King of the Hill: The Complete Third Season

It ain't no way to sell a series, I tell you what. I'm an ardent admirer of the least flashy, most plot-driven animated show on TV, and I must not be the only one since KOTH is now into its eighth season. Nevertheless, there are scores of Simpsons fans who have never given it a second look even though KOTH has been programmed in the same block as The Simpsons for years — even in syndication. DVDs can be a perfect way to expand the core audience of a cult show, as with Family Guy. Season three was an "Emmy-winning season," according to the cover. We may never know for sure unless we Google it because this is the first DVD I've ever encountered with no extras. That's right, none. Where the first two volumes had commentary on several episodes, plus assorted other bits and pieces, this has nothing whatsoever. Nevertheless, the most important content of any DVD of a television show is its episodes, and on that score season three is a classic. Many of the character traits and plot devices established in the first two seasons are blown apart in hilarious fashion: Peggy discovers the affair between John Redcorn and Nancy, Bill sinks to an even more pathetic state in a creepy Christmas episode and Bobby's gluttony causes trouble for the church's new Minnesotan minister (Mary Tyler Moore). I can only hope Fox puts more effort into season four, because otherwise they're only preaching to the converted. (Fox)