30 Days of Thanks 2020: ‘Friends’

So. Many. Thanksgiving. Episodes! Friends really knew how to satisfy when it came to the holidays. Fans were extremely well fed! And not just at the dinner table. With such an iconic and long-running show like this one, there are certainly a lot of things to be grateful for. So many things. And since there are so many Thanksgiving-themed episodes, we are going to do our best to keep on track with our 30 Days of Thanks and talk about those! So read on and enjoy!

In The Beginning

Ah, the first Thanksgiving. While this episode wasn’t nearly as exciting as some of the later holiday-themed ones, it’s still pretty great! But that could be because it’s the first one and we cherish it as such. The classic storyline of a group of people getting trapped on the roof? We were seriously entertained. And the following year’s Thanksgiving episode really didn’t have much to do with Turkey day. So at that time, the first season’s episode was the definite winner. Though Monica using the chocolate substitute was entertaining!

Image via NBC

Then we had our group playing touch football, as many groups tend to do before the big dinner. But what made it extra fun was the sibling rivalry between Ross and Monica. This was always fun to see, but who doesn’t enjoy it when things get a little physically competitive from time to time? It also got even better when things switched to guys versus girls. And can we take a moment to talk about season four’s episode? Because we’re still “aww” ing over Chandler spending the holiday in a box to prove how much he loves Joey.

Top-Notch Episodes

Season five’s episode may just be our favorite Thanksgiving episode of Friends. This is the one that everyone knows. The fact that it relies on memories of Thanksgiving pasts already had us prepared for greatness. But the content within those stories had us roaring in laughter. Plus, who could forget Monica with her head inside the turkey? Talk about iconic. Season six gave us Chandler trying to get Monica’s parents to like him. Which they probably would have if Ross hadn’t lied and said the pot he had was Chandler’s. Oh, Ross.

Season seven had us questioning Chandler as a character. How could you not like dogs, man?! We may not have questioned him as much though if there had been a bit more going on in the episode. The only other thing we really had was Ross trying and failing at naming the fifty states. Oh, Ross. The next season’s episode was great. Brad Pitt, anyone? It’s hard to believe he could play the role of a dork, but Brad Pitt did it well. And really, Ross? An “I Hate Rachel” club? Spreading rumors? Oh, Ross.

All Good Things Must Come to an End

Season nine brought us the fantastic Christina Applegate as Rachel’s sister, Amy. And if that wasn’t enough, we got to see her seriously upset that she wasn’t the person that would take care of Ross and Rachel’s daughter if something were to happen to them. But would you leave your child with her? Then we had the final Thanksgiving episode in the final season of Friends. It was certainly bittersweet, but it also gave us Joey’s head stuck in a doorway. And that will always be hilarious. Always.

Image via NBC

Which Thanksgiving episode of Friends tops your favorites list? Which one is at the bottom? Were there any that you really just didn’t enjoy? What about guest stars? Did you have a favorite one of them during the holiday-themed episodes? Find and follow us on Twitter @capeandcastle to discuss all things Friends! Be sure to also check out our site for more articles, quizzes, podcasts, and more on all things Disney and beyond!