:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Thanksgiving-episodes-111424-c2d9a7cc50f046d98e17d71e2a8a5955.jpg "The 30 best Thanksgiving episodes to watch this holiday season")
There may not be many Thanksgiving movies compared to Halloween and Christmas, but our favorite TV series have made a meal out of episodes centered around the holiday. From awkward family gatherings to odd traditions to notable examinations of the holiday’s origins, the best shows recognize that Thanksgiving is often a great source for both comedy and drama. Yes, there are the famous episodes like the one with the turkey head on Friends or the titular Gilmore Girls trying to cram four dinners into one day, but we like to save room for the deep cuts, too.
Here are our favorite Thanksgiving-themed episodes we like to gobble up every Turkey Day.
The Bernie Mac Show (season 3, episode 22): “Thanksgiving”
ABC
Vanessa (Camille Winbush) decides she wants to become a vegetarian days before Thanksgiving after her teacher, Mr. Diggs (Don Franklin), tells her about growing up on a farm. Bernie (Bernie Mac) is none too pleased to attend Mr. Diggs’ vegan Thanksgiving for Vanessa’s sake and naturally gets jealous, not to mention hungry. He enlists Jordan (Jeremy Suarez) to smuggle turkey into the meat-free dinner and Jordan ends up sharing his stash with Mr. Diggs’ son who has never had meat in his life.
Bewitched (season 4, episode 12): “Samantha’s Thanksgiving to Remember”
ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images
No sitting around full of turkey and stuffing for this crowd. Instead, Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) takes everyone back to see the Pilgrims via some witch-y time travel and Darrin (Dick York) ends up on trial for witchcraft.
The Brady Bunch (season 2 episode 4): “The Un-Underground Movie”
ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty Images
Greg (Barry Williams) is making a movie about the first Thanksgiving, but the Bradys don’t appreciate his vision and complain. The eldest Brady boy decides he’s had enough before the family realizes the error in their ways and make the movie in full Pilgrim garb just as Greg wanted.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (season 1, episode 10): “Thanksgiving”
Eddy Chen/Fox
Some people celebrate Thanksgiving with family, others with friends, or you can have all your co-workers over. Amy (Melissa Fumero) serves up Thanksgiving dinner for the precinct and everyone gets a taste of her terrible cooking before Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) and Jake (Andy Samberg) ditch to take down a perp.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
ABC
It’s the holiday classic for the ages. Charlie Brown (Todd Barbee) and Sally (Hilary Momberger) are supposed to go to their grandparents, but end up getting hoodwinked into inviting the likes of Peppermint Patty (Christopher DeFaria), Franklin (Robin Reed), and Marcie (Jimmy Ahrens).
Cheers (season 5, episode 9): “Thanksgiving Orphans”
NBCU Photo Bank
While it takes place outside of Cheers‘ usual bar locale, “Thanksgiving Orphans” remains a classic. The core cast gathers around the table to trade barbs over a Thanksgiving meal gone wrong and offers viewers a look at a family of friends together for the holiday.
Chuck (season 1 episode 10): “Chuck Versus the Nemesis”
NBC
Don’t you just hate when your former best friend crashes Thanksgiving dinner to romance your fake-spy-girlfriend? Chuck (Zachary Levi) spends his Thanksgiving watching his girlfriend Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) debate running away with his nemesis Bryce Larkin (Matt Bomer) — as if the holidays aren’t already stressful enough.
Everybody Loves Raymond (season 3, episode 10): “No Fat”
CBS
After a visit to the senior health fair, Marie (Doris Roberts) decides she and Frank (Peter Boyle) should start eating healthy, and Debra (Patricia Heaton) concurs. The two start scheming a “no fat” Thanksgiving while Raymond (Ray Romano), Frank, and Robert (Brad Garrett) watch in horror as their Thanksgiving dreams turn into a nightmare involving a jiggling tofurkey.
Felicity (season 1, episode 9): “Thanksgiving”
The WB
During the first season of Felicity, the college-set series brought Friendsgiving to TV. Telling the story of a different kind of family celebration, Felicity (Keri Russell) and her new friends came together to seek solace by avoiding the issues waiting for them in their hometowns. While Felicity’s celebratory meal had its share of drama — and a few curveballs — the episode demonstrated the power of friendship and how it can be vital during the holidays.
Fresh Off the Boat (season 2, episode 8): “Huangsgiving”
Ron Tom/ABC
Every family has certain traditions that have to be observed every Thanksgiving. For Jessica (Constance Wu), it’s a 5 a.m. phone call from her mother telling her whether she or her sister Connie (Susan Park) will host Thanksgiving. The pressure is on when Jessica is chosen to host Huangsgiving and goes into overdrive.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (season 1, episode 12): “Talking Turkey”
NBC
Will (Will Smith) comes to Bel-Air for a new life, but he gets a taste of home early on in its run when his mother comes for a visit. This episode of the beloved comedy’s first season centers on Viola Smith (Vernee Watson-Johnson) spending Thanksgiving with her son and family, armed with lots of opinions. When Viola criticizes how lazy the kids are and hilarity ensues when tasked with cooking Thanksgiving dinner.
Friends (season 5 episode 8): “The One With All the Thanksgiving Flashbacks”
Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank
The one where the gang looks back on all their terrible Thanksgivings through the years. Chandler (Matthew Perry) remembers his parents telling him they’re getting divorced over dinner. Joey (Matt LeBlanc) recalls getting his head stuck in Monica’s (Courteney Cox) turkey. Classic. Monica relives the horror of meeting Chandler for the first time when he called her fat and the following year when she accidentally cut off his toe. Monica puts a turkey on her head to cheer Chandler up and he ends up accidentally telling her he loves her.
George Lopez (season 2, episode 9): “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, Honey”
ABC
Thanksgiving dinners can get awkward around the dining room table, and George (George Lopez) certainly set himself up for one such encounter after he invited his mother’s one-night stand from 35 years ago, Lalo (Cheech Marin), and Lalo’s partner, Charles (John Michael Higgins). George thinks Lalo might be his father, but Benny (Belita Moreno) and Lalo confirm that they did not actually sleep together, making it impossible for him to be George’s father.
Gilmore Girls (season 3, episode 9): “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving”
Mitchell Haddad/The WB
In true Gilmore fashion, Lorelei (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) commit to more than one Thanksgiving dinner prompting the mother-daughter duo to rush between their multiple engagements with stops for Lane’s (Keiko Agena) tofurkey; Luke’s (Scott Patterson) traditional diner dinner; Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) and Jackson’s (Jackson Douglas) deep-friend turkey; and Emily and Richard’s (Kelly Bishop and Edward Herrmann) formal affair — inspiring comedic chaos.
Gossip Girl (season 1, episode 9): “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!”
The CW
Did we mention Thanksgiving can be stressful — even for the young and the glamorous? In the brilliantly titled Gossip Girl episode “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!,” everything is messier than usual as Serena (Blake Lively) and her family attend the Humphreys’ Thanksgiving dinner and secret affairs of the past are deduced. Meanwhile, Blair (Leighton Meester) is triggered by her father’s absence at the Waldorfs’ dinner, resurfacing an eating disorder. —Kevin Jacobsen
Grey’s Anatomy (season 2, episode 9): “Thanks for the Memories”
ABC
Thanksgiving is already hard enough; now imagine being a surgical intern and wanting to cook an elaborate dinner for your co-workers who are all kind of busy with their own thing. Such is the problem Izzie (Katherine Heigl) faces in this fun season 2 episode of Grey’s, which also includes George (T.R. Knight) being forced to participate in his family’s turkey-hunting tradition. —K.J.
How I Met Your Mother (season 3, episode 9): “Slapsgiving”
Monty Brinton/CBS
Slapsgiving continues in the tradition of one of the most hilarious long-running gags on the hit sitcom. Marshall (Jason Segel) won a bet against Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and as his prize, he gets to slap Barney five times. Meanwhile, Ted (Josh Radnor) and Robin (Cobie Smulders) are trying to get over the awkward post-break-up-but-still-friends phase they find themselves in. (Read our oral history of the episode here.)
It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (season 9, episode 10): “The Gang Squashes Their Beefs”
FX
Some people gather around close family and friends at Thanksgiving, but that’s just not the It’s Always Sunny gang’s style. They invite the various enemies they’ve made over nine seasons of bad behavior including standouts like Liam and Ryan McPoyle (Jimmi Simpson and Nate Mooney), Hwang (Shelly Desai), Gail the Snail (Mary Lynn Rajskub), and Cricket (David Hornsby) in the hopes of making amends for their years of bad behavior.
Master of None (season 2, episode 8): “Thanksgiving”
Netflix
While exploring the past of chosen family members Dev (Aziz Ansari) and Denise (Lena Waithe), Master of None‘s “Thanksgiving” episode follows Denise’s journey of coming into her own as a queer woman, and dives into her relationship with her biological family, including her mother Catherine (Angela Bassett), in a powerfully emotional story. The episode earned an Emmy win for Waithe and Ansari’s writing and a nomination for Bassett’s performance.
The Mindy Project (season 1, episode 6): “Thanksgiving”
Beth Dubber/Fox
Mindy (Mindy Kaling) goes to her best friend Gwen’s (Anna Camp) for a Connecticut Thanksgiving, where she awkwardly runs into Dennis (Ed Helms), her blind date from the pilot, and things quickly go downhill from there. The whole mess culminates with the two BFFs getting in a massive fight and Mindy jumping on top of Dennis.
Modern Family (season 6 episode 8): “Three Turkeys”
Colleen Hayes/ABC via Getty Images
Phil (Ty Burrell) and Luke (Nolan Gould) are in charge of prepping the turkey for the main dish — what could go wrong? Claire (Julie Bowen) supplies a secret backup turkey while Jay (Ed O’Neill) and Gloria (Sofía Vergara) decide to serve up a cozy Thanksgiving together after their vacation gets canceled. Naturally, none of these schemes go according to plan.
New Girl (season 2, episode 8): “Parents”
Ray Mickshaw/FOX
Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel) took inspiration from The Parent Trap in New Girl‘s great season 2 Thanksgiving episode. All the family dysfunction has a seat at the table, from a scheme to get Jess’ parents back together to the battle of the Schmidts, and guest stars that include Jamie Lee Curtis, Rob Reiner, and Rob Riggle, it’s no surprise that the half-hour is a fan favorite.
The Office (season 7, episode 9): “WUPHF.com”
NBC
Two words: hay maze. With Thanksgiving around the corner, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) recreates his childhood memory of his uncle’s Hay Place in the Dunder Mifflin parking lot. Determined to overcome his childhood disappointment of never being crowned Hay King, he loses Angela (Angela Kinsey) to her future husband (and Oscar’s future lover) Sen. Robert Lipton (Jack Coleman) in the process.
Parenthood (season 2, episode 10): “Happy Thanksgiving”
Justin Lubin/NBC
The Braverman clan is enormous, and its holiday hour showcases the relatable chaos of a huge family gathering. The awkwardness of brewing issues to the anxiety of getting the meal just right with everyone on edge with their own personal issues, the episode covers a lot of ground with which viewers are familiar. Pandaemonium aside, the Bravermans are a strong family unit and a great reminder of why we choose to return home.
Seinfeld (season 6, episode 8): “The Mom and Pop Store”
J. Delvalle/NBCU Photo Bank
While this episode may be the only one not to feature a family-filled day of stuffing and turkeys (you’ll have to see “The Butter Shave” to get your bird fix), this Seinfeld classic features the second-most Thanksgiving-y thing: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) wins Mr. Pitt (Ian Abercrombie) a spot holding Woody the Woodpecker in the parade, everyone is invited to Tim Whatley’s (Bryan Cranston) night before Thanksgiving party except Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), and George (Jason Alexander) buys Jon Voight’s car. In true Seinfeld fashion, each event comes together in the end in the cringiest way possible.
That ’70s Show (season 1, episode 9): “Thanksgiving”
20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection
Eric (Topher Grace) gets antsy when Laurie (Lisa Robin Kelly) brings her flirty college friend home for Thanksgiving, who ends up kissing him. Donna (Laura Prepon) is none too pleased when she finds out, while Kitty (Debra Jo Rupp) frets over the impending arrival of Red’s mother. The kids end up forgetting to pick her up (a blessing in disguise) before Donna and Eric make up. Essentially, it’s your typical ’70s Show holiday.
This Is Us (season 1, episode 8): “Pilgrim Rick”
Ron Batzdorff/NBC
In flashback, Jack (Milo Ventimiglia), Rebecca (Mandy Moore), and the Big 3 get stranded on the way to Rebecca’s mom’s house and begin a tradition of their own, one that involves a killer hat and convenience store hot dogs. And, in the present day, the family attempts to keep the tradition alive — even without Jack.
Veep (season 5, episode 5): “Thanksgiving”
HBO
For some families, arguing about politics is practically a Thanksgiving tradition. This season 5 installment of Veep may not be an escape but it does demonstrate the absurdity of American politics, with President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) pardoning turkeys at the White House ahead of a salmonella outbreak. But this is the least of her concerns as she undergoes eye surgery and can’t be seen in public for a while, leading to hilarious chaos. —K.J.
The West Wing (season 3, episode 8): “The Indians in the Lobby”
NBC
As President Bartlet (Martin Sheen) rings up the Butterball Turkey Talk-Line for tips, CJ (Allison Janney) spends the day before Thanksgiving with a group of Native Americans who say they will stay in the lobby of the White House in protest over the land legislation for which they’ve already waited 15 years.
What I Like About You (season 4, episode 9): “Ground-Turkey-Hog Day”
Warner Bros.
Vic (Dan Cortese) goes on a Thanksgiving date with an ex after she beats Val (Jennie Garth) in a charity date auction. Lauren (Leslie Grossman) goes to meet her married online boyfriend and finds out it’s Val’s ex Rick (Edward Kerr) so it’s up to Holly (Amanda Bynes) and Co. to keep Val occupied as her romantic life goes up in flames. In a Thanksgiving miracle, Vic and Val finally kiss and decide to postpone the annulment of their marriage.
