Friends is a cult classic sitcom which, in its run of ten seasons from 1994 to 2004, boasts ten beloved Thanksgiving episodes watched by fans every holiday season. In this Friends episode, Monica (Courtney Cox) reveals to Chandler (Matthew Perry) that she hasn’t told her parents that they’re dating, causing Chandler to vie for their approval all night. It is soon revealed that Chandler is disliked by Judy (Christina Pickle) and Jack (Elliot Gould) because of a lie Ross (David Schwimmer) told in college. After being caught by his parents smoking marijuana in his bedroom, Ross panicked and blamed it on Chandler, leading to his parents still having a deep-rooted aversion to him years later. Across the hall, Ross and Joey (Matt LeBlanc) plot to leave Monica’s Thanksgiving meal early so they can spend the evening with Joey’s hot roommate, Janine (Elle Macpherson). However, Ross and Joey are not the only ones with a crush in this episode. Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) develops a crush on Ross and Monica’s father, Jack, after a romantic dream, and is only spurred on by Jack’s particularly “stirring“ consumption of condensed milk. Head dessert chef of the evening, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) delivers a clear starring performance as she accidentally makes half an English Trifle, half Shepherd’s Pie due to a recipe mishap. Friends delivers laughs, and a warm holiday feeling. This is the perfect Thanksgiving episode to put on while putting your turkey into the oven.

The epitome of a perfect fall TV show comes with a comforting and hectic Thanksgiving story. Mother and daughter Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel) are expected at not one or two, but four Thanksgiving dinners and must make time, and leave room in their stomachs, for all. The first meal is at the Kims’ house, where Rory gets to see her best friend, who is trying to convince her mom to like her boyfriend, but also must endure tofurky. At the next meal, Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) is loudly opposed to her husband’s deep-fried turkey shenanigans, before the girls move on to Luke’s Diner, where Kirk (Sean Gunn), the town oddity, struggles with his new cat. At the final dinner of the night, with Lorelai’s parents, Emily (Kelly Bishop) and Richard Gilmore (Edward Herrmann), Rory mentions applying to colleges other than Harvard, her lifelong dream school, which concerns Lorelai. Rory finally kisses her new boyfriend, to the chagrin of her old boyfriend, who ends up trying to fight him, but everyone ends up just going home. This episode is the perfect mix of craziness and nostalgic charm to keep you cozy after your Thanksgiving meal.

New Girl has seven seasons with several heartwarming Thanksgiving episodes to get you into the holiday spirit. In the series’ third Thanksgiving episode, Nick Miller (Jake Johnson) becomes insecure in his relationship with Jess (Zooey Deschanel) after Coach (Daymon Wayans Jr.) convinces him that he’s becoming overly feminine. Nick, feeling pressured to show his more masculine side after losing that part of his identity within his and Jess’s relationship, suggests the idea of going camping on Thanksgiving instead of a traditional plan. The roommates agree and head out to a campsite, but trouble soon arrives in the form of Jess’s attractive friend Cece (Hannah Simone), who good friends Shmidt (Max Greenfield) and Coach were previously involved with. Things start to go even further south for the gang when they realize that all they have for their Thanksgiving meal is an excessive amount of lukewarm beer. Nick cooks up a plan to hunt and gather their own food, but Cece, Winston (Lamorne Morris), and Jess have plans of their own. As the plot unfolds and hilarity builds, this Thanksgiving episode rings true to the idea of how holidays are about spending quality time with loved ones.  

In this first Thanksgiving episode of the hit sitcom following the lives of detectives working for the NYPD, Amy (Melissa Frumero) hosts Thanksgiving dinner at her apartment for all her coworkers from the precinct in yet another attempt to get on the good side of her boss, Captain Holt (Andre Braugher). However, Amy’s cooking is beyond terrible, despite her being a perfectionist. As Amy tackles Thanksgiving recipes, Detective Jake Peralta (Andy Samberg) and Captain Holt tackle tracking down the thief that stole $10,000 in cash out of the precinct’s evidence locker. Though this episode is full of laughs and introduces the hilarious concept of Boyle Bingo, it also unpacks the harder truths of what holidays can present as Jake confronts his hatred for Thanksgiving. If you’re looking for a laugh, a dash of sarcasm, and a whole lot of holiday spirit, put this episode on, and invite friends or family to enjoy the holiday antics.

Upper East Side drama continues to unfold in this classic and classy Thanksgiving episode that is perfect for a “friendsgiving,” or whenever else you’d like to enjoy the scandals among Manhattan’s elite. Blair Waldorf’s (Leighton Meester) perfect Thanksgiving plans are left unfulfilled, as her mother’s new boyfriend seems to mess everything up. Meanwhile, Lily Van Der Woodsen (Kelly Rutherford) attempts to mediate recurring conflict between Rufus Humphrey (Matthew Settle), her ex-boyfriend, and his daughter, Jenny (Taylor Momsen), while her daughter, Serena (Blake Lively), grapples with sharing the secrets of her past with her new boyfriend. Meanwhile, Nate Archibald (Chase Crawford) struggles to deal with his family’s financial misfortunes and must face the truth of his fathers less than legal business deals. Gossip Girl’s trademark drama, scandal, and glamor continue to thrive in this fun and complicated episode.