It’s that time of year again.
Another Thanksgiving is here, alongside the many traditions that come with it. Whether it be the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, football, arguing with your relatives about politics, or eating till you fall asleep on the couch, there’s an activity for everyone. One thing Thanksgiving dinner gives you, though, is "the itis," that too-full-to-go-on feeling after devouring endless ham and turkey. This, in turn, produces a lot of free couch time after the big meal, which means you can watch lots of TV with all of that couch time.
And If it’s one thing that TV shows do right, it's Thanksgiving specials.
Who doesn't love a good Thanksgiving special? We definitely do! So, to get the Thanksgiving spirit oozing out of your television screens, we've compiled a list of 15 of the best Thanksgiving episodes to watch, and where you can watch them. Grab your plate, pile the food on, plop on the couch, and turn your TV on. We've got a lot of good specials for y'all to binge.
"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving"
Show: Peanuts
Released: 1973
Runtime: 30 mins
Stream on: Apple TV+
Holidays and Charlie Brown specials go hand-in-hand, and the Peanuts gang don't disappoint with "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving."
As Charlie Brown prepares to head over to his grandma’s for Thanksgiving, Peppermint Patty, pushy as always, pressures Charlie Brown into hosting a Thanksgiving dinner of his own for his friends. Despite having no cooking experience—other than making toast—Charlie Brown scrambles to prepare a makeshift meal for the Peanuts gang. Poor Charlie Brown epitomizes the stress of the holiday, as we can relate to his frantic antics of trying to please everyone. Still. lessons are learned and good times are had, so definitely add this special to your viewing list.
"Garfield's Thanksgiving"
Show: Garfield
Released: 1989
Runtime: 23 mins
Stream on: Peacock
Garfield is another cartoon icon that has given us a few superb holiday specials.
Arguably what could be viewed as Garfield’s favorite holiday is easily Thanksgiving because…well…food. When Garfield is taken to the Vet by Jon the day before Thanksgiving, Jon pleads with Liz the Vet to go on a date with him. After some desperate begging, Liz eventually agrees to have Thanksgiving dinner at Jon's house. Unfortunately for Garfield, Liz tells Jon that the tubby cat needs to be put on a diet...during Thanksgiving! The audacity! Not only does Garfield have to deal with potentially missing out on his favorite meal of the year, but Jon also realizes that he has no idea how to make a Thanksgiving dinner. Hilarity ensues as Garfield attempts to salvage his doomed Thanksgiving meal, making this a hilarious special to watch while digesting your dinner.
"Arnold's Thanksgiving"
Show: Hey Arnold!
Aired: 1998
Runtime: 24 mins
Stream On: Paramount+
One thing Hey Arnold! does well is invoke a strong emotional response.
There are plenty of episodes that pull on the heartstrings, but "Arnold’s Thanksgiving" is a particularly special episode with a lot of soul and substance. Arnold and Helga are both fed up with their respective Thanksgiving days. Arnold just wants a regular Thanksgiving, which is made nearly impossible by the lunacy of the boarding house he resides with his Grandmother, Grandfather, and the not-so-normal boarders. Helga feels unappreciated in her own home, where her older sister Olga gets most of the attention, her mother is passed out from seemingly inebriating substances, and her father gives the rest of his undivided attention to the football games. Helga and Arnold ditch their families in search of a traditional Thanksgiving. After unintentionally linking up, they soon discover a “perfect” Thanksgiving is hard to come by and through a series of events, learn to appreciate the families they have back home.
Put this one on with your family and maybe, after the tense arguments and awkward silences, y'all will relearn how to appreciate each other again.
"Turkey in a Can"
Show: Bob's Burgers
Aired: 2013
Runtime: 22 mins
Stream On: Disney+, Hulu
There are a good amount of Bob’s Burgers Thanksgiving episodes to choose from, and they pretty much all excel, but the best of the bunch is easily "Turkey In A Can."
The patriarch of the Belcher family, Bob, is obsessed with Thanksgiving and goes all out every year to prepare the perfect meal for his family. One unfortunate year, he discovers that the turkey he had prepped before the big day somehow ended up in the family toilet. This may seem like an isolated incident, but the Belchers keep finding their replacement turkeys in the toilet every morning leading up to the big day. Nobody knows how this happened, but an ever-determined Bob will not let this ruin his day as he races to prepare another turkey and, at the same time, figure out who the culprit is who keeps dropping their dinner in the commode.
It's giving mystery, whodunit escapade, making it a fun watch.
"Bart vs. Thanksgiving"
Show: The Simpsons
Aired: 1990
Runtime: 23 mins
Stream On: Apple TV+, Disney+
Bart Simpson is a child who constantly causes trouble, but sometimes he can go too far. This is especially true in "Bart Vs. Thanksgiving."
As the Simpsons are gathering for the holiday, Lisa is preparing an intricately crafted Thanksgiving centerpiece for the occasion. At dinner, Bart brings out the turkey and aggressively tries to move Lisa’s centerpiece to make way for the bird. In the ensuing scuffle, Bart throws the centerpiece into the fireplace. A devastated Lisa runs to her room as Homer and Marge demand Bart apologize. After refusing to do so, Bart runs away and commences to look for a Thanksgiving dinner where he will be appreciated. As with a lot of the early Simpsons episodes, the characters grow and learn things about themselves; this absolutely rings true in Bart’s eventual discovery of the true spirit of the holiday, which makes us appreciate the stress of the day that much more with them.
"The Thanksgiving Special"
Show: Regular Show
Aired: 2013
Runtime: 21 mins
Stream On: Hulu
During a game of indoor foam football, which Benson strictly forbade, the mischievous Mordecai and Rigby accidentally ruin Thanksgiving Dinner for the Park staff and their families. To salvage the day, Mordecai and Rigby enter a songwriting contest where the winner gets a rare Turducken.
Meanwhile, Benson, Skips, and Pops engage in a battle of wills against men dressed as turkeys, pilgrims, and Native Americans for the last turkey in the market. And let’s not forget Muscle Man’s end zone dance battle competition. Regular Show is everyone’s favorite animated fever dream and what gives this episode strength is everyone has a role to play in attempting to save the holiday for their family and friends. Despite the conflicts the characters endure, the true meaning of Thanksgiving is realized by the time the credits roll. Isn’t that what’s important in a Thanksgiving special? Plus, the episode is capped off with a stellar spoon solo by Rigby, so grab those spoons, dig into dinner, and watch this special.
"Black Friday"
Show: South Park
Aired: 2013
Runtime: ~23 mins each
Stream On: Max
For the next entry, let’s head on down to South Park and have ourselves a time.
In this particular case, the episode (or technically episodes) takes place on the day after Thanksgiving, everyone’s favorite bloodbath: Black Friday. Incorporating a Game of Thrones spoof to boot, Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny concoct their plans to brave the danger of Black Friday to acquire the latest gaming system. Meanwhile, Stan’s dad Randy becomes a security guard at the South Park mall to gain some extra holiday cash as well as be the first in line to get discounts on the items that will surely go fast. The boys initially seem united on a common front, but the alliance breaks down when they can’t decide between going for the new PlayStation or Xbox. Deception, betrayal, violence, and absolute hilarity ensue in one of the better trilogies South Park has put out. With at least three episodes, it's a solid way to pass the Thanksgiving day by.
"Happy Hank's Giving"
Show: King of the Hill
Aired: 1999
Runtime: 23 minutes
Stream On: Apple TV+, Disney+, Hulu
One constant in the world of Hank Hill is not everything goes according to plan, especially around the holidays.
Arlen, Texas’ favorite son tries his hardest to give his family holidays to remember, but being surrounded by the family and friends he has grown to love often makes this difficult. When the Hills pack up and head to the airport to fly to Peggy Hill's parents’ house for Thanksgiving, a series of unfortunate events put their holiday plans in jeopardy. Hanks's turkey is mistaken for an explosive device, and the flights are delayed due to inclement weather. The Hill's wills are put to the test as they try to make the dinner with Peggy’s parents and save what’s left of their Thanksgiving. Throw in neighbor Bill Dauterive’s seasonal depression and Kahn Souphanousinphone’s constant one-upmanship with Hank, the odds are certainly stacked against everyone’s favorite propane salesman.
It's typical King of the Hill fodder, which is great for Thanksgiving.
"There Will Be Bad Blood"
Show: American Dad
Aired: 2010
Runtime: 22 mins
Stream On: Disney+, Hulu
Everyone’s favorite red-blooded American, Stan Smith and his family are preparing for another Thanksgiving dinner with Stan’s Native American half-brother, Rusty. Stan pulls out all the stops for the holiday to rub his wealth in the face of his less well-off brother (which he, of course, denies).
To teach Stan’s son Steve a lesson to appreciate what they have, Stan decides to change plans and visit Rusty in his squalor. What they eventually discover is Rusty is, in fact, hella rich, which makes Stan realize in horror that he is the patriarch of the “poor family.” The visit has the opposite effect on the Smith family, who hate their lifestyles now that they were exposed to the Uber Rich. Deciding they deserve the wealth more than Rusty, Stan and the fam attempt to switch places with their rich relatives. This is one of the better holiday specials American Dad put out and is frankly hysterical from top to bottom. Very much worth your while.
"Turkey Time/Floundering Fathers"
Show: Rocko's Modern Life
Aired: 1996
Runtime: 25 mins
Stream On: Paramount+
Rocko is extremely kindhearted and trusting, a friend you can always rely on. That doesn’t mean he can’t be occasionally naïve, though, but how can we blame him for being a foreigner to this land?
On his first Thanksgiving since immigrating to America, Rocko and his best friend, Heffer, go shopping for the big day. After picking up most of the essentials, Heffer reminds Rocko that having a turkey is paramount for Thanksgiving. Rocko misunderstands this initially and brings home a live turkey with the intent of hosting it at the dinner. Heffer elaborates that the turkey is to be cooked and eaten, which horrifies Rocko.
Rocko will not harm the turkey, so Heffer offers to do it but finds that he also cannot bring himself to harm the bird. Rocko begins his mission to save all the turkeys from the citizens of O-Town and try not to ruin everyone’s holiday in the process. This message may seem extremely vegan-friendly, but it would be strange for Rocko to consume another animal as his best friend is a steer. It's silly-cute and fitting for the holiday.
"The One with All the Thanksgivings"
Show: Friends
Aired: 1998
Runtime: 22 mins
Stream On: Max
Friends has covered many subjects in its run, but the show gets especially wholesome and gives the viewers a feel-good romp when they tackle the holidays.
When the six friends all gather at Monica’s apartment for Thanksgiving, the crew reminisces about the worst Thanksgiving each of them has experienced. Chandler discusses finding out about his parent’s looming divorce, Phoebe anxiously imagines losing limbs in her seemingly past lives, and Joey thinks about the time he, unfortunately, got his head stuck in a turkey. The one major plot detail is the seed planted for the future relationship between Chandler and Monica during their initial encounters as teenagers. As with most Friends episodes, the humor is balanced with a lot of emotion and heart, and this rings true in this holiday episode. Able to exude happy and sad tears at the same time, this Thanksgiving special should definitely be added to your list just for the good vibes it gives.
"The Gang Squashes Their Beefs"
Show: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Aired: 2013
Runtime: 20 mins
Stream On: Hulu
If it’s one thing the Always Sunny crew seems to do well is piss people off.
After realizing their lives are much more inconvenient due to the number of enemies they’ve made, the Paddy’s Pub gang decides to squash their beefs in honor of Thanksgiving. Each person invites someone they have wronged in the past in hopes of winning them over with good food and good drink. Of course, the attempts stink of effort, not to mention the people the gang has wronged are just as ridiculous as they are, which makes burying the proverbial—and literal—hatchet near impossible. As the dinner progresses, matters only get worse; nobody will be the bigger person. Food fights, signed treaties, under-the-table shenanigans, and a small house fire are par the course for the crew, and as usual, nobody learns a thing. It's a good watch if you're feeling down and dirty after eating.
"The Mom & Pop Store"
Show: Seinfeld
Aired: 1994
Runtime: 23 mins
Stream On: Netflix
While Seinfeld showrunner Larry David never really emphasized the holidays in the Seinfeldverse, we were lucky enough to get a classic episode more focused on a party Thanksgiving night as opposed to the meal itself.
As per all Seinfeld episodes, Jerry, George, Elaine, and Kramer each have their hilarious story arcs. George proudly buys a car that is supposedly previously owned by John Voight; Kramer guilt trips Jerry into supporting a Mom and Pop shoe repair store, which eventually closes, leaving Jerry with just a pair of cowboy boots; Elaine tries to win her boss, Mr. Pitt, a position as a Woody Woodpecker balloon holder for the Thanksgiving Day Parade; and if Jerry didn’t have enough to worry about, he is consumed with the thought that he may not have been invited to the Thanksgiving party thrown by his dentist, Dr. Whatley (Bryan Cranston). As with most of their plans, the Seinfeld’s crew's attempts go awry and hysterical chaos ensues. This is an iconic episode to get you in the holiday mood, for sure.
"He Is Risen"
Show: The Sopranos
Aired: 2001
Runtime: 54 mins
Stream On: Max
Since Thanksgiving is about family, what better way to join everyone’s favorite crime family and their tumultuous relationship with the mafia underworld?
The main focus of the episode is the tense relationship between Tony and Ralph Cifaretto, the capo of the family. Ralph shows disdain and disrespect to his boss, Tony, by not greeting him with a handshake and denying him an offered drink. Tony is disgusted with Ralph and his violent actions in the past, but he is one of the top earners of the family, which stays Tony’s hand. This episode is pretty much about the ebb and flow of Ralph and Tony’s relationship surrounded by the Thanksgiving holiday. When the Soprano family sits down for Thanksgiving dinner, the tension between Tony and different members of the family halts any notion of a loving family dinner. Whether it be the relationship with his children or his troubled marriage, Tony has a lot to deal with as he sits down for dinner.
It's a heavy episode, but one that may break the ice during your own Thanksgiving dinner. Or, at the very least, help facilitate a healthy chat.
"Turkey Guys"
Show: Family Guy
Aired: 2014
Runtime: 21 mins
Stream On: Disney+, Hulu
Capping off this list is a pretty friggin' sweet episode showcasing the Thanksgiving Holiday exploits of Peter Griffin and the citizens of Quahog.
After a night of heavy drinking, Peter and his dog Brian discover they have eaten the turkey prepared for Thanksgiving dinner. Furious, Lois demands Peter go out and replace the turkey before dinnertime. For anyone else, this would seem like a fairly straightforward task, but since it’s Peter’s scheme, naturally, nothing goes right. Meanwhile, at home, Stewie tells Chris that since his dad is gone, Chris is the man of the house and responsible for hosting the Thanksgiving dinner, which he handles very awkwardly, making everyone uncomfortable with his nonsequiturs. Brian and Peter’s perilous journey nearly tears their friendship apart, but as is tradition with Thanksgiving specials, they learn the true meaning of the holiday: it only matters who you are with and not who you eat. So, we hope you spend the holiday with the special people in your life.
Happy Thanksgiving, and happy eating!