2x04 Hilloween

[7.8/10] This is a great character episode. I like how it sets up Hank Hill and Junie Harper as opposing forces, vying for the heart and mind of Bobby. Hank, as he is wont to do, laments that things aren't like they were in the old days, when Halloween was scary and kids played tricks on houses despite getting huge bars of chocolate. Junie Harper, by contrast, decries the holiday as a gateway to Satan, and successfully gets it shut down.

It’s a nice conflict, one that exposes Junie and her help for their ridiculousness, but which also manages to paint Hank as a little out of touch for not being able to accept that things can change. I like that the fulcrum of this is Bobby, who responds to these things like a real kid would, taking a lot of what he hears literally and worrying about Halloween means for whether he’s good or bad, but ultimately just wanting to spend time with his dad.

It’s also a good Luann episode, particularly with how she so easily falls under Junie’s sway because Junie makes her feel smart and insightful, something particularly inviting when her Uncle Hank is always decrying her for talking “nonsense.” The way Peggy defends Luann up until the point where Luann starts contradicting Hank to Bobby is also a great beat that shows Peggy’s love for her family but also her priorities.

There’s a lot of laughs here and good lines, which helps make the comedy go down smooth, and the closing protest/triumph of folks celebrating Halloween in defiance of the curfew is heartening. All-in-all, a great All Hallow’s Eve outing for the show.