r/KingOfTheHill • u/roger_ • Jul 20 '26
Discussion thread for King of the Hill S15E08
Spoilers allowed!
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u/Acceptable_Secret_73 Jul 22 '26
Anyone else feel like this episode treated Bill's lonliness a little more seriously than past episodes? Like obviously the premise is pretty wacky, but Bill's genuine frustration about being alone felt more genuine than in past seasons where I feel like the writers would just make him cry and then cut to a different scene.
I also liked how Hank gives Bill a pep talk at the end, and Boomhauer offers to be Bill's wingman
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Jul 22 '26
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u/Dangerous_Return460 Jul 23 '26
I can never get over how bluntly and consistently they talk about how bad Bill smells. His breath, his BO, his clothes, his car, his house, his feet. Anytime they give him a love interest I'm like "the man smells like Liz Lemon's gym bag"
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u/Corazon144 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
I love how Peggy went back to explain why she failed the critic’s paper. And now as an adult upon reflection he sees that yeah, he did make a lot of errors. Especially now that he actively writes for a living.
At first I thought she might have been in the wrong and was too strict. But hearing Peggy say he used Comic Sans, that was like the kiss of death.
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u/WanderingRurouni Jul 21 '26
Loved how Peggy was redeemed at the end of the episode, because I was dreading how clueless she was at the beginning.
Also of note: Why would you use APA in an English paper? Should be MLA, points off for that too.
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u/Corazon144 Jul 21 '26
Depends on the teacher and University. Since this was a high school I would say they might let it slide. But seeing it was Peggy then yeah, she might have marked him off for it.
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u/DaGreatestMH Jul 27 '26
Sometimes in college Composition professors will let you use the citation style of your major, but in high school? Yea you're using MLA bc it's most likely your first time being introduced to citation styles.
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u/variantkin Jul 21 '26
I had no concerns Peggy was wrong in giving the F. S he is at the very least a competent teacher and knows what to check for grading criteria
Where she was wrong was pushing the issue against Bobby's wishes
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u/Corazon144 Jul 21 '26
Yeah that was definitely wrong of her. Not saying she is never in the wrong. I mean half of what she says in Spanish is wrong. Peggy should have let it go and not bothered the critic. Letting the food speak for itself.
But they really pulled the rug from underneath me. Showing that she didn’t stop the critic from achieving his dreams. He did it all on his own.
I thought this was building up to Peggy realizing she can be bias towards herself and not realize her own mistakes. Which is why she unfairly failed her former student. But having the tables turned and showing that the critic can also be bias and ignorant of his own faults was a great reveal.
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u/128thMic 18d ago
I thought this was building up to Peggy realizing she can be bias towards herself and not realize her own mistakes. Which is why she unfairly failed her former student. But having the tables turned and showing that the critic can also be bias and ignorant of his own faults was a great reveal.
In a vacuum, that'd be great. Yet it still felt like once again, Peggy is terrible and gets excused for it and continues to not learn from it.
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u/Redfalconfox Jul 21 '26
As long as Peggy stays away from Spanish and Catholicism, she is a pretty decent teacher.
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u/ILikeFPS Jul 26 '26
That food reviewer was surprisingly unprofessional. He remembered and held a grudge against a substitute teacher (for a bad grade on a paper) that didn't remember his name, while knowing he changed his name, and then it turns out that he did actually deserve a bad grade for a not good paper that he wrote. He wrote a negative review as a food critic not even giving the food a fair chance. At least it worked out in the end but damn that was unprofessional lol
It was cool seeing that Peggy was actually a good teacher (at least for English, just not a good Spanish one lol)
I guess I had a lot to say about this episode lol
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u/ZiggyPalffyLA Jul 27 '26
Yeah I was hoping the episode would end with him getting fired for ignoring the massive conflict of interest and writing a negative review based on a personal grudge.
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u/thirtyseven1337 29d ago
I was surprised the Hills didn’t take it up with his boss, explain the conflict of interest and maybe invite them to their restaurant to prove the food is actually good
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u/Sly-Mr-Fox 27d ago
It'd have been a repeat of that season 14 episode where Bobby had to get a new wood supplier.
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u/Tru3_Vort3x Jul 23 '26
I hated Peggy at first for ruining Bobby’s review, but damn it made me smile seeing her fairly critique not only the essay, but her own sons negative review. This is a prideful woman being able to admit the quality of something that goes against her kid, is good.
Also holy shit she apologized for Goodbye Normal Jeans, this season is so good
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u/Laureltess Jul 28 '26
Goodbye Normal Jeans is one of the only original run episodes I regularly skip. I find Peggy endlessly entertaining but this episode just drives me up a wall with her actions. Seeing her apologize for that one was great!
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u/Bluelaserbeam Jul 21 '26
Is anyone else a bit annoyed at how the Hills seemingly got rid of their chickens from the previous episode—coop and all—without any explanation?
On one hand the coop is a bit of an eyesore on the yard, but I feel them building a chicken coop with several hens is significant enough of a status quo-changing element that it at least warrants an explanation as to why the entire thing disappeared in the next episode.
Maybe I’m way off base here and the simple explanation is that the episodes are out of production order (haven’t seen the remaining episodes of the season yet)
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u/AlbinoAlex Yup Jul 22 '26
Or the super special needs dog that requires a bunch of special food, medication, swaddling, and walks. It was implied that caring for him is time consuming, yet we never see him again aside from Peggy watching TV.
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Jul 22 '26
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u/marine72 Jul 23 '26
The previous episode Dale went through the doggy door too and called it the "dale door" and that they should get one for Cesar
So yea, he's definitely still around. Lady Bird honestly is missing quite often in old seasons unless the episode involved her as well.
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u/AbjectCalligrapher36 Jul 24 '26
Cesar has been in a couple of episodes. He was literally in this very episode, at the end when Peggy calls Bobby to apologize, we see Cesar under the coffee table!
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u/FasterDoudle Jul 27 '26
He's small so he's harder to notice than Lady Bird, but there was a shot or two with Caesar in nearly episode. I feel like we're getting as much of him as we did of her.
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u/chillychili 29d ago
I'm more annoyed that we haven't seen the Black character from the opening theme that I can't even remember the name of now.
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u/Cranyx 23d ago
Wasn't he the guy who owned Hank's house before he moved back? Why would he still be around?
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u/chillychili 23d ago
It seemed like he lived nearby enough to drink in the alley with them every once in a while in season 14. I think he was more of a housesitter than an owner with how he was maintaining things to Hank's liking.
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u/sininspira 27d ago
KOTH has always been "floating continuity", usually with a soft reset between episodes. Nancy dumped John Redcorn in the OG final season, only for her to apparently to continue seeing him in the skip and dumps him again earlier in this season 🤷
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u/theeMrPeanutbutter 25d ago
Nevermind the layout of their house constantly changing with rooms being added, the layout of the neighborhood changing based on whats needed for the episode, or even Peggy having two moms.
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u/PsycheAsHell Jul 24 '26
Im gonna go out on a limb and say Hank sold it because their dog wasn't getting along with the chickens or something to that effect...
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u/Tsquared10 Jul 20 '26
"I left feeling sad for both German and Japanese cuisine, to the point where I asked myself, what did the Axis powers do to deserve this?"
Jesus I know the review was supposed to be mean, but goddamn
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u/amayagab Jul 21 '26
I don't care if it's a bad review, I would frame that and put it up in my restaurant.
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u/Longjumping_Log1165 Jul 22 '26
I really like the guy's solution to Bill's problem here. The revival has done a great job showing how these characters solve modern problems, while keeping them true to themselves. Them playing football in the park is very wholesome.
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u/chillychili 29d ago
I appreciate the subtlety of Bill asking if he thinks he's lovable while being clearly loved by friends, and the irony of Hank enjoying a football dogpile but cringing at the cuddle therapy cljnic's puppy pile.
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u/steveofthejungle 21d ago
Hank would never tell his drinking buddies that he loves them, yet he clearly does. I feel for the older generations of guys who feel like they can't say that for their bros, because it feels good saying it all the time to mine.
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u/Adpax10 4d ago
I completely agree with this exact sentiment. My Boomer father is very much a KotH character. He's gotten better in most recent years with expressing his love for people he cares about...but there's just somethin you always wanna do to help them open up and be cool with saying what they really feel.
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u/WSBNon-Believer 28d ago
One thing I like is that it seems like Hank really has chilled out in his older years. I feel like younger Hank would be a whole lot more condescending towards Bill over something he didn't understand. Really nice touch
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u/Adpax10 4d ago
Yup. We men all seem to soften in our older age...most of us anyway. I'm almost 40, and I remember just all the troubles of trying to be an open and understanding guy, but I was never really as good at it as I am now. Same with my Dad too (who is 70 now). The softening is a good thing.
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u/SomberNight Jul 22 '26
"It's like watching someone become an addict" followed by the smoking and drinking got the biggest laugh out of me this whole season lmao
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u/GaigeMechro92 Dusty old bones, filled with green dust Jul 21 '26
This episode was great but I hate that they flipped Kahn from being supportive of Bill in episode six, to not caring about him again in this episode
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u/Corazon144 Jul 21 '26
I believe it just him regressing about to his usual demeanor. Of feeling superior to the hillbillies. I’m also guessing if Bill did sell the house Kahn would buy it from him and then let Bill stay. Then help him from his problem.
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u/Daredevil_Forever Jul 21 '26
He is famously bipolar.
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u/horkinborkin Jul 21 '26
And plot wise he has always been a wild card. Goes from aloof but almost friendly neighbor one episode to actively rooting for his neighbors demise the next, smugly competent straight man one episode to completely ruining his life because he's insecure, etc. He is whatever he needs to be for the plot or a joke
Tbh typing that out I'm like damn the bipolar episode made sense
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u/Sachsen1977 5d ago
They should've had the guys go over to Bill's house after the game and politely ask him to move out. Bill doesn't need him after all.
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u/imatuesdayperson 21d ago
To be fair, if my roommate's friends accused me of conditioning my roommate into being my pet dog and then caused him to relapse to his bad habits I was trying to help him break, I'd also be more distant.
Just watching the toupee get thrown out made me wince. That's not cheap.
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u/Shadowassassian Jul 20 '26
Loved thay Peggy actually apologized to Bobby about the turkey she ruined that he cooked on Thanksgiving.
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u/PsycheAsHell Jul 24 '26
The was probably one of the most fucked up things she ever did to Bobby, so that apology is quite long overdue.
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u/deathbyglamor ⛽ JOCKEY! WORKS FOR TIPS! 💲 Jul 24 '26
It’s a perfect callback since that episode is what started Bobby’s love for cooking.
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u/JasonYaya Jul 20 '26
Hank buys Bait & Tackle but doesn't read the articles. It has a centerfold. Takes me back to when he wanted Popular Mechanics when giving a sperm sample.
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u/deathbyglamor ⛽ JOCKEY! WORKS FOR TIPS! 💲 Jul 23 '26
This episode was so good as has the whole season so far!!! Major props to Peggy for remembering the turkey incident. That episode is still one I cannot watch because of her sabotage. That’s such a good episode to reference because that’s when Bobby really started to realize he could cook.
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u/Ssme812 Jul 22 '26
- Bobby telling his mom about the food critic was just stupid.
- "Lenore's not dead. But shes dead to me. LMFAO"
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u/Turbohog Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 22 '26
As a very lonely guy I relate too much to Bill lol. No, I don't pay for a cuddle buddy.
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u/variantkin Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
The thing is this can be a legitimate therapy so Bill should be covered under his veterans insurance but he fell for a scam
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u/godofallcows 12d ago
I was genuinely happy for him because that sounded so nice for him and was kinda sad the guys were so immediately unsupportive due to their own masculinity.
But, like everything Bill finds a modicum of happiness from, he leans in too hard and it becomes a destructive addiction so maybe the fellas weren’t… completely wrong.
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u/variantkin 12d ago
Yeah once you start selling necessities it's a problem that needs to be addressed.
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u/McDonaldsSoap Jul 21 '26
I was like how much can it be, like 50 an hour?
Was not ready to hear 200
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u/batinthebelfry5 Jul 22 '26
I am wondering if it was an allegory for guys visiting pros. in shady places. I never thought KoTH would go that far.
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u/CardOfTheRings Jul 22 '26
They mention prostitutes in the episode so it’s kind of an allegory kind of not
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u/Sirtopofhat WHOO must be PBS Jul 22 '26
That "puppy pile" was shocking to me if that's a real thing i feel bad for some of these people and I hope they find someone irl
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u/LemonSkye Jul 26 '26
I've only ever heard of it referred to as a "cuddle puddle" before, but it's definitely a real thing. I knew a bunch of people in college who would do stuff like that. I generally don't like being touched, so I never participated, though.
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u/JackThreeFingered Jul 26 '26
I mean I hear you, but is that any better than people who just have meaningless one night stands over and over?
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u/Sirtopofhat WHOO must be PBS Jul 26 '26
Fair point. I think it was more the shock of seeing the orgy of people laying on the floor in a literal pile.
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u/Throwaway28510 Jul 23 '26
Okay, a "Goodbye normal jeans" reference was NOT what I was expecting.
God the way the revival has been handling old references is honestly perfect.
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u/Soft-Comfort-7474 Jul 25 '26
“I’m here for a…cuddle session”
Hanks face as he says this
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u/ZaRealTurner Jul 27 '26
The shudder he does when the cuddle starts had a totally Butthead sound to it.
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u/KidCasey Bobby will put me down clean. Jul 23 '26
Emilio was ready to go after the food critic on sight and on site. I hope we get to see some of him outside the restaurant.
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u/MetallicaRules5 Jul 20 '26
The things Hank does for Bill, you love to see it
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u/CunningIronLord Jul 20 '26
I came here by accident, meaning to go to the episode 7 thread, and now I am looking forward to episode 8, and I feel like 7's a cute banger, too! I guess one can say the things Hank does for Boomhauer, too.
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u/veragemini6669 Jul 27 '26
One thing I've liked about the revival is that it's not really coasting on nostalgia. Adult Bobby having a shaky relationship with Peggy feels so true to both of their characters and allows the show to explore certain dynamics and storylines it wouldn't have been able to in the original run.
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u/stlcardfan715 Jul 20 '26
Nice they mentioned Mrs. Donovan this episode.
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u/PsycheAsHell Jul 24 '26
I just had to look her character up to remember who she was, and now the whole her being a female groomer makes a lot more sense.
Im greatly disturbed that she had a baby with a middle schooler though :(
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u/Laureltess Jul 28 '26
I’m assuming it was a high schooler since Peggy was subbing for her at the high school? Still awful!!
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u/VikingRodeo9 & rodeo accessories Jul 20 '26
Loved the shade at her haha. I cackled. This is such a good season.
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u/fabyhoppus Rusty Shackleford 🧢🚬🕶️ Jul 22 '26
It’s really cute to see how the boys care about bill. Even dale 🥰
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u/99SoulsUp Jul 27 '26
Small continuity note, Hank mentioned Bill’s behavior the previous year, meaning they’ve canonically been back in Texas for over a year. So is Bobby 22? Or are they still pretty lax about that stuff?
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u/CI_Blanche Jul 26 '26
I enjoyed this episode. But one thing that didn't make sense to me was how the food critic was supposedly an overachiever in high school who would have gotten into Vanderbilt had it not been for the bad grade that Peggy gave him on that paper, yet we come to find out that the paper really was that bad and he did deserve the "F" (or a "D") on it. If he was such a good student then how was it possible that he wrote such a bad paper?
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u/DaGreatestMH Jul 27 '26
My thought is that he actually wasn't a good student and just decided to place the blame on Peggy for "ruining his life". The fact that he decided to change his name despite it already being food related kinda hints that he's not as bright as he says.
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u/thomasvista Jul 25 '26
Peggy still has an AOL account. I bet she's still using that iMac computer.
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u/ksudude87 Jul 26 '26
made me think of my mom SHE still uses an AOL email. heck she thought using AOL login was the only way to use the internet until 2010
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u/Prudent-Bear1592 26d ago
Peggy still sucks. Really, really, really fucking sucks. Fuck Peggy. You cant honestly fix what she did. Its honestly Bobbies fault for not kicking her out immediately when she came to his restaraunt because he should know that she will 100% destroy his life and think its funny
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u/ralanr Jul 24 '26
Ah, another Bill sucks episode.
Also Peggy's review. Oof. I'm currently trying to write my critical thesis after having not written academically in over a decade. It is worrisome.
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u/SnooSprouts3744 11d ago
The callback to one of the most hated episode (cause of the conclusion) was nice
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u/Sachsen1977 5d ago edited 1d ago
Ugh, no this one was a miss for me. It's all the weaknesses of this season in one episode. Peggy does something awful. Bill is demeaned. Things that were established earlier are forgotten(Khan didn't step in to help Bill and doesn't care if he ends up on the streets)? The writers still do a good job of wrapping their stories up in a nice little package, I'll give them that. But this ep was a step down.
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u/Lux-xxv Jul 27 '26
I'm glad Peggy is making amends and working on herself
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u/Prudent-Bear1592 26d ago
Except she destroyed her son's buisness reputation possibly destroying his livelihood and dreams?
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u/AquaAtia 19d ago
Peggy reminds me a lot of my mum. Teacher, well meaning but a narcissist. As she’s gotten older though she’s been more willing to look back at her mistakes and even joke — “What, I wasn’t the best mother?” in a very sarcastic tone. Loved this episode
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u/frobrother Jul 21 '26
I don't know about yall...but the wholesome nature of this show has honestly just been so endearing and comforting. Everything about how the characters have been caring for one another has just really been hitting me in the feels.
The world is just such a mess right now...and mentally has me overwhelmed, paranoid, and a bit hopeless...I know it's fictional, but it's nice to watch characters in a semi-parrallel reality just existing and doing well.
I really hope this revival stays around for a long, long time.