"Kidney Boy and Hamster Girl: A Love Story" is the one hundred-fourth episode of King of the Hill. It was first aired on May 13, 2001. The episode was written by Garland Testa, and directed by Gary McCarver.
Summary[]
Bobby pretends to be a high school student with a kidney disorder that stunted his growth and helps the student body win a radio station contest, where the winner gets to have ska band No Doubt perform at the prom. Meanwhile, Hank and his friends get a Port-A-Potty for the alley.
Plot[]
Bill is in urgent need of using Hank's bathroom, but Hank, who does not like to share bathrooms, refuses. Inspired, Dale acquires a port-a-Potty, intent on cornering the premium outhouse business. Connie and Bobby are excited about their middle school's upcoming prom. Riding their bikes home, they pedal through the high school parking lot. High school students chase Bobby, who is forced to abandon his bike in some bushes. When he goes back to retrieve it, a high school security guard mistakes him for a truant high school student and shoves him into the high school.
Expecting to be terrified, Bobby is amazed to discover delights like a food court and a "No Doubt" poster. When he is confronted by four students who do not recognize him, they attempt to give him a swirlie, but Bobby claims to be a senior whose small stature is due to his failing kidneys, and who has been absent due to hospitalization. The students explain that their school is competing to have No Doubt perform at their prom. When a bigger student attempts to get into a dishwasher, to ride out a washing cycle and score points for the school's No Doubt contest, he's too big. Bobby volunteers to substitute, despite his "kidney problem," thus becoming a local hero, and impressing cheerleader Vivian. Later, after Connie reminds Bobby to get tickets to their middle school prom, she discovers that the prom tickets are sold out. Bobby agrees to take her to the high school prom instead. Bobby tells his new high school friends that Connie is a high school girl whom he met in the hospital, where she was being treated for having a small, hamster-like tail. When Connie discovers the lie inside Deluxe Tux, she refuses to go along with it, and stalks off. Bobby decides to take Vivian to the high school prom instead. To Hank's dismay, Dale brings his port-a-potty to Strickland Propane, where Mr. Strickland takes advantage of it.
Dale allows the high school kids to pile into his port-a-potty, to score points in the No Doubt contest. While Bobby is trying to fit inside with them, Joseph asks Connie to the middle school prom, and she accepts. So many students finally squish into the port-a-potty that it begins to weaken. But their gimmick works; the kids score enough points that their school wins the contest, and No Doubt announces its future appearance at their prom. Meanwhile, Hank tries to use one of the bathrooms at home, but they are occupied. He caves in and resorts to Dale's port-a-potty. Inside, the potty is unsound from its high school prank, and it collapses around him, revealing Hank squatting over the seat. That night, Bobby goes out with his high school friends only to discover they plan to throw water balloons at the middle schoolers on the way to their prom. The high school students are attacking the middle school students with water balloons when, to their surprise, they see Connie.
Connie covers for Bobby, explaining that she had gotten rid of her tail, and enrolled in middle school because she required a lower-stress environment. Hearing that she is cured, the high school students fire a water balloon at her, but Bobby takes the hit. Bobby confesses that he, too, is in middle school, and the high school students soak him, then leave him. Connie tells him that she is still his girlfriend, but clarifies that since he failed to get a ticket for prom, she is still going with Joseph. Later, the high school students realize that Bobby did help win the No Doubt contest, in addition to No Doubt expecting to see a dying Kidney Boy at the dance. Accordingly, they give Bobby a ticket, and he takes Connie to the high school prom after all. When Bobby announces that Kidney Boy is gone forever, word gets to the band, which dedicates a song to his memory.
Characters[]
- Hank Hill
- Peggy Hill
- Bobby Hill
- Luanne Platter
- Dale Gribble
- Joseph Gribble
- Jeff Boomhauer
- Bill Dauterive
- Connie Souphanousinphone
- Arlen High School principal
- Stuart Dooley
- Kim
- Anthony
- Three high school jocks
- Vivian
- No Doubt
- Wacky & Steve
- Tony & high school student
- Arlen High School security guard
- Buck Strickland
- Maria Montalvo (non-speaking)
- Joe Jack (non-speaking)
- Enrique (non-speaking)
- Melinda (non-speaking)
- Tom (non-speaking)
- Judy (non-speaking)
- Clark Peters (non-speaking)
- Ramon Alejandro (non-speaking)
- Gary Coleman (implied)
Stinger Quote[]
- Conklin: "Aahaah!"
- Arlen High School principal: "Conklin!"
Trivia[]
- This is the first episode to feature a digitally colored scene. The scene where the doors to the high school close after its security guard takes Bobby into the high school is digitally colored.
- Hank and Peggy did not receive a notification from Bobby's principal informing them that Bobby was absent from Tom Landry Middle School.
- This is the second episode where Joseph is shown as Connie's love interest, since the Season 5 episode "I Don't Want to Wait..." when they kissed.
- The high school students demand that Bobby sing a song, so he sings a line from "Wannabe" by British pop band Spice Girls. Bobby sang bits of the same song in the motel room during Season 3 episode "Hank's Cowboy Movie".
- Bobby tells the seniors that his growth is stunted, to which one of them asks, "Like that kid on that old TV show?", referring to Gary Coleman from Diff'rent Strokes.
- No Doubt's prom performances include their songs "Don't Speak" and "Bathwater", where one lyric can be heard at the conclusion of the episode.
- "Lupe's Revenge" was originally supposed to air this week, with "Kidney Boy and Hamster Girl" airing the week after, but the season was cut short, and "Lupe's Revenge" was postponed until the following season.
- This is the last episode to air before the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Quotes[]
- Bobby (singing): If you wanna be my lover, you got to get with my friends!
- Senior: "You look familiar. Didn't we see you at Conklin's party?"
Bobby: "Anybody who says they remember that party wasn't really there."
(Seniors say "Dude" as they and Bobby fist bump each other) - Unnamed security guard: "Look, I know it's tough in there for a freshman. They're animals. I got some advice for you: puff out your chest and walk like this. I saw a gorilla do it on a nature show. Scared the crap out of me. Now, go on."