscle and fat. Edit
- Texas doesn't have a "DMV." Driver's licensing is handled by the Department of Public Safety (the Highway Patrol) and Auto licensing and titles are handled by County tax offices. Edit
- It seems that at the end of the episode Dale takes Hank home. So how did Hank get to the DPS? Edit
Notes
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- Music: "God Bless The USA" by Lee Greenwood. Edit
- At the end of the episode, when Hank signs his interim driver's license, you can see that his zip code is 73104. This zip code is actually in Oklahoma City, OK. Edit
- Tagline: "Where did I put my pantyhose?" - Bobby (imitating Hank) Edit
Quotes
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- Bobby: If you really were a woman, that would make you and Mom lesbians. Hank: That's it, the cable's gone! Edit
- Peggy: Are you going to wear that, Hank? Because I have a little purse that would look great with . . . Hank: Peggy, living room! Edit
- Hank: After the stunt you just pulled, we are no longer friends. Dale: Fine. Nancy doesn't approve of me having lady friends anyway. Edit
Allusions
ADD ALLUSIONS
- Title pun: Hail to the chief. An allusion to the President of the United States entrance music. Edit
- Dale: It can't make sense, it's the Warren Commission Report, for God's sake. The Warren Commission, which was chaired by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, was formed to investigate the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. The final report concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in assassinating the president and that there was no conspiracy. However, conspiracy theorists (like Dale) have dismissed the results as complete nonsense. Edit
- Dale: ...the greatest fairy tale ever told. It's got everything: the Prince of Camelot; rubies, and magic bullets. The Prince of Camelot - John F. Kennedy Rubies - Jack Ruby, nightclub owner who killed Lee Harvey Oswald Magic Bullets - Conspiracy theorists use this term to describe the fatal bullet, explaining that the bullet's trajectory would have to be magic to follow the zig-zag path it took Edit