Hank makes a new friend who's a lot like him, causing a wedge in his friendship between Bill and Dale.
Tropes:
- Appeal to Flattery: Hank treats Bill and Dale like they're experts at using the backhoe right as he helps guide them out of the hole.
- Birds of a Feather: Hank and Hal are definitely a lot alike in looks, personality and they even drive the same exact same truck.
- Comically Missing the Point: Both Dale and Bill spy on Hank, when he goes and gets Hal to hang together. Dale records "10:15. Hank picks up Hal", to which Bill responds "What?" Dale replays the message, including Bill's "what", and then yells "10:15! Hank picks up Hal!" to Bill again.
- Continuity Nod: Both Hank and Hal go to a revolving sporting goods store that used to be a restaurant, possibly referring to the same one Hank and Peggy went to and had a disappointing dinner date.
- Incompetence, Inc.: Hank has a hard time dealing with a Mega-Lo-Mart employee who for some reason thinks all pipes are straight when Hank points him to the U-Pipes, the employee told him they're not pipes. And meanwhile as Hank yells at the guy he overhears Hal having a similar argument with another employee insisting drill bits only come in one size.
- Ink-Suit Actor: Hal definitely looks like Drew Carey.
- Lethally Stupid: Bill keeps putting his flag stake in various parts around his lawn, not knowing where exactly his septic tank they're planning to replace is, and as a result, he destroys most of his lawn. Right afterwards, Dale takes control of the backhoe, only to quickly crash it into Bill's wall.
- Really, Bill and Dale's irresponsibility with the backhoe. Bill tries to open up a beer can with it, which made a hole in the road and Boomhauer almost falls after walking into it.
- Lightswitch Surprise: Or a Flashlight Surprise. After Hal drops off Hank from an activity, Hank notices beer cans on the ground and turns on his flashlight revealing Dale and Bill (which the light briefly blinds him), both drunk and confronting Hank about being gone too long with Hal.
- New Friend Envy: Both Bill and Dale get jealous of Hal and at one point, they even make Hank choose between them and Hal.
- Only Sane Man: While not to the extent of Hank, you can see Hal is like this, looking taken aback when he suggests to Dale to use a metal detector to find Bill's septic tank when Dale rebuffs him, saying it wouldn't work because the detector would go off because of extraterrestrial alloy in the soil that acts as a homing beacon for the Martians.
- Plot-Mandated Friendship Failure: Dale and Bill end their friendship with Hank after Hank chooses Hal. After making him choose, they decide to learn how to properly operate the backhoe themselves to win back Hank's attention. And then at the end, Hank and Hal's friendship ends after their conflicting schedules means they can't get together anymore, but they part on good terms.
- Special Guest: Drew Carey as Hal.
- Spies In a Van: Both Dale and Bill follow Hank and Hal around when the latter are both hanging out together and spy on them. First at the revolving sporting goods store, then at a music store, where Bill and Dale sing along with Hank and Hal.
- Too Dumb to Live: Bill and Dale go to an abandoned pet cemetery to learn how to work the backhoe. Bill does a good job digging a hole, but then Dale takes over and attempts to grab a dandelion from the other side of the hole they've just dug and bring it over to them so he can blow on it and make a wish. But then they tumble themselves into the hole, get buried in dirt and get themselves stuck. Bill then tries to get out by using the backhoe to grab the tree branch to swing themselves out, but the tree branch breaks off and pins them down further.
- Ungrateful Bastard: Hal helps Hank put in the new septic tank under Bill's house, which saved them a couple days rental. But instead of appreciating the gesture, they both pout and after Hal walks away, they make Hank choose them or Hal as friends.
- We Really Do Care: Dale and Bill feel neglected after Hank starts hanging around with Hal. And after Hank helps them to get out of the hole, they're still mad at Hank, but Hank is given their forgiveness by telling them that they'll always be something Hal's not: his neighbors.
