Thanksgiving Episodes We’re All Grateful For
Thanksgiving is the one day a year when lounging around is mandatory. After a day spent slaving in the kitchen and slumped at the dinner table, what better way to end it than with a string of classic Thanksgiving episodes?
Since every show has one, and every streaming service has a million, there’s no shortage of seasonal programs. We’ve compiled a list of fan favorites complete with descriptions and a link to the stream. Now the only thing you have to stress about is picking which one to watch first.
Grey’s Anatomy: “Thanks for the Memories” (Season 2, Episode 9)
While the rest of the interns happily hide out at the hospital on Thanksgiving, Izzie desperately tries to create the picture-perfect dinner with little to no experience. If you’re the queen of avoidance or openly embracing the holiday spirit this year, add this one to your watchlist.
Stream Now on Netflix
Gilmore Girls: “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving” (Season 3, Episode 9)
With an overbooked Thanksgiving and four dinners to attend, Lorelai and Rory are determined to fulfill all of their promises. They’re bound to make memories left and right and slip into a food coma (or two) while they’re at it.
Stream Now on Netflix
New Girl: “Thanksgiving” (Season 1, Episode 6)
Some holidays are best spent with your chosen family—and your co-worker turned crush. Jess invites her school’s music teacher over in the hopes of impressing him, but it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving in the loft if things didn’t go horribly wrong.
Stream Now on Netflix
Gossip Girl: “Blair Waldorf Must Pie” (Season 1, Episode 9)
Thanksgiving on the Upper East Side is nothing if not revealing. Whether you’re listening to Gossip Girl’s witty words for the first time or the millionth, this episode is bound to keep you locked in! It puts everything on the table, right next to Blair’s signature pumpkin pie.
Stream Now on Netflix
Master of None: “Thanksgiving” (Season 2, Episode 8)
Lighthearted episodes are top-tier background noise for mashing potatoes, but an emotional piece can put things into perspective. This Master of None episode shows the contrasting ways Thanksgiving can be spent and the struggle of accepting yourself and your family.
Stream Now on Netflix
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: “Talking Turkey” (Season 1, Episode 12)
The kids are put to the test when cooking Thanksgiving dinner becomes their responsibility. Spoiler alert: they don’t pass with flying colors. If your pies tend to come out more charcoal black than golden brown, this episode is here to remind you that you’re not alone. And to take the pie out of the oven.
Stream Now on HBO Max
Friends: “The One With All the Thanksgivings” (Season 5, Episode 8)
Take a trip down memory lane with this iconic friend group as they recount their most memorable—and horrific—Thanksgivings. Enjoy a serving of six cringeworthy stories with a side of laughter and secondhand embarrassment for dessert.
Stream Now on HBO Max
Full House: “The Miracle of Thanksgiving” (Season 1, Episode 9)
For the Tanner family, it’s their first Thanksgiving without the girls’ mom. The adults and kids alike try to make the day special by embracing old traditions and creating new ones. Not to mention, John Stamos’ mullet is in full swing.
Stream Now on Hulu
Modern Family: “Three Turkeys” (Season 6, Episode 8)
In the Dunphy family, Phil and Luke take it upon themselves to cook for Thanksgiving, but an unconvinced Claire comes in clutch with a backup plan. Complete with a ruined getaway and one little girl’s refusal to wear a dress, this is a choice episode to sit back, relax, and watch the chaos unfold.
Buy Now on Google Play
Boy Meets World: “Turkey Day” (Season 4, Episode 10)
Cory and Shawn decide that convincing their families to have Thanksgiving together may be just what they need to encourage civility and teach them a lesson or two about economic differences. Boy Meets World will entertain, resonate, and invite nostalgia.
Stream Now on Disney+
The Essentials-
Picking the perfect show only goes so far. Bundle up in a cozy throw blanket and toss your favorite popcorn in the microwave to liven up your streaming sesh. Snuggle up and bond over the shows we all know and love this Thanksgiving!
Written by Madison Quinn, Photos by Lia Onisiphorou, Design by Isabela Esparza, Media by Kristen Phillips