King of the Hill showrunner clarifies that John Redcorn’s significant change this season is unrelated to Jonathan Joss’ passing.

King of the Hill has returned for its 15th season, marking the second season since its comeback after a 15-year break. In season 14, Hank Hill (voiced by Mike Judge) and his wife Peggy (Kathy Najimy) returned to their hometown of Arlen, Texas, after several years in Saudi Arabia. Upon their return, they reconnected with their neighbors, most of whom had remained largely unchanged. However, one significant twist was that Nancy Gribble (Ashley Gardner) had rekindled her affair with John Redcorn (Jonathan Joss), a relationship that had ended back in season 4, all while her husband Dale (Johnny Hardwick/Toby Huss) remained oblivious.

This season, that relationship is evolving again, and the showrunner has indicated that the changes are not due to what many might assume.

Spoilers for season 15 of King of the Hill follow.

On June 1, 2025, Jonathan Joss was tragically murdered by a neighbor, just two months before the premiere of season 14. His husband described the incident as a hate crime, although local authorities found no evidence to support that claim.

“Jonathan Joss’ passing was tragic in so many different ways. It caught us off guard, and he was such a sweet, fragile soul,” the showrunner shared, reflecting on the harsh realities of life.

In season 15, episode 5, titled “The Best Little Marriage in Texas,” John Redcorn makes a brief appearance. The episode revolves around Hank and Peggy attending a church marriage retreat, where Peggy discovers that Dale and Nancy are leading a class on maintaining a strong marriage. This frustrates Peggy, given Nancy’s past infidelity.

Eventually, Peggy manages to swap places with Nancy and Dale, leading to a conversation where Nancy explains how beneficial the retreat has been for her and Dale. At the episode’s conclusion, after the retreat, John Redcorn arrives to pick up Nancy, and she tells him her “headaches” (a euphemism for their affair) have cleared up. John Redcorn responds, “Really? OK, let me know when they come back,” shedding a tear reminiscent of a classic 1970s commercial before driving off.

While it might seem that the affair’s conclusion is a direct result of Joss’ real-life murder, the decision to end the relationship between Nancy and John Redcorn was made independently of his death. Joss is credited in the episode, indicating he recorded his lines for “The Best Little Marriage in Texas” prior to his passing.

“The truth is, we had completed that episode well before he passed away,” the showrunner clarified. “It feels like a reaction to it, but that episode was nearly finished when he died.”

The creators and executive producers did not view this as the end of John Redcorn’s character. “We had purposefully left it open-ended,” the showrunner noted. “In our minds, we could always bring John Redcorn back whenever we wanted.”

This approach mirrors the original series, where John Redcorn continued to appear in storylines even after his affair with Nancy ended in season 4.

From a creative standpoint, the writers chose to conclude the affair to explore Nancy and Dale’s relationship from a fresh perspective.

“We wanted to tell stories that reflect the characters’ current stage in life,” the showrunner explained. “For couples like Nancy and Dale, Hank and Peggy, who have been married for 20 to 30 years, it’s common to reflect on your relationship and ask, ‘Who are we now? We’ve changed since we got married.’ We aimed to delve into those themes, which led to the marriage retreat storyline, where Nancy asserts that their role has positively impacted their marriage. We believe that’s a relatable experience, which necessitated at least a pause in the John Redcorn affair.”

However, the notion of a “pause” became more complex with Joss’s passing, making the future of Nancy and John Redcorn’s relationship a more significant decision.

“Now that Jonathan Joss has passed away, we have to determine if that pause will be permanent,” the showrunner stated. “It remains open-ended, similar to the situation with Luanne and Lucky. If future stories benefit from reintroducing that relationship, we’re open to it. We also face the real-life challenge of casting. Jonathan Joss was not the original John Redcorn; he was the second, so while the decision may not carry the same weight, it’s still something we approach with care.”

King of the Hill’s 15th season is currently available for streaming.