10 Thanksgiving Episodes to Revisit This Year

One of the best parts of Thanksgiving, along with food, friends, family, and the shopping, are all of the Thanksgiving-themed TV episodes! Family feuds, food hijinks — these things are NEVER not entertaining! Not every show does one every year, and that’s what makes them so special when some do.

There’s just something so joyful and comforting watching our favorite characters celebrating the same things we celebrate. In honor of that, here are 10 Thanksgiving episodes you should absolutely revisit this year!

1. The One With All the Thanksgivings, Friends
Type: Comedy, Romance
Starring: Matthew Perry, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow

This season five flashback episode of friends gave us what is arguably the best flashback hair ever known to history. (Thank you, Chandler.) Having said that, there’s definitely a lot more to love in this episode. Monica’s turkey dance, unsurprisingly, goes straight to our top 5 moments from the show. 

2. Huangsgiving, Fresh off the Boat
Type: Comedy, Family
Starring: Constance Wu, Randall Park, Lucille Soong

This season 2 episode of Fresh off the Boat is Jessica’s first time hosting her family’s Thanksgiving dinner, and everyone scrambles to make the day as special as possible so they have a chance at hosting the meal next year. Of course, this means that everything that can possibly go wrong – does. Coupled with the awkward family shenanigans and some sisterly love, this makes for one hilarious Thanksgiving-themed episode. 

3. We Gather Together, Roseanne
Type: Drama, Comedy
Starring: Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Laurie Metcalf

In this classic episode of Roseanne, the Conners are hosting dinner at their house and the whole family shows up to celebrate the big day. What really makes this season 2 episode stand out is Jackie finally admitting to their mom that she completed the police academy and breaking down at the table, which Roseanne reacts to perfectly. “That’s what I love about this family, we don’t want to talk about something, so we bring it up at the dinner table!” If you’re wondering where you can watch this show after Hulu pulled it earlier this year, it is now available on Prime Video. 

4. Just Like the Pilgrims Intended, Shameless
Type: Drama, Comedy
Starring: Emmy Rossum, William H. Macy, Jeremy Allen White

While Shameless is known for its comedy, some of its darker moments are where the show really shines. This is definitely the case with the rollercoaster ride that is the season 2 episode Just Like the Pilgrims Intended. In this episode, the bird on the table is plentiful (while questionable), Monica is back, the whole family is together, and things seem to be going just as planned. But you know the Gallaghers: Nothing good ever lasts very long.

5. Slapsgiving, How I Met Your Mother
Type: Comedy, Romance
Starring: Josh Radnor, Neil Patrick Harris, Alyson Hannigan

How I Met Your Mother always maintained a balance between heartwarming and silly, and that is no different here in this season 3 episode. Marshall and Lily are celebrating their first Thanksgiving as a married couple, but this momentous occasion does nothing to temper the “slap bet” between Barney and Marshall. Yes, it’s as silly as it sounds. And yes, you need to watch it now.

6. An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal, Bob’s Burgers
Type: Animation, Comedy
Starring: H. Jon Benjamin, Kristen Schaal, Eugene Mirman

It took three seasons for Bob’s Burgers to have its first-ever Thanksgiving episode, and boy was it worth the wait. Here, Mr. Fischoeder manages to convince Bob to let him rent his family out for the day so that he can convince an ex that he has moved on and made a good life for himself. 

7. Pangs, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Type: Drama, Comedy, Action & Adventure, Fantasy, Horror, Science-Fiction
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Anthony Stewart Head, James Marsters

This year, Buffy is upset to learn that her mother will be out of town and plans to host the dinner on her own and invite all of her friends. Little does she know, Joyce being out of town is the least of her worries in this season 4 episode. It turns out that an ancient and vengeful spirit of the aboriginal Chumash tribe has been awakened, and Buffy must face off against him.

8. Thanksgiving, Master of None
Type: Comedy
Starring: Aziz Ansari, Eric Wareheim, Alessandra Mastronardi

In one of the best episodes of this Netflix series, Dev spends Thanksgiving at his best friend Denise’s house every year because his family doesn’t celebrate the holiday. In this episode, the audience gets a glimpse of what it was like for Denise growing up, and her mother’s slow realization that her daughter is gay. 

9. A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving, Gilmore Girls
Type: Drama, Comedy
Starring: Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, Kelly Bishop

For anyone who has ever had to hit multiple Thanksgiving dinners in a single day, this season 3 episode of Gilmore Girls is one you will be able to relate to. However infamous and bottomless the Gilmores stomachs are, managing to sit through four Thanksgiving dinners is certainly a Herculean and mythical feat.

10. Shibboleth, The West Wing
Type: Drama
Starring: Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Richard Schiff

The West Wing is notorious for its holiday-themed episodes, at least among TWW fans. In this season 2 episode, C.J. is forced to choose between two live turkeys that President Bartlet will pardon, as is tradition.