Leanne's Saga is the thirty-first episode of King of the Hill. It was first aired on April 19, 1998. The episode was written by David Zuckerman, and directed by Tricia Garcia.
Synopsis
As Hank and Bobby proudly examine their new workbench inside the garage, Luanne exclaims that her mother, Leanne, has been released from prison. When Luanne is out of earshot, Peggy states that she will "tongue-kiss Bill" before she allows "that tramp" inside her home. A short time later, while discussing the latest news about Leanne with his friends, Bill accidentally drops a heavy table clamp on his foot. Hank pulls off Bill's sock, revealing crusty yellow toenails underneath. Embarrassed, Bill decides to see a doctor. Later, Peggy and Luanne discuss Leanne's past. Peggy warns Luanne that Leanne betrayed her husband by stabbing him with a fork. But Luanne counters that her mother has given up drinking. Leanne is dropped off at the Hill home by a burly female trucker. Mother and daughter excitedly embrace one another, but Leanne receives a noticeably stiffer welcome from the Hills.
When Hank avoids offering Leanne shelter, Luanne proposes quitting school so she can find employment and rent an apartment with her mother. Unwilling to let this happen, Peggy reluctantly offers Leanne a place to stay. Hank is greatly annoyed when she transforms the garage into her new home. Meanwhile, Bill's foot condition is diagnosed as a common fungus.
A nurse tells him the ailment can be cured with pills...but he must avoid alcohol for them to be effective. A short time later, Bill encounters Leanne inside the garage. The pair--neither of whom can drink alcohol--hit it off. Leanne is fascinated by Bill's now attractive feet and scoops them into her lap to massage them. The two remain like that for the entire night. The next morning Leanne and Bill stroll into the Hill kitchen dressed in bathrobes. Hank and Peggy can only stare, horrified at the implication. As an increasingly annoyed Peggy continues covering for Leanne whenever she fails to pay her daughter the attention and love she deserves, the romance between Bill and Leanne blossoms. But a hitch develops when Bill begins spending his money on gifts for Leanne instead of purchasing foot medication. One day, Leanne is repulsed at the sight of the yellow fungus on her lover's toes. She grows so unhinged that she downs a can of beer, causing her expression to grow menacing, and her to return to her evil ways. Hank discovers the emptied can, but before he can offer a warning, Bill announces that he and Leanne are engaged to be married. Angered that the secret has been revealed, Leanne slugs Bill in the arm. Hank attempts to warn Bill about Leanne's temper, but Bill reveals his love is moving into his home. Meanwhile, an increasingly frustrated Peggy tells Luanne that the next time Leanne breaks her heart, she will not come to her rescue. A short time later, the couple throw a pre-engagement party. When Leanne shows up drunk and belligerent, a desperate Luanne turns to Peggy. But as promised, Peggy turns away, leaving Luanne alone. The situation reaches a crescendo when Buckley insults Leanne, calling her a "skank", as she gives him a lap dance. Furious, Leanne grabs a fork, and just as she is about to thrust it into Buckley, she is stopped by Peggy. An all-out brawl ensues, when Leanne was sorry before Peggy drops the fork off of Leanne's hand , causing her to be stars screaming (yelling), run over and attacks Peggy, during which Peggy gets the upper hand. Realizing she has been defeated. But Luanne chooses to remain behind with the Hills. Leanne furious at Luanne's choice says, "Fine, then I aint your sister no more," and angrily drives away in Bill's car, with Bill feeling that it was for the best that she's gone (even if she stole his car). The episode ends with Peggy at Luanne's Beauty Academy School's Mother-Daughter night.
Characters
- Hank Hill
- Peggy Hill
- Bobby Hill
- Luanne Platter
- Dale Gribble
- Nancy Gribble
- Jeff Boomhauer
- Bill Dauterive
- Leanne Platter (cameo/debut)
- Miss Kremzer (cameo)
- Sharona Johnson (cameo)
- Buckley (cameo)
- John Redcorn
- Nurse (cameo)
Trivia
- This is the first appearance of Leanne, Luanne's mother.
- As an active duty soldier in the U.S. Army, Bill would receive free medical care and medication. Therefore, he would have been able to continue his fungus treatment and spend his money carelessly.
- There was no tagline for this episode as it had a closing scene over the credits instead of the theme song.
- The music played during the montage of Bill buying gifts for Leanne is Wrap it Up by the Fabulous Thunderbirds.
- Hank uses his shop-vac twice within the first minute of the show. Once to suck up spilled dog food that Peggy dropped, and another to suck up beer that Dale spit out. Both of these incidents happened as a result of a character discovering that Leanne was out of prison.
- Leanne was placed in a medium-security prison, although, due to the mild nature of her crime, she should have been placed in a minimum security prison.
- Leanne becomes the first person whose breasts are shown on-screen to another character. This would later be Peggy (and two teenage strangers) at a nude beach, and Luanne in a bath-house at a lake. Connie would have been the sixth, but was stopped by Kahn.
- Leanne's Saga is a play on episode 5 of King of the Hill, "Luanne's Saga".
- Bill's grill is made from an Agent Orange barrel.
- According to the episode, "Leanne's Saga", the sales tax in Arlen is 8%.
Goofs
- When you see Hank and the gang stand in their usual spot, Bill has a black eye and a bruise. In the next shot it's gone.
- Hank pulls off Bill's sock and shoe but in another scene he has his sock on.
- Luanne calls her dad Hoyt in the episode. However, this is inconsistent with a later episode in the series Life: A Loser's Manual where we find out Hoyt is actually in prison, not on an oil rig. Luanne does not know this, thus she would not be able to get a hold of Hoyt.
- About halfway through, Hank sees Buckley out on his lawn and goes to investigate. Hank opens the sliding glass door, and we see the kitchen behind him. Then when we can see Peggy behind Hank, the glass door is closed and now the living room is behind them. Hank then goes back inside and closes the glass door and now Him and Peggy are in the living room instead of the kitchen.
- When Leanne last gives bill a foot rub the scene where bill is shown on the lawnmower has a brown sock like foot. Some scenes later and one of his socks appear out of nowere.
Censorship
In The UK, The British Satellite Channel SkyOne, Banned This Episode in 2003, due to scenes of Domestic Violence, in which Leanne starts drinking Alcohol again, and later begins to abuse Bill domestically and scenes of Emotional Abuse, in which Luanne attended to spend more time with her mother, but Leanne does not cooperate with Luanne but rather ignores her bonding, However, British Cable Channels FOX UK, 4Music, and Viva, and British Terestrial Channel Channel 4, has aired this episode when SkyOne declined to aired this episode, thus, this episode appears on the UK release of the season 2 DVD box set.