Marking the beginning of the holiday season, Thanksgiving dinners are one of the most awaited rituals of the year. Almost every TV series has attempted to recreate the traditional holiday in their shows to either bring a twist to their storytelling, end the season on the festive mode for the Christmas break or to highlight the bond among their characters. While all the Thanksgiving episodes were memorable, there were a few that still remain afresh in viewers' hearts. Here's a list of a few iconic Thanksgiving episodes that standout.
F.R.I.E.N.D.S:
The show could stand synonym to the traditional holiday as the makers managed to incorporate it in as many nine Thanksgiving episodes through the 10-season show. These episodes have covered everything from each character's worst Thanksgiving memory, Monica losing weight, the rugby match, Chandler in a box, Rachel's sister visiting, Chandler making chanberries, Rachel's famous trifle and Brad Pitt turned up for the feast. But the most hilarious episode, many fans would agree, was when Joey's head got stuck in the turkey.
How I Met Your Mother:
Following F.R.I.E.N.D.S in the list of the most Thanksgiving special episodes, How I Met Your Mother too entertained viewers with a variety of funny moments on the occasion. Through the holiday, Lily spends the holiday with Marshal's parents in season 1 and viewers meet Barney Stinson's nephew (the child his gay brother adopts) in season 7. The highlight of the series' Thanksgiving episodes were the slap bets. In the season 3 holiday episode, viewers are introduced to the slap bet song, "You Just Got Slapped". After which, Barney spends the entirety of Thanksgiving stressing out about Marshall's countdown to the next slap. This became one of the most iconic moment that fans across remember the show for.
Gilmore Girls:
The famous series is all set to for its revival on Netflix, fans still recall the show's Thanksgiving episode titled A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving. The episode was a rollercoaster ride as Lorelai and Rory have dinner at four different places: the Kim's, Luke's, Sookie's and Emily and Richard's. The episode is filled with juicy twists and turns. Lane manages to get Dave invited and Lorelai is forced to eat Tofurky at Kim's party, at Sookie's, Jackson and his family have deep-fried the turkey, the lawn, and just about everything else, and at Emily and Richard's Thanksgiving party, Rory reveals that she has applied to Yale. The episode also sees Dave asks Lane out, and then kisses her.
The Full House:
Before the popularity on Netflix, this early 90s series left many viewers adoring the little Michael as they watched the motherless family grow closer to their father (Danny Tanner) and Uncle Jesse and Joey. The makers introduced Thanksgiving dinner in the first season focusing on Danny's first Thanksgiving after the death of his wife. In the emotional episode, the girls' grandma is unable to come over given a snowstorm, the men prepare a meal at home, which leads to tragic turkey and pie. The episode brought viewers to tears as they watched the family coping with the death and yet trying to move ahead from the incident.
Boy meets world:
The seven year journey of the popular television saw only two Thanksgiving episodes telecasted. Off the two episodes, Turkey Day aired in 1996, is still looked recalled every time a TV buff talks about Thanksgiving episodes. In the episode, Cory and Shawn win a free turkey and stuffing for donating the most number of food cans. The two decide to celebrate a joint Thanksgiving feast with their prize. The dinner doesn't go well as Shawn's parents, who live in a trailer park, don't mesh with Cory's parents. The episode touches the realistic situation on social class and highlights the treatment of one another, making it one of the most off-beat Thanksgiving episodes in the history of television.
Other shows that have included Thanksgiving Tradition, at some point of the series, include: Everybody Loves Raymond, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Simpsons, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, That 70s Show and Seinfeld.
