Thanksgiving is traditionally spent reuniting with family, eating turkey and pumpkin pie to your heart’s content, and giving thanks. A Friends fan, however, will seize this holiday as the perfect excuse to binge watch all 10 Thanksgiving-themed episodes on their Netflix account. Here is my definitive ranking from my favorite to least, in honor of last Thursday.
1. The One Where Ross Got High (Season 6)
Between Chandler desperately trying to win over Monica’s parents approval and Rachel accidentally combining an English trifle and Shepherd’s pie, you’ll finally appreciate why there is a holiday between Halloween and Christmas.
Favorite line:
Rachel: Monica said I could make dessert this year.
Joey: Uh, you’re gonna cook something?
Rachel: Huh, yeah, I cook.
Chandler: Offering people gum is not cooking.
2. The One with the Rumor (Season 8)
Monica invites a former classmate of hers and Rachel’s, aka Brad Pitt (who was married to Jennifer Aniston at the time.) The drama unfolds when it is revealed that Will and Ross actually started an “I-hate-Rachel-Greene-Club” in high school. Unbeknownst to Will, Ross broke their “pact” and not only dated Rachel but is the father of her unborn child. The whole episode is completely on point. (If the gif of Brad Pitt mockingly flipping his hair hasn’t convinced you to watch, I don’t know what else will…)
Favorite line:
Will: My two greatest enemies, Ross: Rachel Green and complex carbohydrates
3. The One with All the Thanksgivings (Season 5)
Would it really be Thanksgiving without hearing Chandler recall how his parents told him they were getting divorced over Thanksgiving dinner? The gang recalls their worst Thanksgivings, which leads to a flashback of “Fat Monica,” Rachel before she fixed her “deviated septum,” and Ross and Chandler attempting to look like Miami Vice. In an effort to retaliate with Chandler for calling her fat the previous thanksgiving, Monica attempts to seduce Chandler, but her flirting results in Chandler losing part of his toe. Watch for yourself.
Favorite Line:
Chandler: You should be a chef.
Monica: Okay.
4. The One with the Football (Season 3)
Monica and Ross divulge the details of their annual childhood Thanksgiving football game, which came to a halt after Monica broke Ross’s nose to win when she was 16.The gang breaks up into teams led by Monica and Ross, who competitively trash talk each other, giving us a glimpse of what their childhood entailed. Wait until you see the Geller Cup *spoiler* its a troll doll nailed to a two by four.
Favorite Line:
Ross: (To Monica) Cheater, cheater, compulsive eater!
5. The One with the Late Thanksgiving (Season 10)
After the gang pressures and pleads with Monica to host Thanksgiving, Monica is enraged when after preparing the entire meal, everyone shows up an hour late, so she disinvites them. Phobe convinces Rachel to enter her daughter into a beauty pageant; meanwhile Joey and Ross go a Rangers game. Joey gets his head stuck in the door as he attempts to persuade Monica to let them have dinner together.
Favorite line:
Ross: I got mugged and they stole my pocket.
6. The One with Rachel’s Other Sister (Season 9)
Rachel invites her shallow sister, Amy to Thanksgiving, after Amy’s married boyfriend bails on her. Monica and Chandler’s wedding china is in jeopardy, multiple times, as the sisters feud from everything between Amy’s inability to remember Rachel’s daughter’s name to Rachel not letting Amy use her 30% discount from Ralph Lauren.
Favorite line:
Rachel: I had a baby.
Amy: I decorated dad’s office.
Rachel: Ah yeah. Well unless you pushed a desk out of your vagina, not the same thing.
7. The One Where Underdog Gets Away (Season 1)
Ah yes, the first Thanksgiving that actually mattered. In a turn of events, the gang unexpectedly spends the holiday together after Rachel misses her flight, Joey’s family disapproves of his latest modeling gig for a free clinic campaign, Monica and Ross’ parents go on vacation, and Chandler continues to despise all things related to Thanksgiving. Monica attempts to incorporate everyone’s traditions, going as far as making 3 different types of potatoes-lumpy mashed potatoes, tater tots, and whipped potatoes with peas and onions.
Favorite Line:
Chandler: I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m very thankful that all of your Thanksgivings sucked.
8. The One with the List (Season 2)
Rachel and Ross finally start dating, but their romance comes to a halt when she finds his pro/con list for dating her. Deflecting from Ross and Rachel’s relationship drama, Monica experiments with “mockolate,” a disgusting non-FDA approved chocolate substitute, recipes for Thanksgiving and a paycheck.
Favorite Line:
Chandler: Oh, I know, this must be so hard. “Oh no, two women love me. They’re both gorgeous and sexy. My wallet’s too small for my fifties AND MY DIAMOND SHOES ARE TOO TIGHT.”
9. The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs (Season 10)
Rachel invites her assistant Tag to Thanksgiving after his girlfriend dumps him. Phoebe is caught keeping a dog in Monica and Chandler’s apartment. Chandler reveals that he hates dogs. Meanwhile, Ross refuses to eat Thanksgiving dinner until he can write down all fifty states.
Favorite line:
Rachel: If a guy just broke up with his girlfriend, how long do you think is an appropriate time to wait before you… make a move?
Phoebe: I’d say about, a month.
Monica: Really? I’d say three or four.
Joey: Half hour.
10. The One with Chandler in a Box (Season 4)
While cooking Monica injuries her eye and has to see her optometrist, who turns out to be her ex-boyfriend’s cute and single son. The two flirt and kiss on the balcony, but Monica stops the relationship because all she can think about is his father. In penance for kissing Joey’s girlfriend, Chandler spends the evening in a box to prove he is sorry.
Favorite line:
Monica: “Fine. Judge all you want to, but [to Ross] married a lesbian, [to Rachel] left a man at the altar, [to Phoebe] fell in love with a gay ice dancer, [to Joey] threw a girl’s wooden leg in a fire, and [to Chandler] live in a box!”