King of the Hill/Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret Hill

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret Hill
Season 6, Episode 12
Airdate	March 17, 2002
Production Number	6ABE07
Written by	Sivert Glarum & Michael Jamin
Directed by	Gary McCarver
← 6x11 Unfortunate Son	6x13 → Tankin' It to the Streets
King of the Hill — Season Six

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret Hill is the twelfth episode of the sixth season of King of the Hill, and the one hundred sixteenth episode overall.

Starring: Mike Judge (Hank Hill, Boomhauer, Monsignor Martinez), Kathy Najimy (Peggy Hill), Pamela Segall Adlon (Bobby Hill, Danny), Brittany Murphy (Teresa), Johnny Hardwick (Dale Gribble, Tour Guide)

and Stephen Root (Buck Strickland, Bill Dauterive, Principal)

Also Starring: Dennis Burkley (Principal Moss), Kathryn Harrold (Mrs. Bonter, Mother Superior), Cynthia Stevenson (Sister Mary Catherine, Claire)

Plot Overview

With substituting not doing it anymore, Peggy looks to teach full-time. However, the only school she can into is a Catholic School.

Notes

Stinger Quote

Danny: Transubstantiation.
Peggy: Trans what now?

Seen, But Not Heard

• Joseph Gribble

Trivia

The Show

• Buck mentions having fired Donna (seen as part Strickland comedy troupe in "Meet the Propaniacs"). Curiously, Strickland would later have another accountant also named Donna starting next season.

Behind the Scenes

• Peggy's nightmare was digitally inked while the rest was done traditionally.

Allusions and References

• The title of this episode is lifted nearly verbatim from the 1970 book Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

• Peggy remember hearing about all dogs going to Heaven, a reference to the 1989 animated film All Dogs Got to Heaven.

• Hank essentially summarizes the plot of the 1992 film Sister Act when he mentions Whoopi Goldberg posing as a nun to hide from gangsters. Incidentally, Kathy Najimy (who voices Peggy) played Sister Mary Patrick in that film and it's sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.

Quotes

• Peggy: Bobby Hill, put down that phone! The school could be calling me in to sub any minute. What if an algebra teacher died in a car accident, huh? It would be a tragedy if they couldn't reach me.

• Hank: All right, people. Save the Imperiales first. This is when heroes are made.

• Buck: Hank, bad news. I just figured out who's been stealing office supplies. It's Donna. Found them in her bedroom.

Hank: Good detective work, sir.

Buck: Yeah, well, I was getting tired of her anyway. So, it looks like you gotta find us a new Donna. Make sure you find one that isn't always asking "What are you thinking about?"

• Peggy: It was my first call in three months. Damn anti-bacterial soap. Nobody's getting sick anymore. I shouldn't have to sneeze in the faculty-lounge coffee machine just to get a chance to teach. It is beneath me.

• Peggy: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. I see where I'm going with this.

• Peggy: Beautiful words, Principal. Very, very moving. Have you filled her position yet?

Principal: She retired 10 years ago.

Peggy: Oh. Well, your obituary was very misleading.

• Hank: I almost forgot. You are hereby requisitioned three Strickland Propane pens. These can never, ever leave the office. Sorry to be a spoilsport, but Donna ruined it for everyone.

Buck: Oh, hey, Peggy. Welcome aboard. You told her about the pens, right?

Peggy: Yes. I am aware of the pen situation.

• Hank: Look at us. Husband and wife selling propane together. It's like something out of the movies.

• Claire: Well, it may have been the best interview of my life... right up until they said they'd really rather hire a nun. (scoffs) Just being celibate isn't enough.

• Dale: Okay, my turn. Tongue-kiss a lizard or take a shower in Bill's bathroom?

Hank: Lizard.

Boomhauer: The lizard, man.

Bill: Oh, why is the other choice always "take a shower in Bill's bathroom"?

• Peggy: If I'm home late, it'll be because my new students are so engrossed they will not let me leave. Yep, I will be home late.

Hank: Well, I'm gonna be home on time, like always, because Strickland is a well-oiled machine.

Peggy: Well, I guess we're just different that way, Hank. I need excitement to feel excited.

• Mother Superior: I can't get out of jury duty. It's my own fault for registering to vote.

• Danny: Sister Peggy, I have a question. Does God have a last name?

Peggy: Well, I would have to say... no. He only has one name, like Cher.

Teresa: Sister Peggy, if cats can't pray, do they still go to heaven?

Peggy: Well, now, I'm not sure where I heard this, but all dogs go to heaven so I am sure that cats do not.

• Hank: You know, Donna had plenty of time to make her kids lunch and she was robbing us blind.

Peggy: Hank, when are you going to quit sulking?

Hank: I don't know, but when I do, I'll give you two weeks' notice, which is more than you gave me.

• Peggy: You know how the smell of propane gives you goose bumps? For me, it is the smell of children learning Spanish. I wish you could open your nose to my passion.

Bobby: And you never believed in my comedy career, either!

• Danny: Sister Peggy, I dropped my practice wafer on the floor.

Peggy: Five-second rule.

• Hank: Excuse me, Sister. I'm looking for - Peggy?

Peggy: Holy crap!

• Hank: What are you wearing?

Peggy: It is called a habit, sir, and you are drunk.

• Hank: You're impersonating a nun!

Peggy: With the gajillion things that are right about this, you zoom right in on the one negative. It's not like I'm dressing up as a rabbi and circumcising people left and right. And people do that, you know.

• Danny: Sister Peggy, I really like going to church. Does that mean I can give it up for Lent?

Peggy: Well, I'm pretty sure God wouldn't like it. But what can he do? You caught Him in a technicality. Good for you.

• Hank: That's a clean-burning Hell, I tell you what.

• Peggy: What happened to jury duty?

Mother Superior: The trial's over. You just can't get a jury to convict in this country.

• Peggy: Mother Superior, I have a confession to make. I am not a nun. I am... a Methodist.

Mother Superior: Why would you do this?

Peggy: Because I love to teach; not because I hate your religion. I want to be very clear about that.

Mother Superior: I want you out of here. Now.

Peggy: I hope that you can forgive me. I think you have to.

• Peggy: Working here is my penance. I gave it to myself while I was still pretending to be a nun.