While Thanksgiving break may be exactly the homecoming you have been looking forward to since move-in day, it can also be slightly overwhelming to be assaulted by hordes of relatives and constant questions about school and the future. So, if ever in need of some reprieve, these five shows provide the perfect escape from that family you’ve been missing so much.
1) Friends
Episodes: The One Where Underdog Gets Away (S1E09), The One With the List (S2E08), The One With the Football (S3E09), The One With Chandler in a Box (S4E08), The One With All the Thanksgivings (S5E08), The One Where Ross Got High (S6E09), The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs (S7E08), The One With the Rumor (S8E08), The One with Rachel’s Other Sister (S9E08), The One With the Late Thanksgiving (S10E08)
“I LOVE JACQUES COUSTEAU”
2) How I Met Your Mother
Episodes: Belly Full of Turkey (S1E09), Slapsgiving (S3E09), Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap (S5E09), Blitzgiving (S6E10), The Rebound Girl (S7E11)
This is a little more therapeutic than watching Barney Stinson get slapped across the face.
3) New Girl
Episodes: Thanksgiving (S1E06), Parents (S2E08), Thanksgiving III (S3E10), Thanksgiving IV (S4E09)
While there is a lot to be gained from these episodes, how to cook a turkey is not one of them.
4) Gilmore Girls
Episodes: A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving (S3E09), He’s Slippin ’em Bread…Dig? (S6E10)
Rory and Lorelai’s (almost) always perfect relationship may be exactly the escape you need from any possibly dysfunctional family drama. For two 42 minute episodes you can pretend you too have an idealistic relationship with your mother and four thanksgiving dinners to attend.
5) Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Episodes: Pangs (S4E08)
If you are feeling bad about your Thanksgiving, this episode might put some things in perspective. Things could always be worse: you could be fighting an ancient, wronged spirit while keeping a hostage vampire tied to a kitchen chair.