King of the Hill gets repreive from ABC?

It looks as if King of the Hill might have even more endurance than we thought. As we reported previously, Fox decided to cancel the long-running series after next season, but according to Variety, ABC might pick up the show to package it with another animated comedy by Mike Judge, The Goode Family, set to debut next year.

Since Fox’s last episodes are scheduled to air in the 2009-2010 season, it’s not clear how that arrangement would work, though Variety suggested that ABC could buy the remaining episodes from Fox. The move would have precedent at ABC, which picked up Scrubs after NBC decided to shut it down after last season.

The sharply observed sitcom, about an understated nuclear family in Texas, has been on the air since 1997 and has avoided cancellation in the past despite years of persistent rumors that its future was limited. If the story is legit, confirmation should come soon.

Related links:
News: After years of close calls, King of the Hill gets canceled
News: Mike Judge, Jason Bateman team up for new office comedy
News: Mike Judge's The Animation Show hits DVD, the road

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