Well, incredibly Thanksgiving 2017 is upon us, and there’s nothing I love more than curling up on the couch in a cozy sweater and watching some thanksgiving themed TV. Thanksgiving movies have never really been a thing, but Thanksgiving TV episodes definitely have. So in honor of the big day, here are my top ten favorite Thanksgiving themed TV episodes for your enjoyment. Food won’t be the only thing you binge on today.
So The Middle has numerous thanksgiving specials, but I think the first is my favorite. Frankie’s boss forces her to work on thanksgiving, leaving her no time to cook thanksgiving dinner. Since her family doesn’t seem to care as much as she does she decides they won’t do a dinner that year. Sensing her disappointment, they decide to surprise her with a good dinner. It’s sweet, a little cheesy and predictable, but that’s what this holiday is about so I think it’s fitting.
9. Friends: The One With the Football
One of my two favorite Friends thanksgiving episodes, this one comes in slightly lower on the list mainly because it has less to do with the actual celebration of thanksgiving, and mainly focuses on the tradition of thanksgiving football. This episode is hilarious, one of my favorites of all time, having some great character moments, despite being kind of a bottle episode. I love how it explores Monica and Ross’ competitive sibling relationship, as family tension is a delightful part of lots of thanksgivings.
New Girl has several fantastic thanksgiving episodes, like season 3’s hilarious foray into the woods, but this one is probably the most dinner and family oriented. Jess invites her divorced parents over and tries to reunite them, which apparently is a move she’s been pulling her whole life. They try to keep things civil as not to ruin thanksgiving, but things become more complicated that originally planned. This episode is funny, and features some great guest starring roles that will get you in the mood for some turkey.
7. Modern Family: Punkin Chunkin
While I like all the Modern Family thanksgiving episodes, this is by far my favorite because I love the message of conflicting personality types needing each other to rein them in. It’s a very heart filled, as well as funny episode. A lot of thanksgiving episodes center around family tensions, but this one really cements the idea of a loving family, despite disagreements. Plus, as a Delaware native, I love a good punkin chunkin.
6. Bob’s Burgers: An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal
The first thanksgiving special is a great one. I love how it kicked off Bob’s bizarre thanksgiving obsession. This episode is one of my favorite Mr. Fischoeder episodes, as it really highlights his eccentricity. It also features some great moments from Linda and the kids, as they play the role of Mr. Fisch’s family. I highly recommend kicking off the thanksgiving season with this episode.
5. Community: Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations
This is the only Thanksgiving episode of community and I definitely think it’s a good one. The group embarks on two different thanksgivings. Jeff and Britta spend the holiday with Jeff’s estranged father, dealing with his daddy issues. The rest of the group spends the day at Shirley’s acting as a buffer between Shirley and Andre’s family. They quickly learn however that his family is the worst and spend most of their day hiding in the garage trying to shawshank their way out of the holiday. The episode is funny, and it’s nice to see the group explore a new holiday. I definitely recommend it.
4. How I Met Your Mother: Slapsgiving
This is a classic. The slap bet episodes are what initially made me fall in love with How I Met Your Mother, so it’s only fitting that I include this episode. The episode sees Ted and Robin hook up in an ill-fated backslide, and Lily meticulously trying to throw a classy thanksgiving. The center of the episode for me though, is Marshall taunting Barney with an impending slap. It’s hilarious and filled with thanksgiving imagery. I highly recommend it to get in the holiday spirit.
3. Friends: The One With All the Thanksgivings
So as I said in my review, this is my favorite Friends thanksgiving episode. Holiday wise, it covers not just one, but multiple thanksgivings featuring the main characters. It also has some really great relationship moments from Chandler and Monica. It’s a thanksgiving staple for me and I think it should be for most people.
2. Gilmore Girls: A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving
So this is one of my all time favorite thanksgiving TV episodes. The Gilmore Girls try to squeeze four very different thanksgiving celebrations into one day. The first stop is a Korean thanksgiving at the Kim’s, next a Jackson-run dinner at Sookie’s, followed by a diner meal at Luke’s, ending with a dramatic dinner at the Gilmore’s. It’s full of fun, drama, and fall foliage. Can you get more Thanksgiving than that?
1. Bob’s Burgers: Dawn of the Peck
And here it is, as I said in my review, the greatest Thanksgiving episode of any show ever. Bob is upset when the kids and Linda decide to skip their traditional thanksgiving dinner and go to a turkey trot at Wonder Wharf instead. However, a Dawn of the Dead-like turkey takeover leads to a thanksgiving gone awry. The best part of this episode will always be a drunk Bob singing Donna Summer. Everyone should be required to watch this episode every thanksgiving. So do it.
Watch the Holidays 