A Definitive Ranking of Friends Thanksgiving Episodes

As a die-hard fan of Friends since its debut in the 90s, I have to say that each Thanksgiving episode is a gem in its own right. But for me, the one that truly stands out and holds a special place in my heart is “The One With All the Thanksgivings.

It’s traditional for sitcoms to have special holiday-themed episodes, but only a few can boast about owning unique celebrations. The Simpsons, with almost 3 dozen “Treehouse of Horror” series, is unquestionably the leader in Halloween episodes (Roseanne comes a close second). Bob’s Burgers also has an impressive collection of episodes centered around Valentine’s Day.

Among Thanksgiving-themed episodes, Friends stands out with the greatest number and quality. It might be that they’re the only series daring to tackle this theme since none other wants to risk being compared unfavorably to the Central Perk Six. Indeed, it’s rare to find a weak link among the nine Thanksgiving episodes spread across the show’s ten-season run from 1994 to 2004 (except for the one in 1995, which seems to be the only misstep).

This week, if you’re looking for something other than football, parades, or dog shows to enjoy with your family during Thanksgiving, here are the Thanksgiving episodes of Friends, ranked from the one considered the least favorite to the one thought of as the most enjoyable.

All episodes of Friends are currently streaming on Max.

9. “The One With Rachel’s Other Sister” (Season 9, 2002)

A Definitive Ranking of Friends Thanksgiving Episodes

By its ninth season, any television show is likely to exhaust both its storylines and creative energy. By 2002, the popular sitcom “Friends” had delved into almost every Thanksgiving scenario imaginable, except for the one that resonates with many real-life gatherings: familial disagreements. In this penultimate Thanksgiving episode of “Friends,” Rachel’s annoying sister Amy (Christina Applegate) unexpectedly joins the festivities, leading to discussions about guardianship of baby Emma should Rachel and Ross pass away. Naturally, they have already chosen Chandler and Monica as Emma’s godparents, a decision that displeases Amy. However, things escalate when Chandler becomes upset upon learning that if Monica dies after Ross and Rachel, Jack and Judy Geller would gain custody of Emma instead of him alone. The episode presents a complex web of emotions involving arguments, death contemplation, and the question of who gets to care for baby Emma – not exactly lighthearted topics one might expect in a sitcom.

8. “The One With the Late Thanksgiving” (Season 10, 2003)

Following a somewhat somber mishap during season nine, the writers of Friends made some adjustments for what would be their final Thanksgiving episode, sadly marking the last time the friends would celebrate together. This event sets the stage for the group’s eventual separation in different paths and locations as the series comes to a close, adding a touch of melancholy reminiscent of “The One With Rachel’s Other Sister.” However, it manages to rank higher due to some genuine humor and a significant, emotional plot development. Interestingly, Monica and Chandler aren’t keen on hosting Thanksgiving in their usual apartment setting, but Phoebe persuades them otherwise. Despite his dislike for the holiday due to childhood trauma related to his parents’ divorce, cranberry-hating Chandler overcomes this hurdle by preparing a sauce for the first time. The secondary plots involve Rachel and Phoebe entering Emma in a baby beauty pageant, while Ross and Joey attend a hockey game, causing them to be late for dinner, which angers Monica and Chandler enough to lock everyone out of the apartment (with Joey getting his head stuck in the door due to his antics). However, all this pales in comparison to the news that Chandler and Monica receive on Thanksgiving Day – they’ve been chosen as adoptive parents.

7. “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs” (Season 7, 2000)

It’s important to be straight-forward: Chandler isn’t exactly endearing. His strong distaste for Thanksgiving spoils the holiday for others, but what really takes the cake is his dislike of dogs – a trait that’s hard to overlook. Yet, this episode seems like an authentic Thanksgiving gathering with plenty of light-hearted, non-critical events happening among diverse characters. Phoebe secretly moves a dog around (which irritates Chandler), Ross refuses to dig into Thanksgiving dinner until he can recite all 50 states, and Rachel grapples with some complicated relationship issues with Tag.

6. “The One With the Football” (Season 3, 1996)

In simpler terms, many episodes of “Friends” during Thanksgiving are known as “bottle episodes”, which means they occur within a short timeframe and at one location, such as a large apartment with a peephole mirror. Unlike most episodes, the second Thanksgiving episode of “Friends” takes the action outside, a rare move for a sitcom filmed in front of a studio audience. This allows the characters to do what many real families and groups do – play a game of tag football. However, due to being presented on a small stage, the game appears strange and unrealistic. The episode is notable as it reinforces Monica’s competitive nature, a recurring theme in “Friends”. This football game marks the first time Monica and Ross have played Thanksgiving football since she broke Ross’s nose during a family game many years ago (the sixth annual “Geller Cup”).

5. “The One Where Underdog Gets Away” (Season 1, 1994)

It’s not something I can definitively confirm, but it seems plausible that the term “Friendsgiving” was introduced and gained traction in popular culture through the Thanksgiving episode of the sitcom Friends titled “Friends“. This particular episode features Monica and Ross celebrating Thanksgiving alone in the city due to their parents’ absence, while Joey discovers he’s the face of VD. The episode also includes a humorous subplot about the Underdog balloon escaping from the parade and causing chaos, leading the Friends to end up eating cheese sandwiches instead of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. While it can’t be said for certain that this was the first instance of “Friendsgiving,” it does seem to align with the concept of celebrating the holiday with friends rather than family.

4. “The One With the Rumor” (Season 8, 2001)

In more modern contexts, the humor in this particular episode might be considered questionable. However, it’s still packed with enjoyable moments. “The One With the Rumor,” originally aired in 2001 and was a significant television event, marked by exceptional guest casting. Monica invites her old high school friend Will, who was once as geeky as Ross, for dinner. To everyone’s surprise, he transformed into quite an attractive man, so much so that Brad Pitt, who was then married to Jennifer Aniston (a fellow Friends star), played him. The twist is that Will spread a rumor about Rachel being intersex in high school because she was mean to him. This causes tension between him and Rachel, who were temporarily on a break from their mutual animosity at the time. Meanwhile, Joey, being Joey, tries to eat an entire turkey by himself, which is quite the spectacle.

3. “The One With Chandler in a Box” (Season 4, 1997)

In this special Thanksgiving edition, an assortment of peculiar romantic and sexual issues arise among the characters, leading to diverse plot twists, visual humor, and even incest-themed humor that gives the Friends episode a more subdued ’90s take on Arrested Development’s quirkiness. Some of the unusual happenings include Monica developing feelings for Tim Burke (Michael Vartan), the son of her ex-boyfriend Richard, and Chandler being punished by Joey by spending six hours in a large wooden box during Thanksgiving as a form of punishment for kissing his girlfriend. The episode’s humor comes from Chandler making jokes while confined to the box throughout the entire episode, which adds to its peculiarity and hilariousness.

2. “The One Where Ross Got High” (Season 6, 1999)

Titling this episode, “The Mishap Trifle: When Rachel’s Dessert Goes Awry and Joey Can’t Resist,” could work as a paraphrased title. This title captures the essence of the episode by focusing on Rachel’s dessert disaster and Joey’s appetite, while still maintaining an easy-to-read and engaging tone.

1. “The One With All the Thanksgivings” (Season 5, 1998)

Titled as “The Flashback Episode,” this installment stands out as exceptional due to its abundance of hilarious jokes and rich Friends trivia. The narrative delves less into the current Thanksgiving celebration, as everyone is too full from another extravagant Monica feast, leaving them only with memories to share. The episode then delves into a variety of embarrassing moments. We witness the backstory of Chandler’s dislike for Thanksgiving, where his parents announced their divorce at the table, and his father was having an affair with the “houseboy,” who casually offers more turkey to young Bing (Chandler). We also see a young-adult Monica trying to seduce young-adult Chandler, but accidentally cutting off his toe instead – a mishap that has never been mentioned before in five seasons of Friends. This incident also seems like a form of retaliation for Chandler’s frequent jabs at Monica when she was heavier. Of course, we get to see both Monica and Joey with turkeys stuck on their heads – there is nothing funnier than an adult human with a turkey on their head.

2024-11-15 20:54