Thanksgiving actually wants a greater advertising group. Positive, it will get protection — all these tales on brine/deep fry/spatchcock a turkey, all that recommendation on survive your loved ones (ideally with out the spatchcocking) — however the place’s the cultural fanfare? The soundtrack, the decorations, the “very special episodes”? Filmmakers are oddly disinterested — title 5 Thanksgiving-themed movies (and “American Gangster” doesn’t depend). Hallmark Channel celebrates with Christmas motion pictures, and even most long-running tv sequence take a sporadic strategy.
Which is but another excuse to like “Friends.” From its first season to its final, “Friends” has celebrated Thanksgiving with the hijinks, hilarity and occasional pathos it deserves. Obtainable to stream and obtain on HBO Max, every of the 10 episodes clocks in at lower than 25 minutes, good for an air-travel or Thanksgiving-eve chronological binge. But when your time and/or consideration is proscribed, here’s a extremely subjective rating:
(Robert Isenberg / NBCUniversal through Getty Photographs)
10. “The One With the List” (Season 2, Episode 8)
Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) tells Monica (Courteney Cox) and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) that she and Ross (David Schwimmer) kissed, whereas Ross, Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) debate whether or not it means Ross ought to break up together with his girlfriend. With their assist, he makes a fairly unflattering listing of Rachel’s execs and cons, which, after all, Rachel discovers. In the meantime, Monica takes a job (from a beautiful Michael McKean) making Thanksgiving-themed recipes with a chocolate substitute referred to as Mockolate.
These recipes are about the one Thanksgivingy factor concerning the episode, which principally revolves round Ross being a mopey passive-aggressive jerk who has one way or the other turn into the thing of two girls’s affection. Rachel whines a bit at first however no less than holds the road (momentarily) when she sees the listing, which, regardless of the very humorous Mockolate storyline, makes this a surprisingly bitter episode. (Chandler’s clunky early iteration of a laptop computer, together with the big printer and cell phone with an antenna provides it an amusing period-piece air.)
9. “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs” (Season 7, Episode 8)
Chandler challenges the group to play a “name the 50 states” recreation. Nobody can and Ross, predictably, received’t let his failure go. Rachel invitations her younger, and newly single, assistant, Tag (Eddie Cahill), to the dinner and the revelation that Phoebe has been secretly caring for a buddy’s canine forces Chandler to confess that he’s not allergic to canine; he simply hates them.
There are a number of good laughs within the episode, together with Joey’s rationalization of why the phrase “moot point” is definitely “moo point” (“It’s like a cow’s opinion; it doesn’t matter”), however Rachel making a transfer on her assistant is icky, the joke of Ross’ (baffling) incapability to call the states over the course of a day wears skinny and there’s merely no universe by which Chandler hates canine. With dinner being made, and consumed, just about off-camera, the episode feels a bit pressured and lacks the festive spirit. (Bonus factors, nevertheless, for Rachel’s hair — a traditional bob — and Chandler’s specs.)
8. “The One Where Underdog Gets Away” (Season 1, Episode 9)
Rachel tries to get sufficient cash to fly to Vail, Colo., to fulfill her household, Monica agrees to make Thanksgiving dinner (which Chandler will solely be a part of if he can eat grilled cheese and Funyons as a result of he hates Thanksgiving), Ross calls for “belly time” together with his pregnant ex-wife and Joey lands a job as a PSA mannequin for the Metropolis Free Clinic solely to find he’s featured in a venereal illness spot. When the Underdog balloon will get unfastened throughout the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, the group rushes to the roof to observe solely to appreciate they’re locked out of the condominium.
That is the canon Thanksgiving episode which implies everyone seems to be tremendous younger, Rachel remains to be the spoiled wealthy woman and several other jokes, together with one about Joey sporting make-up, are fairly dated (youthful viewers may not know who Underdog is). The turkey burns in report time, however everybody who has ever lived in an condominium can commiserate with being locked out of it and the sweetness of the makeshift meal is a harbinger of each the “Friendsgiving” development and the “Friends”-giving custom.
(NBCUniversal through Getty Photographs)
7. “The One With the Late Thanksgiving” (Season 10, Episode 8)
Monica (lastly) tries to get out of constructing the dinner, citing stress of the adoption course of. Her pals received’t hear of it, after all. They guilt-trip her into the chore after which proceed to interact in actions assured to make them late. Rachel and Phoebe enter Emma in a child magnificence pageant whereas Ross and Joey go to a hockey recreation.
Hilarity ensues after they attempt to speak their approach into the feast, besides, it does really feel like an precise “when are you going to grow up?” showdown is brewing when Monica receives a fateful cellphone name.
As somebody who tendencies very Monica in terms of vacation internet hosting (and late arrivals), I deeply appreciated this episode (particularly when, after she tells Chandler to clean the cranberries, she has so as to add “not with soap”). Even with out the “saved by the bell” cellphone name, it’s a becoming remaining Thanksgiving episode. The time has come for brand new traditions, which can not at all times contain the six of them coming collectively. And in the event that they do, effectively, perhaps another person might do the cooking for as soon as.
(Gary Null / NBCUniversal through Getty Photographs)
As dinner cooks, the chums determine to play soccer. Monica and Ross reveal that their mom banned them from the exercise after their intense childhood competitiveness resulted within the Geller Cup being thrown right into a lake. That depth is, not surprisingly, alive and effectively and this uncommon “outside” episode is a enjoyable romp via sibling rivalry and the opposite characters’ views of teamwork and competitors. Which incorporates Chandler and Joey vying for the eye of a random Dutch lady.
Anybody who has a sibling or who has ever been concerned in a “friendly” grownup recreation of something — ”Are we not having dinner in any respect?” Phoebe wonders — will respect this episode. Additionally the home made Geller Cup, which features a Troll doll, is a fabulous factor.
5. “The One With Chandler in a Box” (Season 4, Episode 8)
Joey is indignant that Chandler has kissed his girlfriend and can solely forgive him if Chandler spends Thanksgiving in a field. Phoebe’s request that the group undertake a Secret Santa system reveals, amongst different issues, that Rachel returns any present she receives, which hurts Ross’ emotions. Monica will get ice in her eye and, in searching for remedy (amazingly out there on Thanksgiving Day!), meets, and is attracted to, the son of her eye physician/former boyfriend Richard. Clearly, she invitations the younger doc, performed by Michael Vartan, over for dinner.
Monica in an eye fixed patch and Chandler in a field! What extra does any vacation want? (Additionally, does Secret Santa ever actually finish effectively?)
4. “The One With Rachel’s Other Sister” (Season 9, Episode 8)
Rachel’s older sister Amy (Christina Applegate) reveals up unannounced and proceeds to derail Thanksgiving when she learns that she is not going to get child Emma (whose title she can not bear in mind) within the occasion of Rachel and Ross’ demise. Discussions of potential guardianship result in Chandler doubting his capability to be a father. In the meantime, in top-of-the-line Thanksgiving subplots and TV twists of all time, Joey realizes he was purported to be a part of the “Days of Our Lives” parade float and struggles, with Phoebe’s assist, to provide you with an excuse.
Applegate received an Emmy for her visitor position and it was hard-earned; her snarky efficiency reminds us of how far Rachel has come (and likewise why we haven’t met Amy prior to now). However Chandler’s proof, and realization, that he’ll make an amazing father feels bittersweet, given Perry’s demise two years in the past, as does his line “I guess I’ll be the one who dies first.” Take no vacation gathering with no consideration, my pals.
(NBCUniversal through Getty Photographs)
3. “The One Where Ross Got High” (Season 6, Episode 9)
Monica hasn’t informed her dad and mom that she’s residing with Chandler for the straightforward motive that “they don’t like you.” Chandler goes on a attraction offensive solely to study that the hate is predicated on Ross having blamed him years in the past for the pot the Gellers smelled in Ross’ room. Rachel makes an attempt to assist with the cooking, making a trifle that features custard, jam, beef and peas. (“The beef? Yeah, that was weird to me too,” she says. “But then I thought there’s mincemeat pie — I mean, that’s an English dessert. These people just put very strange things in their food.”) The Gellers (performed by Elliott Gould and Christina Pickles) be a part of the festivities, and Phoebe reveals she has a quick dream-inspired crush on Mr. Geller. Joey and Ross are attempting to hurry via dinner to attend a celebration held by their “hot” roommate, which entails shoveling down Rachel’s trifle.
Rachel’s trifle is “Friends” legend largely as a result of Joey really likes it. “What’s not to like? Custard, good. Jam, good. Meat, goood.” The sibling dynamic between Ross and Monica (at all times pleasant) brings a practical really feel to Thanksgiving, as does the Gellers’ affected person bafflement with the entire continuing. That is the episode that the majority seems like house.
2. “The One With the Rumor” (Season 8, Episode 9)
Monica invitations Will (Brad Pitt), an previous highschool buddy, to dinner whereas threatening to not make a turkey as a result of nobody however Joey desires it. Joey vows to eat all of it. Will, who has misplaced numerous weight since highschool, seems to have a long-harbored hatred of Rachel; he co-founded (with Ross) the “I Hate Rachel Green” membership, which unfold a rumor about Rachel being intersex. Chandler and Phoebe fake to watch soccer with a view to keep away from serving to out.
Filmed when Pitt and Aniston had been nonetheless married, the episode’s thread of adolescent animosity (”Typical of you, Rachel Inexperienced,” Will says. “Queen Rachel does whatever she wants in her little Rachel land”) performs a bit otherwise now, however Pitt is terrific, as is Kudrow. Phoebe reacts to Will with hilarious appreciation — ”Come on, Will, simply take off your shirt and inform us.” However truthfully, Joey steals the present together with his one-man turkey consuming contest. “You don’t have to finish that,” Monica says. “Oh, yes, I do. Otherwise what’s next? Today I’m just a guy who can’t finish a turkey, but tomorrow I’m the guy who eats half a power bar, wraps up the rest and puts it in the fridge? No!”
1.”The One With the Thanksgiving Flashbacks” (Season 5, Episode 8)
Full from dinner, the chums every describe a factor they’re grateful for. Ross and Chandler start a contest over who had the worst Thanksgiving. We get to see the vacation on which Chandler’s father left the household for his houseboy; Phoebe’s past-life holidays; the 12 months Joey obtained a turkey caught on his head; and, extra considerably, the time younger Monica met younger Chandler who proceeded to name her fats. This results in a subsequent 12 months by which Chandler reveals appreciation for a newly skinny Monica, who proceeds to punish him for the earlier comment. Up to date Chandler will get mad, Monica places a turkey on her head to woo him again and Chandler says he loves her for the primary time.
I’m not a fan of the “fat Monica” jokes that permeate the sequence, or the occasional flashbacks displaying her in a fats go well with, however on this case, they provide each humor and pathos (to not point out some very stellar fashions for younger Chandler and Ross). Additionally it’s robust to think about any comedy, save for Mr. Bean, beating the previous turkey-on-the-head as a Thanksgiving gag, which can clarify why so few sequence even strive.
Watched in chronological order, this rating, or a rating of your individual, show that it’s nonetheless a “Friends”-giving world.
