25 Must-See Classic Thanksgiving TV Episodes

Okay, let’s talk Thanksgiving. It’s that one day a year where families supposedly stop and reflect on all the good things in their lives… right before everyone dives headfirst into a mountain of food. It’s a charmingly honest tradition, if you ask me.

It’s not just food that people overdo during the holidays. Many families also spend a lot of time watching festive TV shows and movies.

When people think of Thanksgiving TV, they usually picture football games or the Macy’s parade. However, many beloved classic TV shows – both comedies and dramas – have also aired special episodes centered around the holiday.

Did ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ Make the Best Thanksgiving Episode Ever?

One of the most iconic Thanksgiving moments in television history happened on the 1978 sitcom, WKRP in Cincinnati. During its first season, the show created a hilariously chaotic scene with a radio contest that didn’t go as planned.

The popular sitcom Cheers is also known for its Thanksgiving episode, which featured the bar regulars gathering at Carla’s home for an unusual Thanksgiving meal. The resulting food fight became a well-known scene in television history, but it also led to some viewers protesting the show.

As a big fan of classic TV, I always love revisiting Thanksgiving episodes. You get the usual suspects, of course – shows like The Wonder Years and The Brady Bunch always deliver the warm fuzzies. But sometimes you stumble upon a Thanksgiving episode from a show you’d never expect, like, seriously, who saw a Thanksgiving episode of The A-Team coming?

Thanksgiving isn’t just about traditional live-action TV shows. Animated series like The Simpsons and South Park have also created classic holiday episodes, with South Park famously introducing the world to a memorable turkey named Gobbles.

We’ve gathered a wide variety of Thanksgiving TV shows, covering five decades of programming.

Classic Thanksgiving TV Episodes

‘WKRP in Cincinnati,’ “Turkeys Away” (1978)

Often considered the best Thanksgiving episode ever, “Turkeys Away” from the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati aired surprisingly early in the show’s run – as the seventh episode. The plot centers around station manager Arthur Carlson’s ambitious (and disastrous) plan to create a memorable Thanksgiving promotion by dropping live turkeys from a helicopter over a shopping center. Remarkably, the episode was inspired by a true story and is consistently ranked among television’s greatest. It’s also home to the iconic line, “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.”

‘Roseanne,’ “We Gather Together” (1989)

Thanksgiving is often portrayed as a happy family holiday, but it can easily become stressful and lead to arguments. This episode from Season Two of Roseanne perfectly captures that reality. The Connors host a large Thanksgiving gathering, including both sets of parents – Roseanne’s Al and Beverly, and Dan’s Ed and Audrey. Throughout the day, Beverly constantly criticizes her daughters, then overreacts when she learns Jackie is joining the police force. Meanwhile, Dan has to confront his father, Ed, after he makes unwanted advances toward Roseanne’s friend, Crystal.

‘Happy Days,’ “The First Thanksgiving” (1978)

It’s Thanksgiving, and the Cunninghams have invited Fonzie, Potsie, and Ralph to celebrate with them. While the men enjoy watching football, Marion is left to do all the cooking. Annoyed by the lack of help, she turns off the TV and reminds everyone what Thanksgiving is really about. This leads to a playful re-enactment of the first Thanksgiving, with the characters from Happy Days taking on the roles of Pilgrims and Native Americans. The Cunninghams and Fonzie are Pilgrims, and Fonzie has even become friends with the local Native Americans. Potsie and Ralph play the roles of trappers who accidentally trap Joanie. Ultimately, Howard invites Fonzie and his new friends to join them for Thanksgiving dinner, recreating the spirit of the first Thanksgiving.

‘The Simpsons,’ “Bart vs. Thanksgiving” (1990)

Lisa creates a beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece shaped like a cornucopia, but Bart accidentally knocks it into the fireplace while helping with the turkey. When Bart refuses to admit fault, his parents send him to his room. Upset, he runs away and spends time with some people experiencing homelessness, eventually realizing how much he values his family. He comes home and stays in his treehouse until things calm down, and for the first time, truly understands how his actions affect others, apologizing to Lisa for ruining her centerpiece.

‘The Bob Newhart Show,’ “Over the River and Through the Woods” (1975)

Dr. Bob Hartley’s wife is visiting family in Seattle for Thanksgiving, but he’s staying in Chicago. To avoid being alone, he invites a few people over: Jerry and Howard, who are also spending the holiday without their families, and his patient, Elliot. Each man is feeling down for different reasons – whether it’s being separated from loved ones or watching their college football team lose badly. They all end up drinking to cope with their sadness, and things quickly escalate into a chaotic, drunken mess.

‘The Wonder Years,’ “The Ties That Bind” (1990)

This touching episode of The Wonder Years, originally aired in 1990, explores the challenges faced by the Arnold family when Jack, the father, tries to provide for them. When their stove breaks and money is tight, Jack asks for a raise and gets one—along with a promotion that requires a lot of travel. This means he’ll miss Thanksgiving with his family, which is especially hard on Kevin and Wayne. Their mother, Norma, tries to compensate by making an enormous Thanksgiving feast. Thankfully, the episode ends happily with Jack flying home on Thanksgiving night to a warm welcome from his family at the airport.

‘Cheers,’ “Thanksgiving Orphans” (1986)

Thanksgiving doesn’t go as planned for the regulars at Cheers. Through a series of unfortunate events, nobody has a place to celebrate, and Carla reluctantly offers to host a potluck. Trouble starts when Norm arrives with a turkey that hasn’t been cooked, and it takes much longer than expected to prepare. Diane, dressed as a pilgrim, insists everyone wait for the turkey, but as everyone gets hungrier, tensions rise and arguments break out. The situation finally explodes into a full-blown food fight, with gravy, mashed potatoes, and all the fixings flying everywhere.

‘ALF,’ “Turkey in the Straw” (1988)

This Thanksgiving episode of the show ALF was actually two parts that aired on consecutive nights in November 1988. The story revolves around a homeless man named Flakey Pete who’s been seen around the Tanner’s neighborhood. When Pete finds out about ALF, he tries to collect a reward by calling the Alien Task Force. While the Tanners are at Thanksgiving dinner, Pete sneaks into their house and meets ALF. They talk, and Pete decides he doesn’t want the task force to harm ALF. When the officials arrive to investigate Pete’s report, he pretends to be an alien, successfully convincing them he’s crazy and getting them to leave.

‘The Incredible Hulk,’ “Homecoming” (1979)

Dr. David Banner goes home to Colorado for Thanksgiving, hoping to reconnect with his sister and difficult father. While he tries to save the family farm and repair relationships, he’s also struggling to keep his secret – that he transforms into the Hulk – hidden.

‘All in the Family,’ “The Little Atheist” (1975)

Thanksgiving often brings family conflicts to the surface, and this episode from Season Six of All in the Family is no exception. Archie Bunker, known for his grumpy attitude, strongly believes his daughter Gloria and her husband Mike, whom he nicknames “Meathead,” should raise their baby in the Christian faith. However, the couple wants to let their child decide for themselves when they’re older. This idea completely confuses Archie, and he spends most of Thanksgiving trying to convince them he’s right.

‘The A-Team,’ “Family Reunion” (1986)

You might not expect a show like The A-Team to deliver a Thanksgiving special, but this 1986 episode does just that. The story centers on a political advisor who’s been hiding for years and wants to spend the holiday with his daughter, in exchange for turning himself in. The A-Team helps make this happen, protecting him from those who want to silence him before he can reveal damaging information. The situation gets even more personal when the advisor reveals he’s actually Face’s father – a secret Face, who grew up in an orphanage, never knew. What’s unique about this episode is that viewers got to choose how it ended through a special phone-in promotion. Ultimately, Face learned the truth about his father, but only after the man had passed away.

‘Seinfeld,’ “The Mom and Pop Store” (1994)

“The Mom and Pop Store” is a classic Seinfeld episode with a lot going on. We see hilarious moments like George buying a car he mistakenly believes belonged to Jon Voight, and Kramer giving away all of Jerry’s shoes. However, the Thanksgiving theme centers around Elaine and her boss, Mr. Pitt, who desperately wants to hold the Woody Woodpecker balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Elaine manages to make his dream come true by winning a radio contest. Unfortunately, things go wrong when Jerry, at Tim Whatley’s Thanksgiving party (which has a great view of the parade), accidentally knocks a miniature Empire State Building out the window. It falls onto the Woody Woodpecker balloon, deflating it and ruining Mr. Pitt’s moment.

‘South Park,’ “Helen Keller! The Musical” (2000)

Even during the Thanksgiving holiday, the animated show South Park wasn’t afraid to be outrageous. One memorable episode centers around the fourth-grade class putting on a Thanksgiving play. They choose to perform a musical version of The Miracle Worker, the story of Helen Keller, with a twist: Keller’s companion animal is a turkey instead of a dog. Timmy, a student in a wheelchair, is cast as the lead and wants his beloved pet turkey, Gobbles, to be in the play too. However, the director, a very dramatic local actor, brings in a professional show turkey, which makes Timmy furious. Gobbles eventually escapes, and Timmy sets out to find him, discovering the director was behind the disappearance. They make it back just in time for the play’s big finish. As is typical for South Park, Kenny also dies somewhere in the episode.

‘Bewitched,’ “Samantha’s Thanksgiving to Remember” (1967)

Instead of just discussing the first Thanksgiving, this 1967 episode of Bewitched actually takes the characters back in time to experience it! Aunt Clara mistakenly transports herself, Darrin, Samantha, and the children to Plymouth, Massachusetts, on Thanksgiving Day in 1621. Once there, Darrin finds himself hilariously accused of being a warlock – a funny situation considering his wife, Samantha, is a witch.

‘Perfect Strangers,’ “Wild Turkey” (1991)

Larry bought a large group of live turkeys hoping to sell them to last-minute Thanksgiving shoppers, but his plan didn’t work out. He and his cousin Balki were left with a lot of birds, and to make things worse, one of the turkeys accidentally swallowed Jennifer’s – Larry’s wife – wedding ring! After realizing the ring-eating turkey had been sold, Larry and Balki set off on a frantic search to retrieve it.

‘The Brady Bunch,’ “The Un-underground Movie” (1970)

So, Greg had this history project on the colonies, and naturally, the whole family wanted to help! He decided to make a movie about the Pilgrims, but things quickly got out of hand. Mom and Dad started rewriting the script, changing what I thought was a great idea, and my siblings were fighting over who would play each part. Even the costumes became a problem – Mom thought the traditional black and white outfits were too dull! It was so frustrating, Greg finally had to tell us all that we were fired if we didn’t let him lead. We realized we’d overstepped and apologized for taking over his project. In the end, he got to make the movie his way, and he even got an A! It was a good lesson for all of us about letting someone else take the lead.

‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,’ “Talking Turkey” (1990)

Will’s mom, Viola, first appeared on the show in a 1990 episode and instantly caused a stir. The no-nonsense mother from Philadelphia challenged Uncle Phil and Aunt Viv, pointing out how they relied on their butler, Geoffrey, to do everything. She immediately put Will, Carlton, and Hilary to work, making them handle all the preparations for Thanksgiving. As with many heartwarming family stories, the episode ended with some honest conversations. Viv and Viola connected over their approaches to raising children, and Will shared how much he’d been missing his mother since moving to Bel-Air.

‘The Beverly Hillbillies,’ “Turkey Day” (1963)

To celebrate Thanksgiving, the Drysdales gift the Clampetts a live turkey, but Elly May, who loves animals, insists on saving it from becoming dinner. She names the turkey Herman and keeps him as a pet. Meanwhile, the Drysdales plan a festive Thanksgiving picture with actors dressed as Native Americans. When the actors accidentally wander onto the Clampett’s land, Granny mistakenly believes they are attacking. Eventually, the misunderstanding is cleared up, and everyone – the Clampetts, Drysdales, and even the actors – share Thanksgiving dinner together, with Herman the turkey included as a guest at the table.

‘Who’s the Boss?,’ “Thanksgiving at Mrs. Rossini’s” (1985)

Okay, so this movie is about Tony and Angela bringing their kids to Angela’s mom’s place in Brooklyn for Thanksgiving. I’m already sensing some tension because Angela, a really independent woman, is totally thrown by how old-fashioned things are at her mom’s – the women basically wait on the men, and it really bothers her. To make things even more awkward, there’s this younger woman at the party who used to know Tony, and she’s definitely throwing herself at him, which, naturally, makes Angela jealous. Oh, and there’s a funny little subplot where Angela’s mom actually gets to be an elf in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and gets a quick flash on TV! It’s a pretty classic Thanksgiving family drama with a little bit of everything.

‘Frasier,’ “A Lilith Thanksgiving” (1996)

Thanksgiving’s looking a little different this year! It all started when Frederick, Frasier’s son, was considered for this really fancy school in Boston. The headmaster would only meet with Frasier and his ex-wife, Lilith, on Thanksgiving Day itself! So, we’ve got Frasier, Niles, and Martin heading to Boston. The idea was that Frasier and Lilith would focus on the school application, while Niles and Martin tackled the Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, things immediately went sideways. Frasier and Lilith got way too enthusiastic trying to impress the headmaster, and poor Frederick ended up feeling the effects of a string of mishaps caused by Niles and Martin’s attempts at holiday cooking. It’s a classic Frasier situation – good intentions, total chaos!

‘The Munsters,’ “Low-Cal Munster” (1964)

As a classic monster kid, I always associate The Munsters with spooky season, but it’s fun to remember they tackled Thanksgiving too! This episode from 1964 sees Herman invited to an Army reunion, and he’s a little self-conscious about gaining weight. He starts this crazy diet – just pills and water – right as Thanksgiving rolls around. Naturally, when a delicious-looking turkey dinner commercial comes on TV, he cracks! Poor Herman, starving and desperate, ends up accidentally raiding the neighbors’ Thanksgiving feast. It’s a hilarious episode that really shows Herman’s goofy side!

‘Home Improvement,’ “Thanksgiving” (1997)

As a big fan of Home Improvement, I always loved the Thanksgiving episode! It’s hilarious to watch Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor – a die-hard Detroit Lions fan, of course – get invited to the Thanksgiving game with his family. They spend most of the episode in a fancy suite, but things get complicated when a really annoying TV producer shows up. Meanwhile, Tim manages to sneak off for a tour of the stadium and, naturally, accidentally causes a blackout during the game! To top it all off, they even got Rodney Dangerfield to make a cameo – his sarcasm just felt right for Thanksgiving, honestly. It’s a classic episode!

‘Murphy Brown,’ “Mission Control” (1991)

Expecting a baby and wanting to do something meaningful, Murphy volunteers at a local homeless shelter for Thanksgiving. Inspired, the news reporter arranges for her entire team to join her, much to their dismay. This means Corky, Phil, Jim, Frank, and Miles all end up helping out at the shelter on the holiday. The work gets complicated when a delivery of live turkeys arrives, creating an unexpected challenge.

‘Night Court,’ “The Last Temptation of Mac” (1988)

Christine, always kind, wants to host a Thanksgiving dinner for her colleagues at the courthouse, but she pushes herself too hard trying to make it perfect. At the same time, Mac, a court clerk, has begun attending classes at the community college. He finds things complicated when a classmate starts to fall for him, even though he’s happily married and has a young daughter.

‘Silver Spoons,’ “Voyage of the Darned” (1984)

This two-part episode begins with Ricky and Alfonso planning to go to a Thanksgiving party, but their friends Edward, Kate, and Dexter surprise them with a trip to the Caribbean. During the flight, while passing through the Bermuda Triangle, the pilot, Kate, is forced to make an emergency landing, leaving the group stranded on a deserted island. Despite the unexpected turn of events, they manage to gather enough resources to celebrate a Thanksgiving feast.

2025-11-25 19:09