Thanksgiving 2026 falls on Thursday, November 26
The Best Thanksgiving Episodes
12 picks · updated October 2026
Sitcoms love Thanksgiving because it traps their characters at one table for half an hour. These are the episodes that made the most of it, from a promotional turkey drop gone wrong to a Friends Thanksgiving told almost entirely in flashback, with the season and episode number so you can find each one.
How this list was chosen
Chosen by hand from the Thanksgiving episodes of long-running series, one per show. Season and episode numbers follow each show's standard episode list.
Friends
“The One with All the Thanksgivings”Season 5, episode 8 (1998)
Marta Kauffman
Flashbacks to awkward teenage years and a turkey-on-the-head mishap transform a standard holiday meal into a definitive look at the group's long-standing, complicated bond.
Explores: Friendship, Relationships, Coming of Age.
Cheers
“Thanksgiving Orphans”Season 5, episode 9 (1986)
Les Charles
Norm's under-cooked turkey keeps the Thanksgiving stragglers waiting at Carla's new house until cranberry sauce and a pumpkin pie fly in one of sitcom's great food fights.
Explores: Friendship, Community, Finding your place.
WKRP in Cincinnati
“Turkeys Away”Season 1, episode 7 (1978)
Hugh Wilson
The plummeting turkeys from a promotional helicopter stunt remain the gold standard for holiday disaster, turning a simple station event into pure, unadulterated comedic wreckage.
Explores: Workplace Dynamics, Eccentric Characters, Underdog Story.
Master of None
“Thanksgiving”Season 2, episode 8 (2017)
Alan Yang
Dev spends every Thanksgiving from the 1990s on at his friend Denise's family table, watching her come out to her mother and slowly win her family over.
Explores: Dating in the modern age, Existential crisis, Career aspirations.
Gilmore Girls
“A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving”Season 3, episode 9 (2002)
Amy Sherman-Palladino
Lorelai and Rory accept four Thanksgiving invitations — Sookie's deep-fried turkey, the Kims' Korean dinner, Luke's, and Emily's table in Hartford — and eat at every one.
Explores: Mother-Daughter Relationship, Intergenerational Relationships, Class Differences.
How I Met Your Mother
“Slapsgiving”Season 3, episode 9 (2007)
Carter Bays
Marshall's countdown website ticks toward Barney's third slap until Commissioner Lily relents at Thanksgiving dinner, while exes Ted and Robin test whether they can stay friends.
Explores: Friendship, Dating, Nostalgia.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
“Pangs”Season 4, episode 8 (1999)
Joss Whedon
Hosting Thanksgiving at Giles's apartment, Buffy must fight Hus, a vengeful Chumash spirit unleashed by the dig for UC Sunnydale's new cultural center.
Explores: Coming of Age, Good vs Evil, Female Empowerment.
Bob's Burgers
“An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal”Season 3, episode 5 (2012)
Loren Bouchard
Bob rents out his family to a wealthy landlord for the holiday, creating a bizarre tension that highlights the absurdity of commercializing a personal tradition.
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Small Business, Underdog Story.
The Simpsons
“Bart vs. Thanksgiving”Season 2, episode 7 (1990)
Matt Groening
A ruined centerpiece leads to a dramatic confrontation and a run-in with the homeless, grounding the holiday in the reality of sibling conflict and regret.
Explores: Dysfunctional Family, Suburban Satire, Social Commentary.
New Girl
“Thanksgiving”Season 1, episode 7 (2011)
Elizabeth Meriwether
Jess tries to force a perfect holiday experience on her roommates, resulting in a disastrous dinner that highlights the messy reality of new domestic arrangements.
Explores: Friendship, Coming of Age, Relationships.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
“Thanksgiving”Season 1, episode 10 (2013)
Daniel J. Goor
Amy hosts the squad's Thanksgiving to win Holt as a mentor, but her cooking is a disaster and Jake and Holt slip out to chase an evidence-locker theft.
Explores: Ensemble Cast, Underdog, Character-Driven.
Gossip Girl
“Blair Waldorf Must Pie!”Season 1, episode 9 (2007)
Stephanie Savage
Flashbacks to last year's Thanksgiving uncover Blair's bulimia and Serena's party-girl past, while Serena's family, shut out of the Waldorfs' dinner, ends up with the Humphreys in Brooklyn.
Explores: Privilege, Social Status, Secrets.
Common questions
Which Thanksgiving episode features a turkey being dropped from a helicopter?
The iconic turkey drop occurs in the WKRP in Cincinnati episode titled 'Turkeys Away,' which is the seventh episode of the first season. The disastrous promotional stunt remains a legendary moment in sitcom television history.
Are there any Thanksgiving episodes that feature a slap bet?
Yes, the How I Met Your Mother episode titled 'Slapsgiving' centers on the ongoing slap bet between Marshall and Barney. It is the ninth episode of the show's third season and revolves around the anticipation of a painful slap.
Which Thanksgiving episode involves a character renting their family to a landlord?
In the Bob's Burgers episode 'An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal,' Bob agrees to rent his family out to his landlord, Mr. Fischoeder, for the holiday. It is the fifth episode of the show's third season.