Summary

• Boomhauer's mystery job as a Texas Ranger was a shock to fans, but the reveal left many scratching their heads.
• King of the Hill showcased the unique character of Boomhauer, from his fast speech to his Lothario habits.
• The late reveal of Boomhauer's job missed opportunities for character development and plot advancement.

Mike Judge is best known for Beavis and Butt-Head and his feature film Office Space. But from 1997 to 2009, his series King of the Hill was a huge part of Fox's animation block. While the show had a lot of hilarious reveals, a major revelation about Boomhauer's job in the final episode left fans scratching their heads.

King of the Hill focused on the Hill family -- Hank, Peggy, Bobby and Peggy's earnest niece Luanne Platter -- who lived in the fictional city of Arlen, Texas. In addition to his family, Hank spent time with his three friends: self-employed exterminator Dale Gribble, Army barber Bill Dauterive and Jeff Boomhauer, who's almost always referred to by his last name. This wasn't the only esoteric element about the character, which is why it was so shocking to discover that Boomhauer was a Texas Ranger.

Updated by Timothy Blake Donohoo and Robert Vaux on March 29, 2024: The classic animated series King of the Hill has remained a staple. Likewise, the current era of streaming has many viewers revisiting the series or watching it for the first time. This has driven interest in the fast-talking character Boomhauer and his job, the latter of which wasn't revealed until much later in the series. Thus, a whole new batch of fans have become disappointed in how the plot point was handled. The article has been updated to include new information, and the formatting has been adjusted to meet CBR's current guidelines.

Who Was Boomhauer On King of the Hill?

Jeffrey Dexter Boomhauer III is one of the most prominent supporting cast members in King of the Hill and is one of several characters in the show voiced by series creator Mike Judge. A neighbor of protagonist Hank Hill, he - like friends Dale Gribble and Bill Dauterive - was quite different from the series' main character. For instance, Hank is happily married to his wife Peggy and has a rather modest, old-fashioned view on romance.

On the other hand, Boomhauer is a frequent entertainer of the ladies, with his age not keeping his Lothario habits at bay. He's often seen cavorting in classic American cars, contrasting the trucks and vans driven by his friends. He's also the one member of the friend group who pays the most attention to his appearance, dying his hair and worrying about not being seen as too old or "uncool" (as seen in the episode "Four Wave Intersection). Ironically, he's the most cultured and astute of the bunch, as well. This allows him to understand a story told by fellow Rainey Street resident Kahn Souphanousinphone.

Easily the most notable aspect of Boomhauer from King of the Hill, however, is his speech. He speaks at an incredibly fast pace to the point where his words sound almost slurred. This is made worse by this thick Texan accent and the tendency to add the words "dang 'ol" sporadically in his sentences. In fact, these are many times the only intelligible parts of his dialogue. This is played to comedic effect in King of Hill, with most people beyond his friends barely understanding what he says. The "Boomhauer speech pattern" is even shared with his brother, Patch Boomhauer (voiced by iconic actor Brad Pitt) and the pair's mother, Mrs. Boomhauer.

What Does Boomhauer Do for a Living?

Boomhauer's job -- and his full name -- eluded fans for the majority of the series' run. Boomhauer was a well-known ladies' man, a high school football star and a car aficionado who uniquely spoke his way through every conversation. While many characters had a difficult time understanding him, he nevertheless seemed to be the wisest member of Hank's friends. He knew who he was, and he lived the life he chose without harming others. Compared to Dale and Bill, he was an unshakable rock of stability.

The mystery of Boomhauer came to a head in King of the Hill Season 13, Episode 24, "To Sirloin With Love," which served as the series finale and clarified key details. First, fans finally found out that his name was Jeffrey Dexter Boomhauer III. On top of that, the episode also revealed Boomhauer's job: he was a Texas Ranger. King of the Hill revealing what Boomhauer does for a living was a huge moment, but it was also an unfortunate throwaway gag. After the shock of the reveal wore off, fans started to realize that Boomhauer's job wasn't logical.

Boomhauer's Job on King of the Hill Made No Sense

In King of the Hill's 259 episodes, there were countless moments when Boomhauer's job as a Texas Ranger should have come up. During Season 4, Episode 14, "Naked Ambition," Boomhauer accidentally floated down a river in an inner tube, and ended up being committed to a mental hospital. The facility would certainly have checked into his background, so the fact that he was a law enforcement officer should have come up. One theory is that he only recently got the job, especially since he previously claimed to receive worker's comp settlement money. Since this concept was eventually repackaged for Luanne's boyfriend and later husband Lucky, it made sense that it was never mentioned again.

The worst part about Boomhauer's career reveal was the fact that it cheated fans out of years of interesting stories. Instead of being a key plot point that could have changed the series for the better, it was a sight gag that landed with a thud in the closing moments of King of the Hill (before the upcoming reboot, of course). More than likely, it was simply added to give a sense of closure, though it still made little sense. That's especially given how two of his friends might likely have reacted strongly to Boomhauer's job as a Texas Ranger.

Hank's Reaction to Boomhauer's Job

Hank Hill is portrayed as a fairly conservative man in King of the Hill, to an almost comedic degree. He's incredibly naive in some ways and far too trusting, to the point of thinking that a sleazy car salesman was actually giving him a good deal. This is combined with a strict reverence for authority and the chain of command, especially when it comes to law enforcement and the military. For this reason alone, Boomhaur being a Texas Ranger was a majorly missed opportunity.

For one, it might have explained why Hank was friends with Boomhauer, despite their vast differences. In other people, Hank would likely see Boomhauer's physical philandering as inappropriate or immodest. Despite his own feelings on the matter, he almost never comments on this behavior toward Boomhauer. A likely reason might be that he respects him too much due to Boomhauer's job as a Texas Ranger. This detail being revealed sooner would have gone a long way to explain their relationship. It might have also created a potential story where Hank suggests that such behavior isn't becoming of him given what Boomhauer does for a living.

Dale Gribble's Reaction to Boomhauer's Job

Another issue with this reveal came in the form of Dale, an established conspiracy theorist who didn't respect or trust any level of government or law enforcement. The fact that one of his closest friends was a Texas Ranger seems like something that would have been an issue for him. Friend or not, Dale talked about a lot of things in front of Boomhauer that he wanted to keep secret from the authorities. Given how oblivious Dale was to his own wife having an open affair, however, his not knowing what Boomhauer's job was makes some sense.

Dale Gribble is also friends with Bill Dauterive, who's a barber for the U.S. Army. Thus, any conspiratorial feels toward Boomhauer being a Texas Ranger should logically be felt towards Bill, as well. At the same time, Bill's position was so lowly and Dale's opinion of him is equally low to the point where he might not fear Bill overhearing anything. Overall, this backs up the theory that the revelation was a late addition simply meant to provide a sense of closure to the series' final season. For instance, there was a planned scene of this nature for the clinically depressed Bill wherein he finally discards his frozen wedding cake. With such a pivotal scene removed, it's no wonder the revelation of Boomhauer's job was such a letdown.