The 11 Greatest Thanksgiving TV Episodes Ever
Nothing screams quality holiday time like sitting in front of a glaring screen, so we've rounded up 11 great Turkey Day episodes of TV. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. And happy watching!
'Will & Grace,' "Lows in the Mid-Eighties" (Season 3, Episode 9)
Everyone just LOVES a good flashback ep. In this one, we head back to good ol' 1985, when Grace took then-boyfriend Will home for Thanksgiving. This was before Grace discovered a flatiron... and that Will was gay.
'Family Ties,' "No Nukes Is Good Nukes" (Season 1, Episode 8)
The Keaton family's mom and dad, Steven and Elyse, get arrested at an anti-nuclear weapons rally in this fantastic episode. Silly hippies. Get hip with Reagan like your son and maybe you wouldn't have to spend Thanksgiving in prison!
'Gilmore Girls,' "A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving" (Season 3, Episode 9)
No town does festive fall better than Stars Hollow. And nobody can eat like the Gilmore girls. This episode is all about Rory and Lorelei trying to fit in four Thanksgivings in one day and, yeah, chaos ensues. Lane's first kiss! A Dean and Jess showdown! Wasted Sookie! It's chock full of drama and cozy autumnal scenery.
'The Bob Newhart Show,' "Over the River and Through the Woods" (Season 4, Episode 11)
This holiday episode features the classic Moo Goo Gai Pan bit, where a stupendously drunk Bob and his buddies try to order Chinese takeout. You'll laugh. Promise.
'The OC,' "The Homecoming" (Season 1, Episode 11)
This epic "O.C." Thanksgiving episode had Marissa returning home to (ew) Chino with Ryan, and Seth two-timing his love interests of-the-moment, Summer and Anna. Season One was the best, wasn't it?!
'Friends,' "The One With All the Thanksgivings" (Season 5, Episode 8)
Yes, we know this is a flashback episode, but it's a good one, where the gang reveals their worst Thanksgivings ever. We love seeing everyone in their '80s garb or whatever, but we're partial to this scene in the present when Monica wears a turkey on her head and Chandler accidentally blurts out that he loves her.
'The Sopranos,' "He Is Risen" (Season 3, Episode 8)
Nothing says Thanksgiving like mob feuds, dabbling in college ecstasy, dead strippers, and a narcoleptic prayer group member. Naturally, these are all elements of this memorable "Sopranos" holiday episode.
'Seinfeld,' "The Mom & Pop Store" (Season 6, Episode 8)
There's a lot going on here -- we almost forgot it's sort of a Thanksgiving episode. This is the one where George thinks he buys Jon Voight's Le Baron (Voight cameos, and bites Kramer), Jerry can't figure out if he's invited to dentist Tim Whatley's (Bryan Cranston) party, and Kramer gives away all of Jerry's sneakers. "Good stuff all around."
'WKRP in Cincinnati,' "Turkeys Away" (Season 1, Episode 7)
Things go horribly awry in this episode when station manager Mr. Carlson sets up a holiday promotion where live turkeys are dropped out of a helicopter. It all ends with this classic phrase: "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."
'Roseanne,' "Home Is Where the Afghan Is" (Season 9, Episode 10)
There were many fantastic "Roseanne" Thanksgiving moments, but this post-lottery winning episode is a doozy. Mostly because o Roseanne and Jackie's wild mom, Bev.
'Buffy the Vampire Slayer,' "Pangs" (Season 4, Episode 8)
"Pangs" was the only Thanksgiving episode of the series, and we're happy it was because they definitely couldn't top it. It is one of the most quotable episodes of the series. For example: "A bear?! You made a bear?! Undo it. Undo it!" And "It is a sham. But it's a sham with yams. It's a yam sham." Plus, even though it was mostly a fun, filler episode, it ended on a note that would affect Buffy for episodes to come. Perfect.
