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Friends Thanksgiving Episodes Guide: List of the Best and Worst

A scene from a Friends Thanksgiving episode

With the holidays around the corner, we all know that hanging with the family, eating pie for four days straight, and, of course, watching tons of TV is the whole itinerary for Thanksgiving. Now, some of you might want to binge-watch shows you haven't gotten around to yet, but if you're in the throwback mood, might I suggest Friends? During its 10-year run, the show dominated Thanksgiving episodes with hilarious jokes and great celebrity cameos that still stand the test of time. So, without further ado, let's rank the Turkey Day episodes from worst to best.

Read, below, to find out where your favorite iconic Friends moments rank in the countdown.

10) "The One With the List"

I'm ranking this one so low because technically, it's not a Thanksgiving-themed episode. Sure, the writers shoehorned in a subplot about Monica making Mocklate—a fake chocolate—for a job, but this episode was really about Ross and Rachel following their first kiss. Ross is torn between Rach and Julie, so he makes a list of pros and cons for each. Because it's a sitcom, Rachel finds it, and they fight:

9) "The One With the Late Thanksgiving"

This is the final Thanksgiving episode the show ever did, and it shows. After 10 years, it's hard to keep things fresh, so the main conflict is that the gang pleaded with Monica to make Thanksgiving dinner. She does, but of course, Rachel, Phoebe, Ross, and Joey show up late because they went to a sporting event. Ho hum. Still, there's an adorably sweet moment at the end of the epi regarding Chandler and Monica's adoption struggles, and this scene always cracks me up:

8) "The One Where Underdog Gets Away"

This is the OG Friends Thanksgiving episode. We learn that Chandler is a Turkey Day Grinch because it reminds him of his parents' divorce and see that Joey is the face for a VD ad campaign. Poor Joey. Plus, everyone gets locked out of Monica's apartment while Thanksgiving dinner is cooking inside:

7) "The One With Rachel's Other Sister"

Yay, Christina Applegate! She's a TV comedy all-star and she brings it as Rachel's highly self-absorbed sister Amy. Case in point, she's upset that Rach and Ross want Monica to take care of their child if anything should happen to her. Mind you, Amy keeps calling the baby Emmett, when her name is Emma. Plus, there are more Joey shenanigans because he forgets that he's supposed to be in the Days of Our Lives float, so he makes up an excuse, but he's a terrible liar. And then there's super-anal Monica who micromanages the way that everyone uses her wedding china:

6) "The One With Chandler in the Box"

Chandler is probably my favorite character on the show and makes a scenario funny even when he's in the wrong—like in this episode. He kisses Joey's girlfriend, and as a result, Joey punishes him by placing him in a box. Plus, there's Monica wearing an eye patch. I mean, c'mon! That's awesome.

5) "The One Where Chandler Doesn't Like Dogs"

Obviously, the most important moment of this episode is that Rachel and Tag kiss. He's so dreamy, right?! OK, fine. There are other standout moments, such as Chandler's hatred of dogs, learning that Ross isn't as smart as we all thought he was (he can't name all 50 states in America!), and probably one of the best Joey sayings ever:

4) "The One With All the Thanksgivings"

Flashback episodes are a tried-and-true sitcom device, but they always work! In this season five gem, Joey gets a turkey stuck on his head. We go back in time and learn the reason Monica lost all that weight: because Chandler called her fat. Yikes. This then leads to Monica's revenge on Chandler, we see Rach pre-nose job, and to top it all off, one of my favorite moments happens on the show:

3) "The One Where Ross Got High"


So much goodness happens in this episode that if you wanted to rank it number one, I wouldn't be mad. There's clueless Rachel completely screwing up a recipe for trifle. Phoebe having sex dreams about Jack Geller/Jacques Costeau. Monica hiding her relationship with Chandler from her parents (played by the awesome Elliot Gould and Christina Pickles), and the epic showdown between Ross and Monica where they each reveal the other one's secret to their parents:

2) "The One With the Rumor"

Two words: Brad Pitt. OK, fine. That's just me being lazy, so I will add some more words. This season-eight episode aired during the height of Aniston/Pitt mania, so naturally, it was going to be a ratings juggernaut, but it wouldn't rank so high on the countdown if it wasn't so good. Will (Pitt) is an old friend of Monica and Ross's, and he comes to spend the day with the gang. Rewatching this episode reminds me that Pitt is so great in comedic roles, so he should do more of that! Anyway, the highlight of the dinner is, of course, the reveal that Will and Ross cofounded the "I Hate Rachel Club" and spread a rumor about her because in high school she was quite the bully. Besides that, there are other golden moments: Phoebe constantly throwing herself at Will, and Joey losing it because all he wants to do is eat. Check out this following scene in which we get to the heart of the rumor:

1) "The One With the Football"

From top to bottom, this is a fantastic episode and one of my favorites to rewatch. Any time there is any sort of sibling rivalry between Ross and Monica, there are going to be tons of laughs. Plus, classic boys vs. girls scenarios are always hilarious (e.g. Phoebe clotheslining Chandler and shouting, "I love this game!"). This episode, in particular, proves why this show is so beloved: Everyone is funny, the comedy still holds up, and you truly do believe that they are all friends:

This post was originally published in 2014.

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