In honor of the upcoming holiday, here are ten Thanksgiving-themed television episodes to get into the Turkey-day spirit (in no particular order).
1. New Girl, S2E8, “Parents”
Though all of the New Girl Thanksgiving episodes are fairly entertaining, I enjoyed this one the most. It does a great job of encompassing the mild chaos that occurs when family is brought together for the holidays. Jess does her best to “parent trap” her long-divorced parents, leading to several awkward situations along the way. Schmidt deals with his unruly cousin, also called Schmidt, as they compete in several strange competitions to determine who the “real” Schmidt is.
2. Grey’s Anatomy, S2E9, “Thanks for the Memories”
In the first Thanksgiving-themed Grey’s Anatomy episode, Meredith is once again pitying herself following the semi-reconciliation of Derek and Addison. George is also unhappy, as he faces a day of hunting and teasing from his family. Izzy is upset that no one is appreciating her attempts at Thanksgiving dinner, and Christina’s grumpiness worsens everyone’s mood. If you want to watch a show that goes from having a cast of entirely depressed characters to a cast that is half depressed, half with a new appreciation for life, this is a good episode to watch.
3. Cheers, S5E9, “Thanksgiving Orphans”
“Thanksgiving Orphans” follows the staff and patrons of Cheers as they spend Thanksgiving together at Carla’s house. Chaos ensues when their dinner does not go according to plan. This episode is great for nostalgia, as it contains many elements reminiscent of a childhood Thanksgiving, like football, bickering, and food fights.
4. Hawaii Five-O, S9E8, “Lele pu na manu like (Birds of a Feather)”
In this episode, there are many different backstories going on at once, but there are two main ones. The first follows the theft of a collectible baseball card following a deadly robbery, which eventually leads to a lesson about giving back. The episode also follows Lou as he deals with his family, particularly his brother, with whom he has a strained relationship. This is a good episode to break through the monotony of sitcom Thanksgiving specials, as it contains a decent amount of action and drama.
5. Modern Family, S3E9, “Punkin Chunkin”
In this episode, the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker family is at odds with one another. Cam, Phil, and Gloria call themselves the “dreamers” of the family and are upset at their spouses for repeatedly squashing their dreams. Their spouses, Mitch, Claire, and Jay (“the Pritchetts”) feel that they need to have a better sense of reality. This comes to a head with the challenge for the dreamers to recreate the “punkin chunkin” (catapulting a pumpkin a great distance). As always, the family ultimately realizes how they need each other to be the best version of themselves. Modern Family is my favorite comfort show, but this episode in particular is a good reminder to be grateful for the unique personalities each family contains.
6. Brooklyn Nine-Nine, S1E10, “Thanksgiving”
In this early episode of the series, Amy attempts to host a proper Thanksgiving dinner to impress Holt. However, things fall apart when Jake and Holt leave to attend to a case. The group does not like the food that Amy has prepared, leading to a downward spiral where they end up back at the precinct, extremely hungry. Jake admits his dislike of the holiday but realizes that his precinct “family” cares for him. This episode is interesting because it was so early on in the series, it is nice to see how the characters of Brooklyn Nine-Nine have evolved and grown closer.
7. Shameless, S2E11, “Just Like the Pilgrims Intended”
While Shameless is synonymous with mayhem, this episode in particular is full of insanity. From Carl hunting a bald eagle for Thanksgiving dinner, to the shocking birth of Karen’s child, to Monica’s severe struggle with mental illness, this episode is truly outrageous. If you want to watch something non-traditional for Thanksgiving, this is a great option.
8. Everybody Loves Raymond, S3E10, “No Fat”
In this episode, the Barone family is forced to change their Thanksgiving dinner after Marie worries about her health. Rather than a regular turkey, Marie makes tofu turkey, much to Ray, Robert, and Frank’s dismay. This is another great episode for nostalgia and mild (comical) family drama.
9. Friends, S5E8, “The One with All the Thanksgivings”
The friends (Chandler, Joey, Monica, Phoebe, Rachel, and Ross) spend the holiday together and recount their worst Thanksgiving memories. Many of the stories are intertwined, and it is seen how much they have impacted each other’s lives. The flashbacks are very entertaining and it’s another good comfort episode.
10. Family Guy, S10E6, “Thanksgiving”
In this episode of Family Guy, secrets are revealed as Joe and Bonnie’s son, Kevin, returns home following the long-held belief that he had been killed in Iraq. The usual slightly insensitive antics are present within the episode, making it a great watch for someone with a dark sense of humor. Sometimes we need this type of show to get through the holidays.