Thanksgiving is just a handful of days away and while that should mean you’ll be doing a lot of homework and studying before leaving for break, why not take a break and binge-watch some Thanksgiving episodes of your favorite TV shows instead? So step away from that Trump debate your crazy aunt keeps trying to reel you into, pretend your siblings are not driving you bonkers on the long drive to grandma’s, and watch some Netflix before it’s time to break out the Christmas specials.
1) Gilmore Girls– “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving” (Season 3 Episode 9)
Lorelai and Rory try to take on their greatest feat yet, eating FOUR Thanksgiving dinners. Will they have enough time? Will they puke before the finish line? There’s only one way to find out! It’s complete with family drama, the meaning of friendship, and a little bit of romance to keep you going.
2) Bob’s Burgers– “Turkey In A Can” (Season 4 Episode 5)
Bob loves nothing more than Thanksgiving and this year someone in the family is trying to sabotage it by dropping his turkey in the toilet every night. Plus if you finish this episode, there’s many more to choose from since Bob’s Burgers does an annual Thanksgiving episode!
3) Friends– “The One With All The Thanksgivings” (Season 5 Episode 8)
Ross complains (what else is new) that his divorce is making him have the worst Thanksgiving ever. As a result, everyone starts reminiscing about their worst Thanksgiving, like Joey getting his head stuck in a turkey. But in the end, one of the confessions ends up being on the sweet side. Watch it for the nostalgia, if nothing else.
4) Malcolm in the Middle– “Thanksgiving” (Season 5 Episode 4)
While Malcolm’s family struggles to find a positive thing about being family (they argue … they argue a lot), Malcolm is taking his chances with a hot girl from class and ignoring the family drama. Will they be able to resolve their differences?
5) It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia– “The Gang Squashes Their Beefs” (Season 9 Episode 10)
The gang tries to squash the beef with all their enemies over a Thanksgiving dinner (that they’ve taken a bit too literally). If you’re tired of feel-good comedies that make Thanksgiving look better than yours, then this is the show for you my friends.
6) Cheers– “Thanksgiving Orphans” (Season 5 Episode 9)
Diane is invited to a prestigious pilgrim themed Thanksgiving dinner hosted by one of her professors. Meanwhile, Carla agrees to hold a potluck dinner when everyone’s Thanksgiving plans seem to fall through. This is a good one to watch if you’re trying to entertain your older relatives!
7) House– “Ignorance is Bliss” (Season 6 Episode 8)
The team has to figure out what’s wrong with a genius who has many strange symptoms. Obviously they try a few things that don’t work until House figures it out in the last 5 minutes, but it’s the journey everyone’s personal lives take that make it so Thanksgiving-y. House tries to go to Cuddy’s Thanksgiving dinner, Taub tries to get Chase into the Thanksgiving mood, and Wilson is still just being an all-around nice guy. Perfect if you like the sight of bloody organs right before you eat.
8) Buffy the Vampire Slayer– “Pangs” (Season 4 Episode 8)
Buffy tries to host her first Thanksgiving dinner for her and the Scooby Gang, since her mother is going to be out of town. Fittingly, however, they come across slayer problems with some Native American spirits and need to deal with that. Spike is sad, Angel is stalking… it’s a Buffy classic.
9) Gossip Girl– “Blair Waldorf Must Pie!” (Season 1 Episode 9)
Blair is excited that her dad is back in town, only to be disappointed that he doesn’t seem to care about their Thanksgiving traditions as much as she does. Dan is sad and is pining for Serena who’s spending Thanksgiving alone, so he invites her to his house for some lovin’. Gossip Girl is another show that understands the necessity of having Thanksgiving episodes, so if you finish this one and want more drama, good news for you.
10) Scrubs– “My Day Off” (Season 1 Episode 9)
It’s the eve of Thanksgiving when J.D. suffers from abdominal pain. Turns out, he’s got appendicitis and doesn’t trust Turk to be the one to remove it. Meanwhile, Elliot is trying to be a warmer doctor toward her patients. If you find yourself becoming colder and less trusting the more you’re around your family, this is a good episode to bring you back to your old self.
11) How I Met Your Mother– “Slapsgiving” (Season 3 Episode 9)
Lily works hard to put together a Thanksgiving to remember for the gang, while Ted and Robin struggle to deal with their own history. The important part of the episode, obviously, is the count down for the third slap which Marshall warns Barney he’ll be receiving on Thanksgiving. It’s a must-see for How I Met Your Mother fans and a great intro for you HIMYM newbies.
12) Last Man Standing– “Thanksgiving” (Season 3 Episode 9)
If you have to pick a show your parents will want to watch with you, then this is a prime choice. It’s family-friendly and cheesy enough to air on ABC. In this episode, Mike’s dad drops his new business idea on the Baxter family (opening up a recreational marijuana store) and since Mike is who he is, he grapples with his dad’s decision.
13) New Girl– “Thanksgiving IV” (Season 4 Episode 9)
Like Bob’s Burgers, New Girl has taken Thanksgiving and stapled it as their holiday, so there’s plenty of turkey to go around. This episode is great if you’re at that point of being single where you’re half-bitter and half-hopeful for finding holiday romance. Schmidt sets up “Bangsgiving,” where everyone must bring a date for the person they select at random. So you know it’s bound to be a messy time.
14) Raising Hope– “Burt’s Parents” (Season 2 Episode 7)
Burt has yet to admit his lack of wealth to his parents, so when they end up coming over for Thanksgiving, Burt and the family pull together an elaborate rouse to make it look like they’re well off- including a borrowed house and dinner catered by Barney. It’s a good episode to remind you that every family’s got its secrets, but that you may not be as different as you think.
15) That 70s Show– “Thanksgiving” (Season 1 Episode 9)
The Foreman’s are stressed out about Thanksgiving this year, as Kitty prepares for her mother-in-law to swing by, Eric dreads the fact Laurie is bringing home a friend for Thanksgiving, and Red has to play nice and accept the offer to work at Bob’s store. Add it to your list because nothing says “Thanksgiving” like That 70s Show!