‘Friends‘ became synonymous with Thanksgiving. This iconic sitcom dished out ten holiday-themed episodes during its run of ten years, which became a ritual of laughter, absurdity, and deep emotional moments. But mostly, a celebration of friendship and family. From turkey headgear to sibling rivalry, whether it’s the hilarity of a football game gone wrong or the chaos of family secrets being exposed, each holiday special has its flavor, setting them favorites in the series. All episodes were great, but some more than others.
So grab some turkey, sit back on the couch, and relive the magic of these unforgettable Friends Thanksgiving episodes. Here’s an exhaustive ranking of every Friends Thanksgiving episode, replete with nostalgia, hilarity, and unforgettable moments. Well, there’s beauty in imperfection.
10. The One With The List (Season 2)
Although this episode technically takes place around Thanksgiving, it does not really go with that holiday-fairytale spirit. Instead, the plot revolves around Ross’s decision between Julie and Rachel. In a misguided attempt to get clarity about the situation and his feelings, Ross produces a “pros and cons” list with the help of his friends Chandler and Joey, which blows up in his face when Rachel happens to find out.
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The Thanksgiving tie-in? Monica is assigned to develop recipes with a questionable chocolate substitute called “Mockolate.” Although her kitchen adventures are laughable – (and disgusting) – they’re more of a subplot than a celebration of Thanksgiving. The episode is important to the Ross-and-Rachel storyline, but it does not have the feel of the later Thanksgiving classics in the show.
9. The One With The Late Thanksgiving (Season 10)
The final Thanksgiving episode features enough laughs and drama for anyone. Monica and Chandler agree to host Thanksgiving, but the gang gets stuck seeing a baby beauty pageant and a hockey game on TV and shows up late. Monica gets angry enough to include one of the episode’s funniest moments: Joey getting his head stuck in the door as he tries to sneak peeks inside the apartment.
While there were moments of tasteful tenderness, the episode focuses too much on the news about Monica and Chandler adopting. It was not really one of those Thanksgiving ones, especially compared to the first few. It was kind of flat, and it felt like the show was more about wrapping up loose ends rather than being as energetic and creative as the other early Thanksgiving episodes.
8. The One With Rachel’s Other Sister (Season 9)
Christina Applegate is fine as Amy, Rachel’s selfish, tactless sister, who crashes Thanksgiving dinner. Her general lack of boundaries and outrageous comments—including who would get custody of Emma in the event Rachel and Ross died—provide plenty of comedic tension.
While the episode has plenty of humor from Applegate’s performance, cringe family moments are overplayed too often, becoming a bit brutal at times. Still, the quick-witted banter and Amy’s wacky antics make it an enjoyable addition to the Thanksgiving schedule, if not at all times reaching the emotional or even just comedic peaks of the series’s most iconic holiday episodes.
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7. The One With Chandler In A Box (Season 4)
This show beautifully weaves humor in with great emotional moments. After Chandler betrays Joey by kissing his girlfriend, Kathy, Joey decides that the best retribution is for Chandler to spend Thanksgiving inside a wooden box as a symbolic act of penance. The absurdity of Chandler sitting silently in the box, delivering only occasional muffled quips, makes it a laughter highlight.
Meanwhile, Monica’s plot introduces a fun angle by hooking up briefly with Richard’s younger boy toy. This Thanksgiving-themed is not as heavy-handed as some, but captures the show’s nice balance of comedy and poignant moments, particularly when Chandler’s groveling redeems him in Joey’s eyes.
6. The One Where Underdog Gets Away (Season 1)
As the first Thanksgiving episode of the series, this one sets the foundation for the chaos and camaraderie we’d come to love. Each character’s Thanksgiving plans fall apart, leaving them to celebrate the holiday together for the first time. The runaway Underdog balloon adds an amusing twist, with the group inadvertently locking themselves out of Monica’s apartment and ruining the holiday feast.
It is not exactly a complicated episode but an important one, revealing the growing bond of the six friends. Monica’s breakdown over ruined dinner and Chandler’s loathing for Thanksgiving itself set some of the crucial dynamics that would define the show. It lacks the outrageous humor that can be found in later episodes, yet it is a lovely beginning to the series’ Thanksgiving tradition.
5. The One With The Football (Season 3)
The gang heads to the park for a spirited game of touch football that quickly devolves into chaos, but Thanksgiving takes a competitive turn in this fan-favorite episode. By showing Ross’s “esteemed” sibling rivalry with Monica over the coveted “Geller Cup,” the sibling rivalry will really take center stage in this episode.
The subplots bring layers of hilarity, like Joey and Chandler in a rivalry over a Dutch girl and Rachel’s trouble proving to be an athlete. It is one of those episodes full of hilarious physical comedy and playful banter. The episode captures perfectly the mixture of tradition and chaos that defines a Friends Thanksgiving.
4. The One Where Ross Got High (Season 6)
The family drama takes center stage in this laugh-out-loud episode. Jack and Judy Geller come over to the gang for Thanksgiving; the secrets kept piling up one after another. From Ross admitting that he had gotten high in college to Monica deciding to keep her relationship with Chandler under the lid, the dinner table turns into the battlefield of revelations.
The comedy high point is Rachel trying to make a trifle, where her layered dessert accidentally includes beef. Joey’s enthusiastic response (“What’s not to like? Custard: good. Jam: good. Meat: good!“) and the group’s horrified reactions make this one of the funniest moments in the series. The balance between humor and family chaos makes this episode one of the best Thanksgiving episodes.
3. The One With The Rumor (Season 8)
Brad Pitt guest stars as Will, Ross and Monica’s friend from high school, who has been holding a grudge against Rachel for years. The comedy builds when Will admits to co-founding the “I Hate Rachel Green” club with Ross in high school, leading to some absurd revelations. Pitt is actually quite the comedic goldmine, especially as Will’s loathing for Rachel reaches comical levels.
Given Pitt’s star power and impeccable timing, this episode feels like it has not lost its airiness of freshness, though it’s not as heartwarming as most Thanksgiving episodes. It has big laughs and unforgettable moments.
2. The One With The Thanksgiving Flashbacks (Season 5)
Also known as “The One with All the Thanksgivings,” this episode delves into the gang’s past Thanksgiving disasters. Since Joey gets a turkey stuck on his head and Monica’s weight-loss journey, there are always lots of gratifying comedic gems in the flashbacks.
One of the most iconic moments appears in this episode and involves Monica dancing with a turkey on her head to make Chandler feel better. It’s just nostalgia mixed with humor and character development to become one of the highlights of the show.
1. The One With The Thanksgiving Turkey (Season 8)
The quintessential Friends Thanksgiving episode, this one combines absurdity with heartwarming moments. Joey trying to fit an entire turkey on his head is one of the most memorable images in sitcom history. Meanwhile, Monica and Chandler share a sweet moment when she does her infamous turkey dance to make him laugh.
The mash-up of over-the-top humor and real sentiment sums up what made the Thanksgiving shows of this series so unforgettable. No wonder this one becomes a timeless classic and holiday staple for ‘Friends‘ fanatics.
