We made it, Falcons! Thanksgiving is finally here—gifting us with a well-deserved break from GBs and group meetings, as well as some time to reunite with our loved ones and eat some non-Seasons food. All this extra downtime makes Thanksgiving break the perfect time to kick back and catch up on all the Netflix you missed while studying for that major accounting test. Here are some of the best Thanksgiving episodes from your favorite TV shows to put you in the holiday mindset.
New Girl – “Thanksgiving III,” Season 3
To start this list off with a bang, New Girl—one of my all-time favorite TV shows—has plenty of great Thanksgiving episodes, the best being “Thanksgiving III.” In this season of the show, the gang decides to forego their typical Thanksgiving dinner at the loft for one in the wilderness. Nick thinks he is losing his manliness, Schmidt and Cece bond over hating the outdoors, Coach reveals he was an Eagle Scout, and Jess eats a diseased fish. Seems like the perfect Thanksgiving celebration, right?
Friends – “The One With All The Thanksgivings,” Season 5
In this flashback episode of everyone’s favorite sitcom, the 6 friends recount their worst Thanksgiving experiences. Phoebe travels in time to the Revolutionary War, Chandler recounts his parents’ divorce, Joey remembers getting his head caught in a turkey, and Monica reminisces about accidentally stabbing Chandler in his toe. Remembering that it was Monica who was responsible for part of his toe being lost, Chandler get upset. In an attempt to cheer him up, Monica puts a turkey on her head à la Joey.
Gossip Girl – “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!” Season 1
No Gossip Girl episode is complete without a hefty dose of drama, and “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!” from the show’s very first season is no exception. With no idea about Rufus and Lily’s romantic history, Dan invites Serena and her family to spend the holiday in Brooklyn with his family. Blair has an exceptionally hard time coming to grips with the fact that her father is not coming home to New York to spend Thanksgiving with her, and Nate’s family suffers a difficult dinner interaction.
The Carrie Diaries – “Endgame,” Season 1
In this episode of The Carrie Diaries, Carrie struggles to maintain her family’s elaborate Thanksgiving traditions after her mom’s passing—while simultaneously trying to impress her new boyfriend, George. Meanwhile, Dorrit only adds to Carrie’s stress by doing her best to embarrass her in front of the holiday guests. In order to combat these challenges, Carrie enlists the help of Mouse. Maggie struggles to impress Walt’s family, and Sebastian is left with seemingly no place to celebrate.
Gilmore Girls – “A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving,” Season 3
In this episode of Gilmore Girls, Rory and Lorelei manage to attend four different Thanksgiving dinners: Lane’s, Sookie’s, Luke and Jess’s, and Emily and Richard’s. At the final Thanksgiving, Rory admits to applying to colleges other than Harvard—specifically, Yale—creating some tension between her and Lorelei. Dean and Jess, meanwhile, have a conflict regarding Rory.