Every November, I look forward to re-watching my favorite sitcoms’ Thanksgiving specials. They are incredibly comforting and wonderfully hilarious every time. To spread my love, I have compiled a list of the best episodes from the sitcoms I have watched.
- New Girl: “Thanksgiving IV” (S4, Ep 9)
-
New Girl was the hardest show to pick an episode for because all of their Thanksgiving specials are perfect. However, I landed on “Thanksgiving IV” because it shows all of the characters at their very best. Schmidt forces the group to do a “Bangs-giving” themed Thanksgiving dinner because they’re all single this holiday season. They all draw names from a hat and have to invite a date for the person they drew. Each person ends up having an issue with the dates that were chosen for them.
- Friends: “The One Where Ross Got High” (S6, Ep 9)
-
There are so many amazing Friends Thanksgiving-themed episodes to choose from, but I picked this one because I think it focuses on all six characters so well. Monica and Chandler are trying to get Monica’s parents to like Chandler so that the couple can confess that they’re living together. Ross and Joey are trying to ditch the dinner to hang out with Joey’s new dancer roommate and her friends. Rachel is trying to make the dessert for dinner and is feeling the pressure. Lastly, Phoebe is dealing with her newfound crush on Ross and Monica’s dad.
- Brooklyn Nine-Nine: “Ava” (S3, Ep 8)
-
While at the Nine-Nine, Terry’s wife goes into labor sooner than expected and chooses to have her baby in the precinct with the help of Jake and Gina. To help, Holt has to face the complications of a past relationship. Terry and Rosa have trouble making it back to the precinct to witness the birth. Meanwhile, there is an internet outage forcing Charles and Amy to do all of the paperwork by hand, creating a chaotic environment. It is very entertaining to watch how the characters act when put into situations that are out of their comfort zone.
- Parks and Recreation: “Harvest Festival” (S3, Ep 7)
-
This episode is not explicitly Thanksgiving-themed, but it is still seasonal. Plus, it introduces one of the show’s most iconic characters. Leslie and the Parks Department are throwing a Harvest Festival for the town of Pawnee. However, it is taking place on tribal burial land which upsets a local Native American leader causing him to “curse” the event. Meanwhile, April and Andy are having relationship problems, Donna is helping Ann recover from her breakup, and Ron just wants to relax. Lastly, Jerry and Tom are put in charge of Pawnee’s beloved miniature horse, Lil’ Sebastian.
- Modern Family: “Three Turkeys” (S6, Ep 8)
-
It wouldn’t be an episode of Modern Family without the whole family coming together whilst each member is harboring a secret that will inevitably be revealed. In this episode, Phil and Luke cook Thanksgiving dinner while Claire secretly prepares a backup turkey in the garage. Jay and Gloria are feeling guilty because their trip got canceled and they didn’t tell the rest of the family so that they could have a peaceful Thanksgiving. Lastly, Cam and Mitchell are having issues parenting Lily. When the power goes out at the Dunphy’s house, they move to Gloria and Jay’s house causing chaos to ensue.
- Community: “Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations” (S4, Ep 5)
-
Annie, Troy, Abed, and Pierce go to Shirley’s house for Thanksgiving. The dinner ends up being more uncomfortable than they imagined, so they hide out in the garage and try to find a way to politely leave. Meanwhile, Britta, being a psychology major, tries to help Jeff reunite with his estranged father and meet his half-brother. This episode is more emotional than most Community episodes, but it is still incredibly funny.
- How I Met Your Mother: “Slapsgiving” (S3, Ep 9)
-
This selection was a no-brainer as I believe that “Slapsgiving” is one of the most iconic How I Met Your Mother episodes ever. Lily and Marshall are hosting their first Thanksgiving dinner as a married couple. Ted and Robin are navigating their friendship post-breakup. Meanwhile, there is tension between Marshall and Barney as Marshall warns him that the third slap from his previously won “slap-bet” is coming.
- The Office: “WUPHF.com” (S7, Ep 9)
-
Although this episode is not centered around Thanksgiving, I couldn’t make a list of sitcoms without including The Office. Michael and Ryan try to get more people to invest in Ryan’s company, WUPHF. This reveals some cracks in the company that frustrate the people who have already invested. Jim discovers a new commission cap company policy that leaves him very bored. In the meantime, Dwight brings his hay festival tradition to the parking lot of the office so that he can capitalize off the Thanksgiving holiday.
I hope that these episodes bring lots of laughter and comfort to you this Thanksgiving Season!