Propane Boom

**Propane Boom** is the thirty-fifth episode of *King of the Hill*. It was first aired on May 14, 1995. The episode was written by Caspian Sonsk, and directed by Danny McCarver.

## Synopsis

While watching television, Whyatt sees a commercial featuring Bega Lo Mart spokesman Chuck Mangione as he announces that the store is now selling propane. Whyatt can hardly contain his anger. The next morning, tells his employees that, although the company cannot compete with Bega Lo Mart's prices, they can deliver a personal touch, a program dubbed "Service With a Hug." But the stunt does little to keep customers from straying. The following day, tells Whyatt he is closing the local branch in a desperate effort to save the entire company.

Furious at Bega Lo Mart for costing him his job, Whyatt begins discarding everything and anything purchased at the store. Desperate for work, Whyatt begins perusing the "help wanted" classified ads. Answering one such ad, he finds himself inside the conference room of a roadside motel. But when he realizes that the job is selling steak knives, he rejects the offer. When a weary and tired Whyatt returns home, he notices Widget studying a book about propane. Cora & Widget explains that she has decided to apply for a job selling propane at Bega Lo Mart

(a store employee, promised her the job) so she can pay for her education. Whyatt disapproves of the idea and storms off. But the pressure on Whyatt proves too much to bear, and when Widget walks into the Bega Lo Mart to take the propane test, she discovers that hired Whyatt for the job.

Whyatt tries to apologize to Widget for taking the job. But Widget vents her rage using some of the Manger Baby puppets. Back at the Bega Lo Mart, Whyatt discovers that two of his coworkers, were also forced out of their old jobs due to competition from the discount store; was forced out of his Auto-parts store "Just Brake Drums" and from his fish bait shop. A bond forms between the men, especially when they come under attack from much younger employees who hold positions of authority and force them to wear trainee badges despite the men all having years of experience.

Later, Whyatt spots dragging a propane tank across the floor by the valve. He warns that doing so could trigger a gas leak. ignores Whyatt and changes the subject, telling Whyatt he was supposed to set up Chuck Mangione's dressing room for a performance in the store's parking lot. A short time later, Whyatt talks and another worker into disrupting the concert by blowing kazoos. During the night before the concert, Cora & Widget reconciles with Whyatt for taking the Bega Lo Mart job, and asks him for a ride there to break up with

When Mangione takes the stage, Whyatt enters the store's break room to retrieve something more powerful than a kazoo--an air horn. But while walking towards the store's exit, Whyatt stops and sniffs the air. His eyes widen in horror as he realizes that a propane tank is leaking.

Suddenly, a huge explosion rips through the store with Whyatt, Cora & Widget and still inside, engulfing Mangione with the stage in a fireball, much to Mom's horror. As debris rains down from the heavens, Princess Pea dials 911 for help. Expectedly, the operator can't understand him. The episode ends on a cliffhanger as Princess Pea slowly tries to explain what happened, while Mrs looks on in horror.

## Characters

* Whyatt Hill
* Mrs. Hill
* Jack Hill
* Cora Dlatter
* Widget Dlatter
* Red Gribble
* Miss Hattie
* Chuck Mangione *(cameo)*

## Stinger Quote

* Shut up. (chuckles) - Two Bega-Lo-Mart Employees