Contains spoilers for “King of the Hill” Season 14, Episode 9 — “No Hank Left Behind”

In the episode “No Hank Left Behind,” Peggy Hill (voiced by Kathy Najimy) faces a tough situation. Following a pickleball mishap, she injures her knee and travels to Dallas for an MRI. However, the MRI machine triggers repeated claustrophobic panic attacks in her. Staying with her son Bobby (voiced by Pamela Adlon), they both uncover that part of Peggy’s anxiety stems from her worry that her son might not need her anymore. Bobby reassures her of his love, and her panic subsides.

This touching moment between mother and son is marred by a callback to a past incident between Bobby and Peggy. While Peggy is inside the MRI machine, a radiology technician comments on some scar tissue in her groin, suggesting it resulted from being “kicked by a 12-year-old some time ago.” Bobby, surprised, asks, “You can tell it was a 12-year-old?”

This moment references “Bobby Goes Nuts,” the first episode of Season 6. In that episode, Bobby learns a groin-kicking technique in a self-defense class for women, which he uses excessively. He becomes a bit of a bully, overestimating his new power, until he discovers that kicking his mom doesn’t have the same impact.

“Bobby Goes Nuts” has become a cultural touchstone since its debut, so the revival’s nod to it during Peggy’s MRI scene is appreciated. The episode is loved by fans for its memorable lines like “That’s my purse, I don’t know you,” and for Bobby’s repeated groin kicks to various characters, including both his parents. It has inspired a range of fan creations, from t-shirts to tattoos.

The episode is also highly praised among critics. Rolling Stone Australia ranked it as the 76th greatest TV episode ever, and Mel magazine has an oral history dedicated to it. When Looper listed the top 25 episodes of “King of the Hill,” “Bobby Goes Nuts” secured the first spot. Currently, it holds the highest IMDb rating of any episode in the series, with a score of 9/10. Pamela Adlon’s performance even earned her an Emmy, which marked a significant achievement for voice acting recognition.