High Anxiety (Part 2)

Infobox Television episode
Title = High Anxiety
Series = King of the Hill


Caption =
Season = 4
Episode = 14
Airdate = February 13, 2000
Production = 4ABE14
Writer = Alan R. Cohen
Alan Freedland
Director = Adam Kuhlman
Guests = Mac Davis
Kathleen Turner
Reese Witherspoon
Episode list = List of King of the Hill episodes
Prev = Hanky Panky (Part 1)
Next = Naked Ambition

"High Anxiety" is the 75^th episode in the FOX animated television series "King of the Hill" and is the 14^th episode of the fourth season. Aired during the February ratings sweeps, it is the conclusion of the storyline began in "Hanky Panky".

Plot

After Peggy contacts police after discovering the body of Debbie Grund, Buck Strickland's former mistress who propositioned Hank who jilted her, the investigation begins.

Hank is desperate to keep knowledge of both Liz Strickland's and Debbie Grund's attempted seduction of him from Peggy. He's also desperate to keep anyone from finding out that he accidentally smoked marijuana with Debbie's roommate Gale shortly before her body was discovered. Initially police begin to zero in on Hank as the prime suspect because of Buck is feeding police information and planting evidence in an attempt to frame Hank for the murder.

Hank refuses to give the police his true alibi for fear of losing Bobby's respect, but suddenly Gale is arrested for the murder apparently based on nothing more than he had no alibi and was a long-haired Northerner. Hank keeps his silence even after Gale is arrested, though he voices his doubts about Gale being the murderer. However he finally confesses that he was with Gale smoking marijuana at the time of the murder.

The sheriff blames Buck Strickland and then Liz Strickland, based only on the fact they both had motives. The Texas Ranger who was called in by Peggy, for no other reason than she is a fan of the show "Walker, Texas Ranger", solves the case. Debbie Grund had accidentally shot herself attempting to ambush the Stricklands after seeing their reconciliation.

Difference in Syndicated Version

A very minor edit was made in the syndicated version of the episode, in the scene where the sheriff confronts Hank about Gale's alibi. In the original version, the sheriff says that Gale claims Hank was with him, "sparking up a 'J'". Peggy doesn't understand, so he rephrases it as "lighting" up a 'J'" and she suddenly gets the drug reference and is outraged. The syndicated version omits the original line and the confusion over it, skipping right to the 'lighting' line and reaction.

Quotes

*Sheriff: He was from somewhere up north with hair down to his butt crack and a layer of filth that just don't wash off.
*Bobby: I hope he doesn't get off on some pot-head technicality.
Hank: Those "technicalities" have a name, son. They're called the Bill of Rights.
Sheriff: Oh, he has a right—a right arm where they'll inject the needle.