The Accidental Terrorist is the two hundred-twenty-sixth episode of King of the Hill. It was first aired on March 2, 2008. The episode was written by Tim Croston and Chip Hall, and directed by Robin Brigstocke.
Synopsis
Bobby is about to spend his hard-earned cash on a new video game system, but Hank disapproves, not because of the purchase but in trying to teach Bobby a lesson about business-customer loyalty. Bobby was about to make a bid at an online auction when Hank says if something goes wrong; the seller will not come to fix it. When Peggy needs a new car, Hank insists they buy from Tom Hammond, his go-to salesman for 25 years. With her heart set on a convertible, Peggy begins the negotiation behind Hank's back and gets the price down considerably. Hank catches her and agrees to buy the convertible, provided he can make the deal himself. Tom jacks the price back up to sticker and tells Hank he's getting a deal. When Peggy discovers how much Hank paid, she realizes he's been swindled on every car he's ever bought. She tries to keep Hank from finding out, but he does and becomes disillusioned and depressed. When he confronts Tom on all the years of lies, Tom says that he's a salesman and it's what he does. To exact justice, Hank places flyers reading "Tom Hammond's World of Lies!" on the cars in Tom's lot early one morning. He is joined by a group of radical college students, one of whom he met in the copy shop the day before. As Hank drives away, the students blow up a number of cars. Hank is arrested since he was the only person on the surveillance tapes—the students dressed in black and crawled on the ground—but Tom Hammond doesn't press charges. He tells Officer Brown (Fred Willard) that if Hank Hill looks you in the eye and says he didn't do something, he didn't do it. The truth is Tom doesn't believe Hank's innocence, but knows Hank would fight the charges, which would mean bad publicity for Tom's dealership. Hammond says that he has had a good run from Hank selling multiple cars at sticker price; thus he should cut his losses right there. The episode ends with Hank taking Bobby to an electronics store to buy his gaming console. The manager of the electronics store realizes Hank is the alleged "ripoff bomber" and signals to the employee to cut the price for Bobby, fearing a similar problem at their store.
Stinger Quote
"Hank always seemed like a very quiet man, you know!"
Trivia
- An ad for Dr. Money appears while Hank is watching TV. This ad is central to the plot of the Season 10 episode The Year of Washing Dangerously. The ad also appears in the Season 11 episode The Passion of the Dauterive.
Goofs
- Tom says he sold Hank five cars at sticker price. However in the flashback it shows Hank only buying four cars (including the newest one). Hank bought his new truck at a dealership in West Durndle, not from Tom.