Whether you’re a turkey-loving stuffing-stuffer or a skip from Halloween to Christmas kind of kid, there’s definitely a Thanksgiving episode that you should watch just to put you in the right turkey mood. Unfortunately, not every single TV show features a Thanksgiving special, but a LOT of them do. Some are drama-filled, some are emotional, and lots are very funny. It’s a nice change to see your favorite TV shows shift gears to the Thanksgiving traditions, family obligations and cooking that all Americans do on the marvelous fourth Thursday of November. Time to binge your favorite shows before bingeing all that turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce.
If Thanksgiving puts you in the feels…
1. This Is Us, “Pilgrim Rick” (Season 1, Episode 8)
This notoriously emotional episode is by far one of the best Thanksgiving episodes ever. The episode is the exact recipe for what makes This Is Us the perfect emotional TV show. It shows the Pearsons, past and present, making the best of what Thanksgiving has to offer them in the years shown. A must watch. It’ll make you squeeze your family a little tighter this season. Pilgrim Rick, Police Academy 3, and “There’s no one else I’d rather be too hot or too cold with” are just some of the teary-eyed moments you need to see. This episode is available to watch on the NBC website or on Hulu.
2. Gilmore Girls, “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving” (Season 3, Episode 9)
Although there is more than one Thanksgiving Gilmore Girls episode the favorite across the board has been this one. Stars Hollow is just one of the cozier more beautiful places to see fall, so, no matter how much fun and food Lorelei and Rory get into, this show is going to be pleasing to watch. In this episode, the girls are invited to four dinners and try to go to them all. Even for them, who eat tons of food per episode, that is an ambitious amount of dinners.
Honorable mention to the other Thanksgiving Gilmore Girls episode “He’s Slippin’ ’em Bread…Dig?” (Season 6, Episode 10). That’s the one where Luke has a secret he doesn’t know how to tell Lorelei. Both are worth the watch, especially if you’re in search of the comfort of autumn in lovely Stars Hollow. Both of these episodes are available to watch on Netflix
3. Full House, “The Miracle of Thanksgiving” (Season 1, Episode 9)
The Tanner family with a side of emotions? That is one Thanksgiving meal I see myself devouring. The three girls, Joey, Jesse and Danny learn the importance of Thanksgiving traditions. For all of them, it’s their first Thanksgiving without Pam, who is Danny’s wife, the girls’ mom and Jesse’s sister. The episode is appropriately named “The Miracle of Thanksgiving” because after everything seems to be going against them celebrating Thanksgiving, it still happens in the most miracle-ish way. Again, a Thanksgiving special to make you appreciate your family, and however they spend this holiday. This episode is available to watch on Hulu.
4. Grey’s Anatomy, “She is Leaving Home” (Season 11, Episode 22)
A record-breaking amount of Grey’s Anatomy episodes surround Thanksgiving. If you’re into dramatic hospital scenarios for the holidays these are the best to see ASAP. Your Thanksgiving food does not have to be the only things that are McDreamy and McSteamy. I think the saddest episode has to be “She is Leaving Home.” This is when Meredith has to tell everyone that Derek has passed, so if you’re looking for a good cry that is the episode to put on.
Some other must-see Thanksgiving episodes from Grey’s include “Holidaze” (Season 6, Episode 10), in which Miranda’s dad comes in and, oops, it’s about more than Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s are thrown in there too, and “Somebody I used to Know” (Season 10, Episode 10) which is a later episode with more family drama and pressure for the holidays. Meredith plans Thanksgiving with some help from Emma and invites Emma, Owen, Richard, Callie, Jo, Alex, and Cristina over but only some accept due to fighting. All episodes are available on Netflix.
If you like a drama filled family dinner…
Gossip Girl, “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!” (Season 1, Episode 9)
With a Thanksgiving special almost every season, it’s hard to say which Gossip Girl episode has the most drama for your scandal-loving Thanksgiving needs, but “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!” is definitely the best one. I don’t even know where to begin. Nate’s family and their issues arise, Blair’s eating disorder and her parents’ divorce unravels, Serena’s drinking and her mom’s past with Rufus (her then boyfriend’s dad)…how did they even fit all these incidents in one 42-minute masterpiece? The other Thanksgiving specials are good, but nothing beats Lily van der Woodsen dealing with her past and Blair and Serena doing Thanksgiving their best friend way in outfits we can only dream of.
If one drama-filled Thanksgiving episode isn’t enough for you though, other killer Gossip Girl Thanksgiving specials include “Gaslit” (Season 4, Episode 10), in which Chuck and Blair are on again OFF again, Serena has an overdose and Nate visits his dad in prison (Classic Gossip Girl drama-filled holidays.) and “It’s Really Complicated” (Season 6, Episode 8). Ah, Season 6, what a time to be a Gossip Girl fan. This episode is close to the close of all things xoxo, and the episode does not disappoint in classic drama and gorgeous outfits. Dan and Serena are back and plan their first Thanksgiving. All 3 of these episodes are available to watch on Netflix.
If you want to have a good Thanksgiving laugh…
1. New Girl, “Thanksgiving IV” (Season 4, Episode 9)
The New Girl Thanksgiving specials are truly iconic. The best definitely being the “Bangsgiving” or “Thanksgiving IV” episode where Schmidt challenges the loft roommates and Cece to draw names and bring a date for the name they picked. Basically, like a Secret Santa but you bring your friends a person you think they would like instead of an ornament/candle they’ll never use.
Other New Girl Thanksgiving specials include: “Thanksgiving” (Season 1, Episode 6), where Jess invites a guy over and the guys are not happy because they always just have, what Schmidt calls, “Brosgiving” with beer and football; “Parents” (Season 2, Episode 8) with both of Jess’s divorced parents coming for the holiday; and “Thanksgiving III” (Season, 3, Episode 10). This is the one where they all go camping and Nick wants to prove how manly he is by hunting and gathering their Thanksgiving meal. All of these episodes are available to watch on Netflix.
2. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia , “The Gang Squashes Their Beefs” (Season 9, Episode 10)
The schemes that the gang usually gets into is replaced with their attempt of trying to “squash their beefs.” In this really fun episode they invite over all the people they’ve pissed off, which is a lot of people, for dinner. People all over town have become unhappy with the gang for various reasons so they want to make peace with everyone: the McPoyles, Bill Ponderosa, Cricket, Gail the Snail and Hwang. Obviously, nothing goes right and then everything actually goes up in flames. This episode is available to watch on Hulu.
3. How I Met Your Mother, “Slapsgiving” (Season 3, Episode 9)
How I Met Your Mother is one of the best series ever and their Thanksgiving episodes are near perfection. “Slapsgivging” is the classic episode that gave birth to the Slap Bet song. Also, the viewer learns that in the future, Ted brings his kids over to Lily and Marshall’s. Additionally, there’s a fun running joke of Ted and Robbin saluting each time someone says a military rank like “major” or “general;” just one of the many long-term jokes the show has had over the years.
More How I Met Your Mother Thanksgiving episodes include “Belly Full of Turkey” (Season 1, Episode 9), when Lily goes to see Marshall’s family in Minnesota where she has a little bit of a freak out and Ted and Barney go to a strip club; “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of The Slap” (Season 5, Episode 2), more slapping, more hilarious moments along with some important family moments; and “Blitzgiving” (Season 6, Episode 10), this is the one that Ted misses a super fun night with the gang so they start calling him “the Blitz.” All these episodes are available to watch on the FX website or on Hulu.
4. Friends, “The One with All the Thanksgiving Flashbacks” (Season 5, Episode 8)
The mecca of all Thanksgiving specials ever. There are 10 Friends Thanksgiving episodes and they are all great. The flashbacks are a favorite because they talk about so many “fun” Thanksgivings of the past. I know I don’t need to say much to convince you that Chandler, Monica, Joey, Phoebe, Rachel and Ross are the friends you want to spend Thanksgiving with. Their celebrations of the holiday date back to 1987 when Chandler made a comment about Monica being “Ross’s fat sister,” but boy does she show him.
Two more of Friends’ amazing Thanksgiving episodes include “The One Where Ross Got High” (Season 6, Episode 9) and “The One With The Rumor” (Season 8, Episode 9). “The One Where Ross Got High” is one of the greatest episodes ever. There’s so much going on because Monica hasn’t told her parents that she’s dating Chandler and she knows they don’t like him because he got Ross high when they were younger. “The One With The Rumor” could just be renamed “The One with Brad Pitt.” Brad Pitts’ character reveals he started the “I Hate Rachel Green Club” with Ross when they were in high school.
No matter how you’re spending your Thanksgiving, loving or hating it, I hope this list helps you find the right episode for your Turkey Day needs.