In the thirteenth season premiere of King of the Hill, everyone’s favorite lovable loser discovers he’s a diabetic.  It’s up to Hank to help Bill out (again) in “Dia-bill-ic Shock.”

At the Arlen County Fair, Hank and Bobby watch (the former with horror, the later with admiration) as Bill gorges himself on varying sweets. After requesting and chomping on a lollipop with a cotton candy “wig,” he becomes dizzy and passes out.

At the hospital, Bill enthusiastically eats his portion of Jell-O.  His attending, Doctor Weissman, treats his nurse condescendingly before confronting Bill. He’s informed that his fainting spell is due to the onset of type two diabetes.  Bill has no idea how this could have happened to him; his doctor scoffs at this and lists common symptoms associated with the condition, insisting he must have experienced at least one. “I just thought I was in love,” Bill sighs.  The doctor sets up an eating program for him, and explains that the condition is genetic.

Out in the alley, Dale, Boomhauer, Bill and Hank discuss Bill’s condition.  “(Diabetes) can happen to anyone, and anyone usually means Bill,” declares Dale. Hank scolds Bill about his diet, and Bill begs Hank for his help, and Hank agrees to go shopping with him if he’s going to be serious about it. “I know I only say this on Thanksgiving, but I’m thankful for you, Hank,” utters Bill.

Unfortunately, the shopping trip turns into a disaster, as Bill tries to sneak around the rules set up for him by his doctor.  Carrot cake has carrots in it! Hank tries to talk Bill out of buying cookies, but Bill won’t hear of it – his mother used cookies to cheer him up, or to help him celebrate. “All of my emotions require cookies, Hank.”

Alone back at home, Bill tries to follow his eating plan but soon turns to his sandwich cookies out of frustration. He passes out.

At the hospital, Doctor Weissman declares to his nurse that Bill is a “diabetic who’ll never get his act together.” Holding absolutely no hope for his recovery, he informs Bill of the symptoms he will endure, eventually leading to his death. Bluntly, he suggests he buy a wheelchair while he still has good insurance.

Cut to the alley, where Hank is kvetching to Dale and Boomhauer about Bill’s hospital trip. Just then a hospital van pulls up and Bill is helped out, seated in a wheelchair.  The guys assume that Bill is now a quadriplegic, and Bill does nothing to refute their assumption. 

Bill numbly accepts his condition, but is unable to even get a quart of milk out of his refrigerator. Hank immediately helps him, and declares that he’ll do everything he can to help Bill out, the first step being redesigning his home so that it’s handicap accessible.  Bill allows them to do so. He’s gonna go read his footprints in the sand poster.

Later that evening, Hank is lamenting Bill’s fate to Peggy, who declares that diabetes will NOT be happening to the Hills.  Fruit pie-loving Bobby is, naturally, recalcitrant when Peggy begins serving him seaweed and algae.

The following day, Hank tries to help Bill over his threshold and out the door.  “Just drop me like God did!” Bill requests.  Hank eventually bribes Bill into heading out to the park with him, promising a new joystick for his chair.

At the park, Hank realizes he’s forgotten something in the car and leaves Bill alone to watch a nearby wheelchair rugby league.  Bill’s approached by Thunder, the team captain, who chats Bill up and tries to encourage him out of his depression.  Bill’s impressed by Thunder: “You make walking seem lame!” he cries.  He’s especially impressed by Thunder’s stylish wheelchair – Thunder offers him his spare one and Bill tries to stop him.  They’re chirping away happily until Hank returns – Thunder dismisses him as an "attendant." 

Hank, Boomhauer, Dale and Kahn watch Bill as he hangs out with Thunder.   Hank declares that he’s happy for Bill, even though Thunder treats Hank pretty badly.  “My life would be so different if my name was Thunder.  Or Shaun,” opines Kahn.

That evening at a nightclub, Bill’s too shy to approach a group of girls, but Thunder’s smooth approach wins the day for both of them.   Bill eventually tells the gang that instead of spending his money on making the house wheelchair-accessible, he’s going to make his own basketball court.

At school, Bobby is stuck with tofu and seaweed.

  He tries to trick Joseph into switching meals with him, only to have Joseph reject the trade.  He chokes down his seaweed.

Bill soon wins a position on Thunder’s rugby team, where he does a very credible job.  In the middle of one game, he’s knocked out of his chair and reseats himself without further help.  That evening, the team’s getting sloshed.  Bill in fact gets so drunk that he forgets he’s not actually a quadriplegic and stands up to head to the bathroom.  He tries to explain that he’s got a problem as well – he jabs himself with his glucose meter, which repeatedly returns a normal result.  Obviously, his former friends now shun him.

Back at Bill’s place, Hank, Dale and Boomhauer are spraying a huge handicapped parking insignia on Bill’s driveway when he arrives on foot, pushing his wheelchair.  The truth comes out, and Hank is aghast.  “When people yell at me, I do what they say!” Bill whines.  

Now completely alone, Bill heads back to the club he’d gone to with Thunder earlier.  His moves –- the same ones he used when in a wheelchair, which involve a lot of spinning - don’t exactly impress the ladies.  

Back at the Hills’ place, Bobby and Joseph watch, horrified, as Peggy grinds up wheatgrass juice for Bobby.  “She’s going to drink the grass!” Bobby wails.  Joseph can’t stand anymore; he heroically offers Bobby his candy bar.  But Bobby, who’s eaten nothing sweet for a full week, finds it’s so saccharine he can’t stand it.  And, when his mother hands him a glass for tasting, he even likes wheatgrass juice.

A lonely Bill, meanwhile, is driven to attempt a sugar overdose, hoping he’ll once more be diabetic.   Each test of the glucose meter, however, shows normal bloodsugar.  Hank bursts in and stops Bill before he can eat an entire sack of sugar.  Bill laments that the wheelchair was the only thing that made him special – Hank insists that’s not true, and he’s brought someone with him to prove it.  Yes, Thunder’s there, and he wants Bill to buck up.  Bill explains that he only wanted to be a hero, like Thunder, FDR and Larry Flynt.  Thunder explains that Bill IS a hero because he beat diabetes.  Bill gradually brightens as he realizes Thunder’s right.  Thunder suggests that Bill go kick his doctor’s ass.

The following day, accompanied by Hank, that’s just what Bill sets out to do.  When Weissman tries to defend himself, Bill just smiles.  “I can see just fine.  Isn’t that inspiring?”

Cut to Hank, hanging around outside Weissman’s office.  An obvious tussle is taking place inside.  Weissman’s nurse happens by, and Hank tries to explain away what’s going on inside.  “I didn’t hear a thing,” his nurse smiles.  Hank settles down to a magazine as the episode concludes.

Arlen Bystander: An excellent episode, “Dia-bill-ic Shock” is actually the best outing the show’s had since season ten’s “Harlottown”.  

Bill shines in this particular episode –  it’s always wonderful to watch him overcome his issues instead of being a constant victim and to, in fact, see him absorb a lesson of self-preservation.  The character of Thunder was developed wonderfully – and Bill FINALLY got to keep a friend made outside of the alley gang.

The subplot also worked very well.  Bobby gradually coming to like his vegetable-heavy diet was an interesting twist.  Joseph proved a true boon to the proceedings, with just enough (mostly rational) Peggy added in to make it funny.

The subject of diabetes itself was treated with the show’s usual deftness –with respect across the board, and a minimum of preachy fuss.  

Since King of the Hill does tend to keep close to continuity, I wonder if Bill’s diabetes will continue to be a reoccurring theme?  Will Bobby give up his beloved fruit pies for good?

In short – worth tracking down and multiple re-watchings.  Possible best of the season; it’s  very, very early to call it, but I’m comfortable saying it.

Arlen Is Darlin’:  The show pulled a 7.04, down 2.00 from their lead-in’s ratings.

Mega-Lo-Mart:  The next new episode of King of the Hill to air will be “Earthy Girls Are Easy”, on October fifth.  Be sure to check back on the sixth for a full recap!