28 Years Ago Today, King of the Hill’s First Christmas Episode Crossed a Major Line (And Scared Hank Forever)

by

Today marks 28 years since King of the Hill began its tradition of heartwarming, yet sometimes intense, Christmas episodes. The very first one left a lasting impact on Hank Hill, pushing him to his emotional limit. Throughout its run on Fox, King of the Hill delivered memorable Christmas stories, but the initial episode stands out for its dramatic turn: Hank experiences a deeply traumatic event that causes him to temporarily lose his sight.

I remember watching the very first Christmas episode of King of the Hill when it aired on December 21st, 1997. It was only the show’s second season, and the episode, titled “The Unbearable Blindness of Laying,” introduced us to Hank’s mom, Tilly. It was a pretty shocking episode, actually – Hank accidentally walked in on his mother with her boyfriend and, as a result of the trauma, temporarily went blind. It definitely left a lasting impression!

Hank Goes Blind in King of the Hill Christmas Episode

The King of the Hill episode “The Unbearable Blindness of Laying” takes its name from Milan Kundera’s novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being, but the stories are otherwise quite different – both simply focus on sexual relationships. This episode marked the first time viewers actually saw Hank’s mother, Tilly, after she was briefly mentioned in Season 1. Voiced by the late Tammy Wynette, Tilly was attempting to enjoy a more liberated life after escaping a difficult marriage with Hank’s father, Cotton Hill.

Hank felt anxious about seeing his mother, not because they hadn’t seen each other in a while, but because she was bringing her new boyfriend, Gary (voiced by Carl Reiner). Gary was quite different from Hank in terms of background and was very open with his emotions. Hank struggled with the idea of his mother dating and being intimate at her age. He was completely shocked when he walked in and found her and Gary naked on the kitchen table.

Witnessing his mother and Gary embracing was deeply upsetting for Hank, causing him to temporarily lose his sight. Doctors found no physical problem with his eyes; it was a psychological reaction to the shock, as if his vision had simply shut off. Gary used this situation to connect with Hank, and they formed a closer bond. Gary eventually took Hank to a well-known televised church service, where Hank regained his vision after realizing that Gary wasn’t a threat.

King of the Hill’s Christmas Episodes Only Got Better From Here

While the first Christmas episode of King of the Hill is a significant moment for Hank and his mother, and premiered 28 years ago, it hasn’t become as iconic as other popular holiday specials. Despite being a big debut, it doesn’t have as much lasting impact on the show’s overall story, particularly when considering the character of Gary.

Gary is a significant character in this particular episode, and makes occasional appearances afterward, but the show quietly removed him from King of the Hill before it finished airing on Fox. The final season reveals that Tilly had an affair and broke up with Gary off-screen, ultimately marrying the man she had the affair with, Chuck. This development caused Hank to worry about his mother again.

Similar to Gary’s situation in “The Unbearable Blindness of Laying,” Hank develops a connection with Chuck because he recognizes Chuck can provide good care for his mother as she gets older. Tilly goes on to have success with an animated series (though she hasn’t been in the recent Hulu revival), but Gary disappears from the show. Revisiting this episode now, it’s disappointing that we never see Gary again, which weakens the emotional impact of his reconciliation with Hank.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/new-king-of-the-hill-reboot-episodes-ranked-season-14/embed/#

Read More

2025-12-22 02:12