Everyone knows that Friends is a classic and a must-watch TV show. The holiday-themed episodes make the show even more of a must-watch while also getting you in the spirit. A tradition that I have is to watch all of the Thanksgiving themed episodes during the holiday season. As Thanksgiving approaches, what better way to procrastinate homework than to binge-watch the episodes! Over the years, I have definitely picked favorites and this list is the ranking of them all. Let it be known that I have seen the whole series multiple times and these specific episodes at least seven times so some of the jokes are not as funny as they once were. This ranking is based on the premise of the episode, how many laughable moments there were, and how well it held my interest.
10. The One with the List: Season 2, Episode 8
This episode is the worst for me because of multiple reasons. First, it is not really Thanksgiving themed so it does not get you into the holiday spirit. The plot of the episode is that Rachel and Ross kiss but Ross is still with Julie. To decide, he makes a list ranking the pros and cons of each woman (can you say sexist) but Rachel finds out about the list and Ross’ plans fall through. So basically, instead of a Thanksgiving themed episode, we get a Ross themed episode ☹
# of LOL moments = 1
9. The One with Chandler in a Box: Season 4, Episode 8
This episode centers around Chandler being in a box after kissing Joey’s girlfriend Kathy. It also features Ross being rude to Rachel about not being sentimental, even though she really is. This episode is a lot more Thanksgiving themed but the episode did not hold my interest.
# of LOL moments = 0
8. The One with All the Thanksgivings: Season 5, Episode 8
This episode is a compilation of all the friends’ past Thanksgiving memories. I liked this episode except, for a lot of the time, Chandler was a complete ass to Monica because he kept making fun of her weight. Also, this episode ends in Chandler telling Monica he loves her — for the first time — but I thought that already happened beforehand so I was a little confused.
# of LOL moments = 2
7. The One where Underdog Gets Away: Season 1, Episode 9
In this episode, Monica hosts dinner for the first time without her parents. I liked this episode — it was funny — but I spent a lot of the time feeling bad for Monica. She had to make the whole dinner by herself and had to put up with annoying Ross who just kept whining. This episode would have been ranked higher if it wasn’t overshadowed by Ross’ complaints.
# of LOL moments = 3
6. The One with the Football: Season 3, Episode 9
This episode is all about a football game the friends play which shows Ross and Monica’s competitive sides. Joey and Chandler also compete over a girl. This episode held my attention and actually had a lot of action in it. It just did not have that many laughable moments.
# of LOL moments = 2
5. The One where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs: Season 7, Episode 8
As the title alludes to, this episode is all about Chandler’s hatred of dogs which gets brought up after Phoebe brings a dog home. This episode was hilarious but I just couldn’t give it a high ranking because of the plot. I mean, who hates dogs?
# of LOL moments = 6
4. The One where Ross Got High: Season 6, Episode 9
Ross and Monica’s parents come to Thanksgiving dinner in this episode. We find out that they do not like Chandler because they think he once got high in college even though it was really Ross who did. Also, Rachel makes a dessert but ends up messing it up and adding beef to it. This episode had its fair share of laughable moments but the plot was not that great. The whole thing focused on Ross getting high once??
# of LOL moments = 5
3. The One with Rachel’s Other Sister: Season 9, Episode 8
This episode features Rachel’s sister, Amy (Christina Applegate), who comes to dinner but ends up just being a rude and snobby guest which leads to a hilarious fight between her and Rachel. I have definitely seen this episode the most because this is the one I would watch as a little kid with my family during the holidays. Because of this, some of the jokes have worn out but, for people who haven’t seen it as many times, this would be a killer episode to watch!
# of LOL moments = 4
2. The One with the Late Thanksgivings: Season 10, Episode 8
Honestly, if I could put two #1’s then I would because this episode is that good. The premise is that Monica is forced to make dinner for everyone but they all end up being late. Not only is this episode hysterical, it also has a sweet ending: Chandler and Monica find out they are adopting a baby!
# of LOL moments = 9
1. The One with the Rumor: Season 8, Episode 9
I love this episode! It features a young Brad Pitt and Joey trying to eat a whole turkey. Even though I have watched this episode many times, I still laugh the whole way through. I suggest if you only have time to watch one episode, watch this one!
# of LOL moments = 10
And an extra GIF because it’s that good!
So, there you have it!
Even though this is a ranking, I still strongly encourage everyone to watch all of the episodes because they are all good and worth the 22 minutes you will spend on them. Also, can we talk about how amazing it is that all of the episodes are either the eighth or ninth episode. How consistent! Additionally, the number of LOL moments are the number of times I actually laughed out loud during the episode. There were other times when I chuckled or laughed internally but, I did not count them because it was not full laughter. My point is that this number could be different for everyone because everyone has different types of humor. Hope you enjoy your binge-watching!
Have a happy Thanksgiving!
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