King of the Hill (1997–2010): Season 7, Episode 15 - An Officer and a Gentle Boy - full transcript

When Bobby repeatedly disobeys Hank, he is forced to attend the same boot camp Cotton went to in his youth. But to Cotton's horror, the once draconian facility now mollycoddles its cadets.

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HANK:
I bought this whetstone

the day Bobby was born.

I can't believe he's ready to
sharpen his first mower blade.

Son...

you're a teenager now,
on your way to becoming a man.

This will help you
on the journey.

Wow. I've always wanted
one of these.

No, no! Stop that!

(sighs)



This is for sharpening
mower blades.

You'll sharpen every Saturday

and when you've shown me

you can handle
the responsibility

you'll get to use those blades
to mow the lawn.

Okay.

Hey, don't put that
down there.

Oops. Sorry.

Dang it, Bobby.

You're going to rake leaves

until that whetstone
is paid off.

And every Thursday,
you're going to bag them

and drag them to the curb

so they can be picked up
by garbageman Morehouse.



How about he grabs the bags
himself?

He seems to like it, Dad.

He's made a career of it.

Start raking.

(gasps)

What the?

Bobby!

BOBBY:
Coming.

Ow!

Huh? I've been practicing
all morning.

That's it.

You're grounded

until you're ready to pick up
those leaves.

Okay.

I mean it, mister.

Can I take the rake
with me?

No.

Dinner's ready.

(Bobby sniffling)

In a minute.

Son, I'm sorry I had to come
down hard on you, but you're...

What are you doing?

Just smelling stuff.

(sniffs)

Uh-huh.

The clock radio smells
like my Game Boy

but it tastes like
my library card.

I wonder if it
smells different
when it's on?

So, where's Bobby?

I want to talk to
someone while you work.

He's grounded.

Not that he cares.

He's just sitting there, uh...
smelling things in his room.

(sighs):
That boy ain't right.

Don't blame Bobby.

You've been babying him
ever since he was a baby.

I don't baby him.

I've explained responsibility
to him a hundred times.

Explain?!

You don't explain responsibility
to a child.

You pound it into them
with steel-toed boots.

Uh, well, I-I don't really
know if...

I know.

And I'll tell you.

We got to chisel the man
out of the baby fat

via the Fort Berk Academy.

That's what worked
for me.

I always wanted to go
to the Academy.

And I wish I
could've sent you.

Unfortunately, you were such
a bumbling moron

I couldn't vouch for you.

I think I would've made
a great cadet.

Nah, you wouldn't
have been no good.

But if you'd gone, you'd
know how to handle Bobby.

Yep, even the Academy's
two-week boot camp

does more than most parents can
do to their kids in a lifetime.

Now Bobby...
he'd make a fine cadet.

Huh.

I do not know how
Bobby gets this
cape so wrinkled.

Yeah, I don't know what to do
about him, either.

What would you think about

letting the instructors at
Fort Berk take a crack at him?

Cotton's old school?

Sure. And then maybe
this summer

we can send him
to Cotton's old POW camp.

Peggy, I talked to the principal

and he assured me that
they are tough, but not rough.

He spent a long time
on the phone

explaining the distinction.

Come on. Today,
you're ironing his cape.

If we don't take
drastic action

tomorrow there'll be
a top hat in the picture.

COTTON:
Bobby?

It's your Gampy.

We got a little present
for ya.

Hi, Ging-ging.

What'd you bring me?

Wow, a costume!

"You want the truth?

You can't handle the truth!"

It's perfect.

This ain't no costume, boy.

It's a uniform.

Standard issue for all cadets
at Fort Berk Academy.

Huh?

Yep. We're giving you

the privilege of attending

the Academy's two-week
boot camp program.

Enjoy your
spring break, son.

Boot camp?

Can't we work something out?

What if I agreed to a spanking?

You can have both.

I'm not sure
what this means

but I once heard that
when you're stuck in
an unpleasant situation

it helps to just lie back
and think of England.

(horn honking)

That's enough,
Hank's wife!

If you got more feelings
to express

get in the kitchen
and put them in a bundt cake.

Pi-diddle.

(laughing)

Come on, Bobby.

Whenever you see a cripple plate

yell "pi-diddle"
and punch your dad.

I'm not much in the mood
to play games, Grandpa.

Come on, boy.

Take your tee-hees
while you can.

Soon enough, all the silly

is going to get beaten out
of you. For good.

You'll be fine,
Bobby.

But if you
start crying

just try to push
the tears onto
your forehead

so it'll look
like sweat.

In my day, the principal
was the meanest son of a bitch

God ever put on one leg.

He'd lean on a desk with both
hands and swing his leg at you.

Then, when you were
standing there

shocked that a one-legged man
had kicked you, he'd bite you.

Oops. Well.

Huh.

How you like that?

Must've over-reminisced
and brought up my pain water.

(moans sadly)

(weakly):
Pi-diddle.

COTTON:
There it is, boys.

God! Ain't it beautiful?

That, my friend,
is "the hole."

If I had a nickel

for every boy
that went loco in there

I'd be eating
nickel soup.

They can put a boy
in a hole?

No, they...
They gots to!

It's hard to be willful
if your will’s been broken.

What are you doing?

Well, I was planning
on coming in with you guys.

I thought I explained
this to you 30 years ago.

You ain't good enough!

I was just going
to help Bobby get...

You've helped enough!

Starting now,
Fort Berk takes over.

So keep yourself and your
hippie style of parenting

outside the gate.

Dad?

Good Lord, they're going
to have to get bigger sticks

to beat the frosting
out of these fatties.

(laughing)

But they'll do it.

Colonel Hill,
it's an honor

to finally meet
our most decorated alumnus.

You're darn Skippy it is

but I don’t wants my boy
getting no special handling.

I assure you, Colonel

he'll get the
standard treatment.

(chuckling)

(chuckling)

Well, boy, may
God bless you.

Not that it would
help you in here.

I can hardly wait
to see my grandson

all toughened up.

You think you folks
could mail me copies

of his daily beating logs?

(chuckling)

Colonel Hill,
you do realize

things have changed
since your time here?

All right, you can
e-mail them to me.

(playing "Taps")

Lights out!

I suggest you get as much sleep
as you can

before the senior
cadets come by

to... welcome you.

(laughing)

(sobbing softly)

BOY:
Oh, no, I made
a code yellow.

Oh, God, my grandpa told me
they come in and beat you

with sacks
full of frozen oranges.

(gasping):
Oh, dang!

Someone's coming.

Lie back
and think of England.

Hugh Grant, Spice Girls...
Paddington.

(clanging)

(cadets yelling)

I don't get it.

Why was that
supposed to be scary?

Well, five more minutes
like that

and I guess it might have caused
some hearing damage.

Just think, when Bobby
comes home from Fort Berk

he's going to be respectful,
obedient and easy to manage.

That's right, Hank...
just like a... a show dog.

(sobbing)

My grandpa says
that all you get for breakfast

is a spoonful of salt
and some stale bread.

Oh, man!

That's how they brainwash you.

They starve you first.

Okay, plebes, move it.

Crepe station closes

in five minutes.

Uh, these sure are
some good peas, Peggy.

What's your secret?

Microwave.

I wonder if Bobby's
being forced to sleep

in mud or dung
right now?

Wait, what's today, Tuesday?

Dung.

(bawling)

No one is answering, Hank!

Oh, they're probably
all bound and gagged.

(gasping)

Oh, my God.

What if the wires
from this doorbell

are connected to his nipples?

It is worse
than I could have imagined!

Will you let us in?!

Let us in!

We demand to see Bobby Hill!

Peggy, protocol.

Sir, permission
to see Cadet Hill

while keeping a respectful
distance from the grounds.

Oh, you're his father.

We talked on the phone.

You're welcome to come in.

I am?

Of course, and
so is your lawyer.

We have nothing to hide.

Your concern for your son

is perfectly normal,
but I can assure you

Cadet Hill is
excelling here.

Mom! Dad!

Bobby! Honey,
are you okay?

Blink if you're not.

I'm great, ma'am.

Cadet Hill, why don't
you take your parents

to Survival
Crafts class?

I can attend a class
at Fort Berk?

Well, I won't let you down,
Bobby.

I mean, Cadet Hill.

On the battlefield

you may find yourself stranded

without enough
water to survive

but with a sufficient
quantity of mud

you will have
the ability

to create your own bowl,
pot, urn, decanter

or beaker to
collect rainwater.

Very nice work,
Mr. Hill.

We'll make sure to have
that glazed before you go.

Did you hear
that, Peggy?

I'm doing it.

I'm Fort Berk material.

Where's dinner?

It's 3:00, Dad.

I can't eat excuses.

You heard from Bobby?

Yeah, he's, uh, surviving.

Surviving?!

He's got too much
of you and that one

to be surviving at Fort Berk.

Even I

barely survived

and I didn't have Gas Monkey
and Sasquatch for parents.

I will have you know, Cotton

that Bobby
is thriving.

We went to Fort Berk
yesterday and saw him.

What in the name of Ned?!

They ain't supposed
to let you two on campus.

They are required
to by law

and we sat in on
one of his classes.

Hank, show him
the bowl you made.

What the?!

You made a bowl?

Well, yeah.

It's a combat bowl.

Bobby made one, too.

Combat bowl?

The only bowl
he's supposed to make

is from a hollowed-out skull.

How you doing in there,
you poor saps?

(chortling)

What the?

(screaming)

Is that all the respect
you got for me?

You go and turn
my childhood home

into a giant
sissy factory!

How's my grandson
supposed to toughen up

with you candying his ass?!

Sir, when I got here
from Antioch College...

You're fired! Get out!

You can’t just fire me.

Is that a fact?

Okay, Powder puff

I would like you to speak
to Clean Latrine Gene

who happens to be the chairman
of your board of trustees.

General Gene Jefford?

That's right.

Uh, h-hello.

Yes, sir, yes, sir.

Very well, I...

Can I keep the
Aeron desk chair?

Thank you, sir.

Hey, after this

let's go to the mess
and get a smoothie.

Grandpa?

Fall in!

The previous commander
was just as soft

and ineffective as your parents

and your parents are not paying
good money for that.

Now, I'm here to make sure
they get their money's worth.

With interest.

(gasping)

There's going to be changes
around here

and ain't none of you
going to like it.

Day is night, joy is pain,
love is hate!

(groaning)

Good thinking, Private McFainty.

Sleep up

'cause starting
at 0400 hours

you don't
gets no more.

See you at sunrise, weakies.

State your business.

Grandpa. Gampy. Ging-ging.

It's Bobby here. Your Bing-Bing.

I ain't your Ging-ging,
and you ain'ts my Bing-bing.

And if you think I'm giving you
special treatment, well...

you're right on target.

Good, because I told
the fellows...

Hush, boy!
I will "special treat" you
to a double dose of pain!

Why?

I want you
to come out

of this cauldron
of burning hell

the best damn cadet
you can be.

Thanks, but you don't
have to worry about that.

All we really want
is the phone service back

and the mattresses for our beds.

Quiet!

Now, your daddy
tells me

you have a problem
raking leaves.

Well, I guarantee

you won't have a problem
raking leaves

after you've picked up every
leaf on this campus with...

a fork!

(screams)

What the hell are
you doing, boy?!

You gave me a fork,
so I figured I'd eat the leaves.

Boy, am I stuffed!

(chuckles):
Just kidding, Grandpa.

(groans)

Maybe this is my fault

for not properly
motivating you.

If it's food you want...

I could eat.

COTTON:
You don’t want to rake

then maybe you need more energy.

This rotten pile of backwash
is all for you, boy.

And you're gonna
keep shoveling it down

until it starts
coming up!

Okay.

Dinner's over.

Now I'm gonna give you
something cold for dessert.

Okay.

Anything cracks

if you freeze it
long enough.

How you doing,
boy?

I'm okay.

Mom says I'm naturally built
for winter climates.

God dang it!

You're going
into the hole.

The hole's
what broke me

and that's what's
gonna break you, too.

Time to say good-bye, soldier.

Go and get in your grow-up box!

Ging-ging?

Quit your
still-standing.

Start running
till you hit the horizon.

SPOONY:
See, Forky?

I just knew
there was a better world

outside the cutlery drawer.

(whispers):
I wonder what
Bobby's doing now?

Probably having a bull
session in the barracks

with his new pals.

Bobby? Bobby, are you okay?!

Tap once if you're okay.

(doorbell rings)

Oh, hey, Didi.

I've got the new
TV Guide here

with all the judge shows
circled like my dad likes.

Is he around?

No. Cotton's
at Fort Berk.

What?
He has temporarily
taken over the Academy.

Oh, my God, no.

Yes. He is ruling
with an iron fist.

He threw Bobby
in the hole about
three days ago.

Bwaaagh!

He ain't gonna be
a pretty sight, boys.

Humpty Dumpty's done cracked

but now we can put him
back together

and rebuild him
as a super-cadet.

Dad, are you crazy? Let him out.

I was just fixing to.

Bobby? Bobby?

Give him some air.

Bobby?

Hmm?

Hmm?

Uh... oh.

Hey, Dad.

(awning)

Ooh.

Well, I've tried a mattress,
I've tried cement...

I'm a mattress guy.

(laughing)

Bobby,
you're okay?!

Same 'ol, same 'ol.

I was merciless!

I dropped down on him

like a steam trunk
full of concrete!

HANK:
You didn't budge him

did you?

(chuckles)

I... I don't get it.
What's so funny?

I told you it wasn’t easy.

You didn't believe me,
did you, Dad?

(sighs):
I guess he was just
born a pile of mush.

Well, I guess
you could say that.

But maybe mush
isn't all bad.

You can keep
stomping on it

but it's all give;
it just stays mush.

You can't build it up

but you can't break it down,
either.

In a funny way,
mush kind of has the edge.

(laughs)

Can you imagine that pile
of mush in the POW camps?

He would've driven
them Tojos crazy.

Three days with Bobby

and they would've
quit the war!

(laughing)

I wish you could've seen
the old Fort Berk, Hank.

But I guess
those days is gone.

You know, Colonel,
all this time I've
been talking to you

you didn’t grant me
permission to speak.

That's right.

That's practically
insubordination.

You better drop
and give me 20, boy.

Yes, sir.

Two, three, four.

No, no, you're doing it
wrong, Cadet!

Start over!

How'd you do it,
Bobby?

How'd you survive
the hole?

Well, I admit, I started
getting a little worried.

But then I found some
inspirational graffiti

on the wall
and it kept me going.

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COTTON:
What the?! You
made a bowl.