King of the Hill is known for colorful protagonists, but its potential revival can survive without Buck Strickland's offensive and tired antics.
Animation has come a long way since shows like Looney Tunes and characters like Mickey Mouse. While it was initially geared towards a more adolescent audience, animation has grown in its maturity and been used to tackle far more mature themes in a medium easily accessible to anyone. A great example of this is the hilarious series King of the Hill, which is potentially coming back after it originally aired from 1997 to 2010. While fans are excited to possibly see their favorite characters like Hank Hill's sarcastic neighbor Kahn return, there's one who should definitely be left in the past -- Buck Strickland.
Buck was Hank's manager at Strickland Propane and often King of the Hill's center of depravity and ill-intent. While he was the manager throughout the course of the series, Hank (whose hatred of Adam Sandler makes total sense) was the one who kept the business afloat and his employees happy while also trying to keep Strickland's head above water -- something his boss exploited regularly. But in an era of television that has no room or tolerance for characters who have committed the terrible acts Buck has, there's no real place for his character.
Some of Buck's worst acts were often to himself; he was a heavy drinker and drug user with an addictive personality prominently showcased through his gambling habits. He was also a womanizer who would repeatedly cheat on his wife and visit strip clubs during his downtime. To him, women were an object, and he had no shame in showcasing his beliefs out in public. He was also a scam artist and swindler who wasn't afraid to cut costs by firing employees or even making them suffer when the company tried to go green to avoid negative PR in the Season 13 episode "Earthy Girls Are Easy."
Buck's vices have even jeopardized the Hill family on more than one occasion. He put Hank's son Bobby in a dangerous situation involving illegal gambling was in Season 5's "The Buck Stops Here," when Bobby is Strickland's caddy at the local country club. Buck also tried to frame Hank for the accidental death of Buck's mistress in Season 4's "High Anxiety." He did these things without hesitation and only further proved why his presence is no longer needed. But how would getting rid of him fit into the King of the Hillrevival's narrative?
There's an opportunity for the balance of power in Strickland Propane to take a logical shift should Buck be out of the picture. In terms of writing off the character, Buck had a history of heart problems and bad habits that only put further strain on his health. Since he was already nearing 70 when the show was airing, it would be logical to kill the character off in the hiatus between the series finale and the revival. Buck has written a lot of checks he never cashed, and his untimely fate would be fitting for his history. This would also open the door for Hank to finally have a leadership role as manager of Strickland Propane.
Buck Strickland isn't a good person in terms of his characterization; he's worse than Mr. Burns on The Simpsons. While he's had some funny moments in the past, he's ultimately the product of a bygone era. Writing him off so the transition of power benefits Hank would be a great start to a new story point. Plus, even if he isn't present, Strickland's shady business from the past could always pop back up, creating more drama and showing his choices caused lasting issues for his business. King of the Hill would still survive and thrive even more without Strickland in the picture.
