"Penis." —Peggy Hill
"Square Peg" is the second episode of the Fox animated television series King of the Hill. It was written by Joe Stillman and directed by Gary McCarver. The episode was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (for Programming Less Than One Hour) at the 49th Primetime Emmy Awards.
Summary[]
Peggy is mortified and tongue-tied when she finds out she has been chosen to teach the middle school's sexual education class, and Hank does everything he can to keep Bobby from learning about the birds and the bees.
Plot[]
Bobby returns home from school with a permission slip. Hank scolds Bobby when he realizes the school is seeking permission to send his son to a Sex Ed class. He and Peggy agree that "the birds and the bees" should be taught at home. But Hank quickly nominates Peggy, who was recently voted Substitute Teacher of the Year, to do the honors. With great trepidation, Peggy approaches her son and broaches the subject of sex. When Bobby mentions the word "penis," Peggy goes blank and leaves the room. Left with little choice, Hank decides he will teach his son the same way his own father instructed him: by watching animals mate at a local dairy farm. But Hank is horrified to realize that, through a miracle of modern technology, cows are inseminated by machine. Hank and Peggy have a change of heart and decide the topic is best left in the hands of professionals. But when the high school's Sex Ed teacher resigns after Hank's friend Dale phones in an anonymous death threat, Peggy is drafted to teach the class.
Peggy prepares for the job by reading a variety of books on the subject. Word of her new position spreads quickly, and the entire family becomes the target of derogatory remarks. The perceived "dirtiness" of Peggy's task even affects her love life, as Hank recoils after she suggests they have sex. While preparing for the class, Peggy musters the courage to blurt out the word "vagina." Fed up, Hank tells Peggy he will not sign the permission slip (which requires both parents' signatures).
Hank takes Bobby to work with him on the day Peggy is scheduled to teach the Sex Ed class, thus exposing him to the casual sexism of the workplace. While discussing the touchy subject matter with his son, Hank defends Peggy's use of words describing the human anatomy and suddenly realizes how courageous his wife truly is. He brings Bobby to school and allows him to attend the Sex Ed class. Meanwhile, Peggy, nervous and tentative, enters the classroom and addresses the students. Just when she was going to break, Hank and Bobby enter the classroom, which gives Peggy confidence to teach Sex Ed. Suddenly, every kid did not get their permission slips signed and there was nobody left to teach except Bobby. Even with that, Peggy still teaches Bobby about Sex Ed.
Characters[]
- Hank Hill
- Peggy Hill
- Bobby Hill
- Luanne Platter
- Dale Gribble
- Joseph Gribble
- Bill Dauterive
- Boomhauer
- Stuart Dooley (debut)
- Cotton Hill
- Maddy Platter (debut)
- Gracie
- Bonnie (debut)
- Randy Travis (mentioned)
Trivia[]
- This episode was nominated for the 1997 Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour or Less).
- This episode marks the first appearance of Stuart Dooley.
- This episode marks the first appearance of Hank's workplace, Strickland Propane.
- When Peggy reluctantly enters Bobby's room to have an educational talk with him about the "facts of life", it can clearly be heard in the background from Bobby's television that Bobby is watching Barney & Friends, a real-life children's television show.
- Hank points out that the permission slip must be signed by both parents. This leaves out children who live in one parent household or may not live with their parents.
- While Hank is driving Bobby to United Dairy Milk Conglomerate, they can be seen passing by Whataburger and Dairy Queen, which marks the first appearance of both.
- Hank is shown to have a strong farmer's tan when he takes his shirt off.
Quotes[]
- Stuart Dooley: Hey, Bobby. Your mom's gonna teach sex ed.
- Bobby Hill: I know.
- Stuart Dooley: We're gonna get to see her boobs.