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The King of the Hill revival gives Johnny Hardwick and Jonathan Joss explicit on-screen memorials, while handling the characters of Brittany Murphy and Tom Petty without recasting them. Petty also receives a separate musical nod. The choices differ: Dale Gribble stays in the series with a new voice, John Redcorn appears in episodes Joss had completed, and Luanne and Lucky are treated as having moved away.
Johnny Hardwick: Dale stays, with Toby Huss voicing him
Hardwick, who voiced Dale Gribble, died during production of the revival. The show kept Dale in the story and recast the role with Toby Huss, Hardwick’s friend and a longtime voice actor on the series. Showrunner Saladin K. Patterson explained, “First of all, we felt Dale’s too important to the show for the character to go away.” ComicBook.com’s report describes the decision and the memorial.
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Hardwick’s In Memoriam card appears after episode 7, “Any Given Hill-Day,” according to Parade and ComicBook.com. Parade reports that Hardwick recorded dialogue for five of the season’s ten episodes before his death; that is the outlet’s account of his recorded work.
Jonathan Joss: John Redcorn appears in the finale
Joss recorded lines for the revival before his death, and the released season did not recast John Redcorn. The character appears in the finale in a story involving his “John Redcorn’s Red Corn” business. The episode ends with a dedication to Joss, as reported by Rolling Stone and Parade.
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Patterson told Rolling Stone the placement was not engineered by rearranging episodes to create a memorial: “No, it’s just serendipity.” Joss had recorded dialogue for four episodes, according to Parade’s 2025 report.
Brittany Murphy and Tom Petty: Luanne and Lucky are not recast
The revival does not introduce new voice actors for Luanne Platter or Lucky. Instead, the characters are treated as having moved away. Patterson told Rolling Stone, “It felt like that was the best thing to do in the case of Luanne and Lucky.” He also said that if the series continues, a future Luanne story could honor Murphy.
Tom Petty also gets a musical nod
Petty voiced Lucky and embraced the show; his connection to King of the Hill is acknowledged separately from the character’s off-screen departure. Episode two uses his song “Runnin’ Down a Dream.” The Associated Press describes the cue as a nod to Petty’s affection for the series. It is a musical reference, not an In Memoriam card like the dedications for Hardwick and Joss. The AP report also notes the revival’s release details.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where the tribute moments fall in the season
| Performer | Character or contribution | Revival’s approach | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Johnny Hardwick | Dale Gribble | Dale remains, voiced by Toby Huss; an In Memoriam card honors Hardwick. | After episode 7, “Any Given Hill-Day.” |
| Jonathan Joss | John Redcorn | Redcorn appears in completed episodes; the finale dedicates an end card to Joss. | Finale. |
| Brittany Murphy | Luanne Platter | Character is treated as having moved away; not recast. | No memorial placement reported. |
| Tom Petty | Lucky; music | Lucky is treated as having moved away; episode two uses “Runnin’ Down a Dream” as a musical nod. | Song cue in episode two; no dedication card reported for Petty. |
These are the documented choices described in 2025 coverage of the released season, not a verified inventory of every reference or memorial across all episodes.
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Release context
The Associated Press reported that all ten initial revival episodes launched on Hulu on August 4, 2025. Streaming catalogs and availability can change, so check Hulu’s current listing in your region before relying on that launch information as present-day viewing guidance.
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