Every 'Friends' Thanksgiving Episode, Ranked
Happy "Friends"-giving, y'all! Turkey Day was celebrated in a big way on the blockbuster NBC comedy. But just like side dishes, some offerings were better than others. We've ranked all ten "Friends" Thanksgiving episodes. Which episode is the green bean casserole of the bunch?
10. 'The One With the List' (Season 2)
The plot: After kissing Rachel in the rain at Central Perk, Ross is trying to decide between her and his girlfriend, Julie. He makes pro/con lists on his new computer, which Rachel finds. She ends up locking him out. Random side-plot: Monica is interviewing with a company named Mockolate, which makes chocolate substitutes (Phoebe describes it as "what evil must taste like"). The food: Mockolate chip cookies and other mockolate "treats" Best quote: "This must be so hard: 'Two women love me. They're both gorgeous and sexy. My wallet's too small for my $50s and my diamond shoes are too tight!'" -- Chandler
9. 'The One With Rachel's Other Sister' (Season 9)
The plot: Rachel's sister, Amy (Christina Applegate), comes over for Thanksgiving after a break-up. She proceeds to offend everyone with her self-centered, tactless comments. Oh, and she throws a hissy fit over not being Emma's godmother (despite not remembering her name). Random side-plot: Monica is obsessed with taking care of her wedding china, but Chandler breaks it. The food: There's turkey, but hardly anyone touches it for fear of Monica's wrath over scraped china. Best quote: That goes to Monica for this little gem: "Ross and Rachel don't know what they're talking about. I mean, it's not like they're so responsible. Emma is the product of a bottle of Merlot and a five-year-old condom."
8. 'The One With the Late Thanksgiving' (Season 10)
The plot: Monica reluctantly agrees to host Thanksgiving when everyone begs her to do it. Then, they're all late for dinner, and Joey gets stuck in the door. Monica and Chandler are mad until they get a call from the adoption agency telling them they got a baby. Random side-plot: Nothing much, really -- Joey and Ross go to a hockey game, and Rachel and Phoebe enter Emma in a baby beauty pageant. That's why they're all late. The food: Turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, the works. But when they free Joey from the door, he crashes into the dinner and ruins it all. Best quote: "I don't want to be with them either. But it's Thanksgiving and we should not want to be together, together." -- Rachel
7. 'The One Where Chandler Doesn't Like Dogs' (Season 7)
The plot: Phoebe is dog-sitting, and everyone discovers Chandler hate dogs. Rachel brings her assistant, Tag, to dinner, and she confesses her crush on him. They kiss. Random side-plot: Chandler challenges everyone to name all 50 states, and of course, Ross goes nuts over the game. He thinks he forgot Delaware, but he really just wrote down Nevada twice. The food: Turkey, stuffing, green beans, the usual. And they eat it! Best quote: "This is all a moo point. It's like a cow's opinion. You know, it just doesn't matter. It's moo." -- Joey
6. ''The One Where Underdog Gets Away' (Season 1)
The plot: Everyone ends up spending Thanksgiving at Monica's for various reasons, then get locked out of the apartment when they run to the roof to see the runaway Underdog parade balloon. Random side-plot: Joey joins them for dinner when his family shuns him after he's featured in a series of VD ads. The food: Turkey, yams, various potato dishes -- all ruined after they get locked out. They end up eating grilled cheese sandwiches and Funyuns. Best quote: "Wow, you guys sure have a lot of books about being a lesbian." -- Ross "Well, you know, you have to take a course... Otherwise they don't let you do it." -- Susan
5. 'The One With the Rumor' (Season 8)
The plot: Will (Brad Pitt), a former classmate of Ross, Rachel, and Monica, comes to dinner. Will was very obese in high school, but now looks like... Brad Pitt. Turns out he and Ross formed the "I Hate Rachel Green" club in high school and spread a rumor that Rachel was born a hermaphrodite. Random side-plot: Monica first decides not to make turkey because nobody wants to eat it (Phoebe is vegetarian, Chandler has childhood issues). But Joey insists and promises he'll eat all the leftovers — which he does all episode. The food: The 19 lb. turkey, plus a pie that Joey eats after he polishes that off. Best quote: "Will, just take off your shirt and tell us." --Phoebe
4. 'The One With Chandler in a Box' (Season 4)
The plot: Joey is mad that Chandler kisses his girlfriend, Kathy, and is giving him the silent treatment. Ross tries to make peace, so Joey comes up with a new plan for Chandler to earn his forgiveness: Spend the holiday in a box. Random side-plot: Monica gets ice in her eye and goes to see her eye doctor, who's usually Richard. Instead, it's his son. Tim, who comes over for Thanksgiving. They make out, but almost instantly get grossed out. The food: Turkey, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, the usual. Everyone eats but Chandler. Best quote: "Fine. Judge all you want to, but: [Ross] married a lesbian, [Rachel] left a man at the altar, [Phoebe] fell in love with a gay ice dancer, [Joey] threw a girl's wooden leg in a fire, and [Chandler], you live in a box!" -- Monica
3. 'The One Where Ross Got High' (Season 6)
The plot: Ross and Monica's parents, Jack (Elliott Gould) and Judy (Christina Pickles), come to Thanksgiving for the first time. Chandler is trying to charm the 'rents, who don't like him because Ross once blamed him for being a pothead to avoid getting in trouble himself. It all escalates to an all-out airing of dirty laundry between Monica and Ross. Random side-plot: Rachel attempts to make a traditional English trifle, but mixes up the recipe with a shepherd's pie. Joey asks everyone to pretend it's delicious so he can leave for another party. The food: The glorious trifle -- ladyfingers, jam, custard, raspberries, more ladyfingers, beef sauteed with peas and onions, a little more custard, bananas, then whipped cream. Best quote: The whole exchange between Monica and Ross is amazing, but let's give the honors to Mrs. Geller for wrapping it up in style: "That's a lot of information to get in thirty seconds. All right, Joey, if you wanna leave, just leave. Rachel, no, you weren't supposed to put beef in the trifle. It did not taste good. Phoebe, I'm sorry, but I think Jacques Cousteau is dead. Monica, why you felt you had to hide the fact that you had an important relationship is beyond me." -- Judy
2. 'The One With the Football' (Season 3)
The plot: The friends propose a friendly football game in a nearby park. Monica and Ross hesitate because their mother forbade them from playing after too many contentious "Gellar Bowls" during their youth. But they decide to play and it's as delightfully competitive as Monica and Ross can get. Really, all six "Friends" are just so quintessentially themselves. Random side-plot: None, really, except for Chandler and Joey vying to hit on a Dutch girl in the park. The food: Turkey, mashed potatoes, yams, etc. Monica and Ross don't eat as they're both still holding onto the football. Best quote: So many to choose from! Let's go with: "Phoebe, I thought you said you knew what you're doing." -- Monica "I thought you meant in life." -- Phoebe
1. 'The One With All the Thanksgivings' (Season 5)
The plot: Flashbacks to Monica and Rachel in high school, Ross and Chandler in college! We learn that back then, Chandler called Monica "fat." To get revenge, the next year, she lost weight and got hot, but accidentally dropped a knife on his foot and cut off his pinky toe. Chandler is mad when he finds out why it happened, so Monica wears a turkey with sunglasses on her head to earn his forgiveness. He then blurts out that he loves her. Random side-plot: Phoebe calls Thanksgivings from her past life, like when she was a nurse in World War I and (naturally) lost an arm. The food: Many, many pies. Best quote: "Well, sorry doesn't bring back the little piggy that cried all the way home." -- Chandler
