"Be True to Your Fool" is the one hundred-forty-fifth episode of King of the Hill. It was first aired on April 27, 2003. The episode was written by Dan McGrath and directed by Anthony Lioi.
Summary[]
Hank finds a tattoo on the back of his head after getting shaved for lice, which Bill spread to Hank, Dale, and Boomhauer. Meanwhile, Bill makes friends with a bullpen of prisoners at the county jail.
Plot[]
Hank is enjoying a golf tournament on TV, when he suddenly hears that Bill needs help, who got pinned down under his couch while looking for change. Bill says he will order a pizza and offers some to Hank, who angrily rejects his offer and tells Bill not to bring it to his house. Later in the alley, Dale explains that the tournament Hank missed was perhaps the "greatest", further angering Hank. Soon, the group's scalps start to itch, and Bill reveals that he has contracted lice, which has now spread lice to his friends, in an attempt to attract a woman who was specialized in exterminating lice. Angry, the group leaves Bill and goes to Boomhauer's bathroom to kill off the lice with a prescribed shampoo. However, the shampoo fails and further irritates the scalp, causing Dale to itch tremendously and even scratch the side of his head on the road.
The next morning, Peggy, who wears a shower cap, explains to Hank that lice is nothing to be ashamed of, but Hank complains further about Bill and being fed up with his antics. As soon as Hank, Dale, and Boomhauer meet, with Bill shunned from the group and standing in front of his house, Hank explains that the same woman that Bill was trying to meet said the only solution was to shave their heads. However, Dale decides to use the same chemicals he uses to kill pests to kill the lice, but only succeeds in temporarily blinding himself and seriously irritating his scalp. A depressed Bill purchases a pack of beer, gets drunk, and pours the contents of a beer can into a mailbox while in the presence of a police officer; he gets arrested for public drunkenness. Later, Bill phones Hank (who is in the process of having his head shaved) to ask to bail him out to which Hank angrily refuses. Before his head is shaved, Peggy tells Hank that there is a tattoo on the back of his head, which is revealed to be the name "Bill".
Hank, confused and disoriented, questions Dale about how he got his tattoo, only to get a ridiculous answer. Meanwhile, Bill is talking with the other inmates and befriending the prisoners, who are impressed by Bill's lifestyle. Hank gets his tattoo removed and goes on to Boomhauer to find out how the tattoo got on his head. Boomhauer is surprised and finds it amusing that Hank has finally learned about the tattoo's existence.
Boomhauer explains that when the men were high school students, they all wanted to commemorate Bill joining the military by driving to Dallas to celebrate. They happened upon a bar known as the "Chainsaw", not realizing that it is a popular spot for punk rock; Hank assumes that it is a bar for the lumber industry. Soon, Hank becomes drunk, attracts negative attention, and accidentally pushes a punk causing him to spill liquor in another punk's face. Bill is forced to protect him while Boomhauer and Dale escort Hank out. As Dale is vomiting outside with Bill watching over him, Hank decides to get himself a tattoo with Bill's name to show his respect. Boomhauer opposes the idea. Before Hank gets the tattoo, he passes out. Boomhauer asks to the tattoo artist (who feels honor-bound to tattoo Hank after he paid) to print it on the back of his head where some of his hair would grow so no one would know about it. Realizing this, Hank soon feels guilty about not helping Bill now that he learned how Bill had protected him on that night. Then Peggy gets disappointed at Hank for how he has been acting and being stingy.
The next day, Hank attempts to visit Bill at court, but he soon ignores him. In addition to this, Bill plans to (falsely) confess to being the infamous Northside Burglar to teach Hank a lesson, with the expectation that he will be locked up for a extended period of time with his new friends. Hank realizes that the only way for him to get access to Bill is that he must be arrested himself. After attempting to violate several laws, he is finally arrested for ramming his truck into a police vehicle. From an adjoining cell, Hank explains to Bill about the tattoo, but Bill is annoyed to learn that Hank had it removed. Luckily, Hank gets his cellmate to give him a new tattoo and shows it to Bill, who is then convinced and is happy to hear that Hank still cherishes his friendship. Soon after, Bill is released early on good behavior while Hank waits for his court date which is at noon, even though Bill asks if he could get arrested again so he could keep him company, which Hank appreciates but refuses. However, Bill decides to wait until Hank is released before he will leave, saying that he's "waiting for a friend" as the episode ends.
Characters[]
- Hank Hill
- Peggy Hill
- Bobby Hill
- Bill Dauterive
- Dale Gribble
- Jeff Boomhauer
- Nancy Gribble (mentioned)
- Arlen Police officers
- Jail inmates
- Lady Bird
Stinger Quote[]
- Bill and inmates (singing): "There's a hole, there's a hole, there's a hole in the bottom of the sea."
Trivia[]
- The title of this episode is a play on a title of the 1963 Beach Boys song "Be True to Your School".
- Dale's bug spray contains both Malathion and Lindane, which is ironically used to kill lice. However, in Dale's statement that it is harmless is somewhat vague; Malathion does not cause cancer while Lindane does. Both, when sprayed upon the human body, causes the following symptoms: eye and skin irritation, dizziness, cramps, nausea and even death.
- The Quarterflash song "Harden My Heart" is heard in this episode despite it being released in 1981.
- The song playing when the guys are entering Dallas is "China Grove" by The Doobie Brothers.
- The store Liquor Trunk had previously been seen in the episode "Full Metal Dust Jacket". After Peggy gives up on the bookstore, Hank puts a "Out of Business" sign on the window and has a brief conversation with the new owner who is shown hanging up a sign that reads, "Coming Soon: Liquor Trunk".
- When Dale says, "My spider-sense is tingling", it is a reference to Spider-Man's catchphrase.
Quotes[]
- Hank: (Reminding Peggy about Bill) That god-dang Bill. Ever since Lenore left him, I've done nothing but cut him slack. He sleeps on my truck, he's always stealing Ladybird's squeaky toys... Remember when he kept a chamber pot by his bed? (sighs in disgust) He keeps burying his porno in our backyard, and he... Well I can't put up with it forever. It ends today!
- Bill: Sure, your fingers turn blue from the barbicide, but that's just part of the job.
- Prisoner: You have a job?
- Bill: Sure. Gotta pay the mortgage somehow.
- Prisoner: You got a house?
- Bill: Well, yeah. I got it in the divorce.
- Prisoner: You were married? Guess we got a nickname for you: "Hollywood."
- Hank: Now, can you remember any reason why any of us might have ever gotten a tattoo?
- Dale: What kind of tattoo? Like a bar code? Because that would point to the Rand Corporation.
- Hank: Good night, Dale.
- Dale: Boomhauer, your bathroom is gorgeous. Can I bring Nancy by tonight after dinner?
- Hank: Officer, I demand to see Bill Dauterive immediately. If necessary, I'll be happy to fill out the proper paperwork.