Joey Phoebe Rachel Monica with an eye patch and Ross looking down on the balcony in Friends Thanksgiving episode The One With The Box
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Adrienne Tyler
Published 2 hours ago
Adrienne Tyler is a movies & TV features writer, with a focus on horror. She has written for Netflix, FanSided, & more. She was a regular guest on the Netfreaks podcast and was a YouTuber at some point. Guillermo del Toro said “hi” to her once.
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Friends has a Thanksgiving episode in every season, and some are better than others. Created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, Friends is now regarded not just as one of the best sitcoms in TV history but also one of the best TV shows of all time. Friends has a simple premise, but it was key to the show’s long-lasting success.
Friends takes viewers to New York City to follow Chandler (Matthew Perry), Monica (Courteney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), and Ross (David Schwimmer) through the many ups and downs in their social, personal, and professional lives, always with a good dose of comedy.
A show as big and popular as Friends didn’t forget about the biggest holidays, and when it comes to Thanksgiving, it made sure to have an episode dedicated to it in every season, with the gang getting into different but fun situations in each episode.
10 “The One Where Underdog Gets Away”
Season 1, Episode 9
Ross talking to Phoebe in the Friends season 1 Thanksgiving episode
The very first Friends Thanksgiving episode is the weakest one. In it, Thanksgiving doesn’t go as planned for anyone: Rachel misses her flight, Joey is kicked out of his family’s dinner due to his appearing in a VD ad, Chandler is boycotting the holiday due to trauma, and Phoebe is celebrating two Thanksgivings.
Meanwhile, Ross has an awkward moment with Carol and Susan, and Monica is preparing everyone personalized version of their favorite dishes… until they all forget the keys to her apartment after rushing outside to see a balloon that escaped the parade. In the end, they eat grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup together.
Season 1 of Friends is the show's weakest, and its Thanksgiving episode doesn’t add anything to the show, except chaos that, ultimately, isn’t funny or memorable.
9 “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs”
Season 7, Episode 8
Monica and Phoebe with a dog in Friends season 7 Thanksgiving episode
“The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs” is about exactly what the title says, but during Thanksgiving. In it, it’s revealed that Phoebe, who is staying with Monica and Chandler after the fire in her own apartment, has been keeping a dog in her room, and Chandler, who claimed to be allergic to dogs, is actually very afraid of them.
Meanwhile, Rachel invites her young assistant, Tag, and ruins her chances of dating him, only for him to return and kiss her, and Ross becomes fixated with naming all 50 states. Although this episode is key in the Rachel and Tag storyline, the one with Chandler and the dog feels forced and out of place, and doesn’t really feel like a Thanksgiving episode.
8 “The One With The List”
Season 2, Episode 8
Friends season 2 Thanksgiving episode with Ross on the window holding a piece of paper
“The One With The List” is a Ross and Rachel-centered Thanksgiving episode. In it, Ross writes a list of the flaws of Rachel and Julie as he’s unable to decide who he wants to be with, and when Rachel finds the list, she’s understandably hurt and angry. Meanwhile, Monica has a job interview and is tasked with coming up with recipes using a synthetic chocolate substitute called “Mockolate.”
The episode is mostly focused on the drama between Ross and Rachel and the ongoing question of who Ross will choose, and even though Monica’s interview and the whole “Mockolate” thing are funny and absurd, the Ross and Rachel storyline takes all the attention, and it makes everyone forget it’s a Thanksgiving episode.
7 “The One With Chandler in a Box”
Season 4, Episode 8
Phoebe Joey Ross and Rachel staring at the big wooden box in Friends The One With The Box Thanksgiving episode
“The One With Chandler in a Box” is another Thanksgiving Friends episode with a self-explanatory title. Chandler tells Joey that he kissed the latter’s girlfriend, Kathy, and to forgive him, Joey makes Chandler spend six hours in a huge wooden box. It isn’t until Kathy shows up and Joey sees the genuine connection between them that he forgives and frees Chandler.
While preparing the Thanksgiving dinner, Monica hurts her eye and is attended by Richard’s son, whom she invites for dinner and later kisses, but both are disgusted when he reminds her of Richard. It’s a very awkward episode, but not in a funny way, but it ranks a bit higher thanks to Joey’s unusual punishment.
6 “The One With Rachel’s Other Sister”
Season 9, Episode 8
Monica Amy and Joey at the table in Friends Thanksgiving episode
“The One With Rachel’s Other Sister” sees the arrival of Amy (Christina Applegate), one of Rachel’s sisters, who is unaware of how selfish and rude she actually is. Because of that, she ends up in an argument with Rachel, which results in one of Monica’s beloved plates being broken.
Before that, however, Rachel and Ross reveal who would get Emma if they died, with Chandler feeling left out. It’s a chaotic but fun Thanksgiving episode, with a great twist at the end with Chandler and the rest of the plates, and it establishes the dynamic between Rachel and her sister.
5 “The One With The Late Thanksgiving”
Season 10, Episode 8
Ross Joey Monica Chandler Phoebe and Rachel toasting at Thanksgiving dinner in Friends season 10
Friends’ final Thanksgiving episode is as chaotic and funny as it is heartwarming. In it, Monica and Chandler decide to skip Thanksgiving dinner, but Monica is convinced by the rest by seeing it as a challenge to top the dinner from the previous year. However, the rest end up arriving too late for dinner.
Phoebe and Rachel took Emma to a baby beauty contest, while Ross and Joey went to a hockey game. Monica and Chandler refuse to open the door for them to come in, but they end up creating a mess when Joey’s head gets stuck, the door chain breaks, and Joey crashes into the dinner.
However, it doesn’t matter to Monica as she just got the call she and Chandler had been waiting for from the adoption agency. It’s the official beginning of Monica and Chandler’s adoption storyline, and the floating heads on the door are still quite funny and iconic.
4 “The One With The Football”
Season 3, Episode 9
Ross Monica Rachel and Joey playing football in Friends' Thanksgiving episode
“The One With The Football” is unlike most of Friends’ Thanksgiving episodes because it’s not centered on dinner nor on Ross and Rachel’s relationship. Instead, this episode sees the group playing football, with Monica and Ross bringing out their extremely competitive side, as the winning team would get the Geller Cup (a troll doll glued to a piece of wood).
Watching Phoebe and Rachel play football to the best of their abilities, and every other character using their best distraction techniques to help their team is hilarious, as is the sibling rivalry between Monica and Chandler, while Joey and Chandler try to impress the same girl.
3 “The One With All The Thanksgivings”
Season 5, Episode 8
Chandler staring a Monica with a turkey on her head in Friends Thanksgiving episode
“The One With All The Thanksgivings” is a series of flashbacks to past Thanksgivings in the group’s lives. The main ones, however, are those of Joey, who got his head stuck on a turkey; Monica, when she reveals Chandler once made fun of her weight; and Rachel, who reveals how Monica’s attempt at revenge resulted in Chandler’s toe being chopped.
This is the episode with the turkey on Monica’s head, with a hat and sunglasses, Chandler telling Monica he loves her, and Phoebe having flashbacks of being a nurse during the war and losing her arm… in two different wars. This Thanksgiving episode captures the essence of the show, with laughs, bits of drama, and serious and heartwarming moments.
2 “The One Where Ross Got High”
Season 6, Episode 9
Rachel Phoebe and Monica in Friends Thanksgiving episode
“The One Where Ross Got High” is the first Thanksgiving after Monica and Chandler started living together, so the latter wanted to give a good impression to her parents; however, he learns that they hate him because Ross lied about getting high in college and said it was Chandler who was smoking.
Meanwhile, Rachel makes dessert for the Thanksgiving dinner, but the pages of the cookbook are stuck together, and she ends up making a half-trifle, half-shepherd’s pie. The reactions to Rachel’s unique dessert are priceless, as is the moment where Monica tells her parents about Ross getting high, as it triggers a chain reaction of revelations and moments of honesty.
1 “The One With The Rumor”
Season 8, Episode 9
Brad Pitt's Will at Thanksgiving with the group in Friends season 8
“The One With The Rumor” is the Friends episode where Monica has a special guest: Will (Brad Pitt), a friend from high school who, as it turns out, hates Rachel. Will and Ross were good friends, and it’s revealed that they formed the “I Hate Rachel Greene Club”, despite Ross being in love with her back then.
It’s a shocking reveal to Rachel, more so as she’s already pregnant in this episode, but what makes the episode so good is Pitt’s character and performance. Pitt’s comedic skills shine in every one of his scenes, and he has excellent chemistry with everyone – and, to add to it, is Phoebe’s reaction to Will’s incredible looks.
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Friends
10 stars 9 stars 8 stars 7 stars 6 stars 5 stars 4 stars 3 stars 2 stars 1 star Like Follow Followed TV-14 Comedy Romance Release Date 1994 - 2004 Network NBC Showrunner Marta Kauffman Directors Kevin S. Bright, Gary Halvorson, Michael Lembeck, James Burrows, Gail Mancuso, Peter Bonerz, David Schwimmer, Robby Benson, Shelley Jensen, Terry Hughes, Dana De Vally Piazza, Alan Myerson, Pamela Fryman, Steve Zuckerman, Thomas Schlamme, Roger Christiansen, Sheldon Epps, Arlene Sanford, David Steinberg, Joe Regalbuto, Mary Kay Place, Paul Lazarus, Sam Simon, Todd Holland Writers Jeff Astrof, Mike Sikowitz, Brian Boyle, Patty Lin, Bill Lawrence, R. Lee Fleming Jr.Cast
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Jennifer Aniston
Rachel Green
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Monica Geller
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