King of the Hill: The Complete Third Season—20th Century Fox

Video: 2
Audio: 2
Extras: 0
What's funny about a group of staid suburban Texans who take life much too seriously? Pretty much everything, as their Emmy Award–winning third season proves, from the all-time-great "And They Call It Bobby Love," with guest voice Sarah Michelle Gellar (the episode culminates in a cheer-out-loud eating contest), to the darkly comic skydiving mishap in the season finale.

The 25 episodes from Season Three are spread across three double-sided discs and are presented in a 1.33:1 aspect ratio. The image is inconsistent but typically soft, with colors that are often oversaturated despite some subtle distinctions between the cartoon skintones. Keep in mind that this is not sophisticated animation; it's maybe one big step above creator Mike Judge's previous Texan confection, Beavis and Butt-Head. The Dolby 2.0 audio offers occasional rear-channel activity and delivers the Refreshments' toe-tapping theme song with ample bass. The show is almost entirely dialogue driven, though, and displays limited dynamic range.

The progression of the animated menus from side-to-side, disc-to-disc, and the scenes of life in the common alley of the neighborhood are amusing, but they hardly constitute bonus features. This set provides absolutely nothing in the way of extras, in stark contrast to the wonderful King seasons that have come before. This is surely a show that can stand on its own, especially the third season's batch of yarns. Still, I can't help but wonder why the bounty has ended so abruptly.

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