Don’t feel in the holiday spirit quite yet? In no particular order, compiled below is a list of 10 Thanksgiving episodes from some of the most popular television series’.
- “Gilmore Girls” – “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving” (season 3, Episode 9)
-
Starting strong in this “Gilmore Girls” episode, Rory and Lorelai attend four different Thanksgiving dinners. This includes the Kim family, Sookie and Jackson’s, Emily and Richard’s and Luke’s.
In this episode, Rory and Lorelai must navigate friends and family during the holidays. Rory breaks the news that she also applied to Yale in addition to Harvard, which initially comes as a shock to Lorelai. In the same episode, Rory and Jess must adjust to becoming a new couple after her harsh breakup with Dean.
“Gilmore Girls” has the perfect small-town cozy vibe, which is the epitome of the fall season and is extremely comforting.
- “One Tree Hill” – “Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace” (Season 8, Episode 9)
-
In this episode, which is present in one of the later seasons, almost all of the characters come together at Nathan and Haley’s for a Thanksgiving dinner full of love and laughter. However, this only occurs after everyone’s original Thanksgiving plans go astray.
Unlike the majority of this series, the drama in this episode is very minimal, making it feel like a breath of fresh air. This is a quintessential quality for a holiday episode.
Especially during the football scene, we see all of the characters come together. We watch through our screens as the prominent issues in the plot drop away and they simply enjoy each other’s presence on Thanksgiving.
- “Gossip Girl” – “The Treasure of Serena Madre” (Season 3, Episode 11)
-
This episode of “Gossip Girl” possibly takes the title of one of the most well-known Thanksgiving scenes in pop culture — the “Whatcha Say” dinner scene. This features Jason Derulo’s song as each character dramatically exits the dinner table one-by-one.
Not steering away from the typical dramatics of this series, there are tensions and a handful of issues among the characters.
We have Blair attempting to reveal her mother’s “pregnancy,” Lily lying to Rufus about where she’s been for months, Jenny finding out Eric sabotaged her at the Cotillion, Vanessa’s ongoing grudge with her mother and Chuck revealing to Nate security footage of Serena and Tripp’s (Nate’s cousin and married businessman) ongoing affair.
Yep, that’s a handful.
There is so much going on in this singular scene but the audience never seems to get tired of it. Possibly because many can relate considering how tense Thanksgiving dinners can sometimes be.
- “New Girl” – “Thanksgiving IV” (Season 4, Episode 9)
-
At this point in the series, every character is single. So in this episode, Schmidt sets up something called “Bangsgiving.” This was done for the purpose of everyone hopefully getting into a relationship before the winter. For the plan to go through, each roommate in the loft had to bring a date for another person, similar to Secret Santa.
Of course, by the end of the night, Cece and Schmidt end up together. Both characters purposefully driving away their own dates contributes to the storyline of these two falling in love, which extends throughout the series. This episode proves once again, that Cece and Schmidt will always come back to one another (Spoiler alert – they get engaged later on in this season).
Throughout this episode, each character’s date is a challenge for themselves in some type of way. However, in the end, this is another classic Thanksgiving episode where all of the members of the loft come together and enjoy the presence of one another.
- “Friends” – “The One Where Underdog Gets Away” (Season 1, Episode 9)
-
“Friends” is one of the most popular television series of all time, airing within the span of 10 years. Throughout these 10 years, fans were gifted with 10 Thanksgiving episodes. This specific episode is from season one of the series.
During this Thanksgiving, we are still learning the dynamics of the friendship between the six, considering it’s one of the first episodes. After noticing a runaway balloon from the “Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade” in New York City, the gang rushes to the roof to see it with their own eyes. The debate of what tone Monica asked Rachel, “Got the keys?” causes everyone to be locked out of the apartment, all while their giant Thanksgiving meal is still cooking.
Eventually, after reentering the apartment using one of Joey’s many spare keys, they discover their Thanksgiving meal is ruined. This is not the first of plans to be ruined that day, considering Rachel never ends up going on her ski trip, Ross’ tensions with his ex-wife are high and Chandler and Phoebe continue their streak of never having true Thanksgivings.
Even considering all these issues they have faced in one day, these six friends are still come together and enjoy their Thanksgiving. This dinner with each other ended up healing a part of each person and truly proves the power of friendship and that it is the people that make the situation.
- “The O.C.” – “The Homecoming” (Season 1, Episode 11)
-
What says “comforting” more than an early 2000s series? Especially a holiday episode.
Coming out in 2003, this episode has a warm feeling to it. As a typical Thanksgiving dinner, it has its fair share of drama.
Food is one of the most prominent components of Thanksgiving and Seth makes sure that his mother Kirsten doesn’t ruin it with her not-so-strong cooking abilities.
During this episode, the viewers, along with Marissa Cooper, get a glimpse of Ryan’s past in Chino. He visits where he is originally from to see his incarcerated brother Tray.
This goes to show that another meaningful thing during the holidays is family, no matter what. Even though Trey had betrayed Ryan in the past, he is still special to him.
As the guests arrive at the Cohen household, things begin to get out of hand. When the kitchen begins smoking and all of the guests run in to see what’s going on, Summer and Anna see each other. Both girls realize that Seth has been hiding one from the other, contributing to this love triangle.
After all the drama wears off, everyone ends up having takeout food as their Thanksgiving dinner. This is a Cohen family tradition, which seems to carry on even during the holidays. In a way, this makes for the perfect ending and ties it all together.
- “Good Luck Charlie” – “It’s a Charlie Duncan Thanksgiving” (Season 2, Episode 29)
-
This particular show appears on Disney Channel and is considered a children’s show. Don’t the holidays always bring back some form of nostalgia? This isn’t a drama series with secrets revealed on Thanksgiving, it’s simply a family sitcom made to put a smile on our faces.
In this episode, PJ attempts to cook Thanksgiving dinner for the Duncan family but makes Amy believe she is responsible for doing so by switching out their turkeys. Bob and Gabe attempt to break the new lovebirds, Bob’s dad and Mrs. Dabney (Gabe’s arch nemesis and neighbor) up. Finally, Teddy and her best friend Ivy wait in line early to ensure they get a new tablet at the Gizmo Hut on Black Friday.
Unaware of the antics currently going on in her home, when Teddy is walking in the backyard, all of a sudden, a turkey falls on her out of the sky and knocks her out. Teddy ends up in the hospital, but the family all agreed that it ended up being one memorable Thanksgiving.
All that mattered was that they were together, which sent a sweet message to the audience, also considering that this was the only Thanksgiving episode in the series.
- “Gossip Girl” – “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!” (Season 1, Episode 9)
-
What’s “Gossip Girl” without its iconic Thanksgiving episodes? This particular one sets the tone for the others and begins the tradition that is adored by fans.
To summarize, there are many Thanksgiving flashbacks revealing Dan’s past interactions with Serena and Blair (that neither of them remembers) and the dynamic between the previous love triangle, Blair, Serena and Nate.
Dan invites Serena and her family over for Thanksgiving dinner at the Humphrey loft in Brooklyn, not knowing Rufus and Lily’s previous romantic history. Their parents being in love in the past was not quite the topic to be revealed to their children in front of Rufus’ ex-wife. Talk about awkward.
All while this is occurring, Blair is distraught that her father won’t make it to Thanksgiving, causing her to not be in the holiday spirit. Not only is this an important episode for the plot of “Gossip Girl,” considering it’s packed with flashbacks, but it’s also very relatable.
Many people can relate to Blair during the holiday season. You may not feel up for the festivities or feel that it is truly that holiday if a loved one is not present. It may not feel the same as every other year, which gives viewers a character they can find similarities in and get through this difficult time with.
- “Full House” – “The Miracle of Thanksgiving” (Season 1, Episode 9)
-
This is the oldest episode on the list and a show that almost everybody is familiar with. In the only Thanksgiving episode of “Full House,” the Tanner family attempts to get through their first Thanksgiving without Pam. Danny, Jesse and Joey try to make it the best Thanksgiving for the three girls.
As the day progresses, things begin to take a wrong turn. After deciding to cook a home-cooked meal instead of going out, the turkey ends up burnt and the pumpkin pie ends up on the floor. DJ is miserable and believes Thanksgiving is ruined because her mother is no longer with them.
After the family consoles one another about how much they miss Pam, they realize Thanksgiving isn’t about the food but who you surround yourself with, especially family. During the holiday, it is especially difficult to grieve a loved one, but this episode communicates the message that they can live on through memories.
- “Friends” – “The One with All the Thanksgivings” (Season 5, Episode 8)
-
We’ve finally made it to the last episode on this list: “The One with All the Thanksgivings.” This iconic “Friends” episode is best known for Monica dancing with a turkey on her head. It consists of all of the friends going around and telling their bad Thanksgiving stories in the past after hearing Ross constantly complain about his eviction and divorce.
Joey talks about when he got a turkey stuck on his head and Phoebe tells a brutal made-up war story from her past life. Chandler tells the story that scarred Thanksgiving for him forever: when his parents told him they were getting a divorce and when he found out his father was sleeping with the pool boy. Rachel then brings up the topic of Monica’s worst Thanksgiving, which has the most importance to the plot.
After Monica reveals how it is when Chandler (whom she has a blossoming relationship with) called her “fat” in the past, Rachel corrects her. After Chandler apologizes and feels terrible, the next story begins to be told of Monica and Chandler’s Thanksgiving past. While attempting to humiliate Chandler after he calls her “fat” by seducing him, Monica drops a knife on his foot and chops off his toe.
Chandler storms out after finding out Monica did this to him, which lasted for the rest of his life, and Monica attempts to make it up to him. Making a fool out of herself, she puts on a turkey, fez hat and glasses, doing a dance outside of his door.
This is the moment that left “Friends” fans stunned: when Chandler blurts out that he loves Monica for the first time. This was such a key moment in their relationship and proves that you are can turn things around on the holidays.
These 10 episodes compiled above can successfully get you into the holiday spirit, or even get you through Thanksgiving. The key messages we can take away include the fact that it is about who you spend Thanksgiving with, not where or what you have.
It is also important to keep in mind that anyone can be going through something, so surround yourself with people who will support you, even during the holidays.