The 15 Funniest Thanksgiving Episodes in Sitcom History

Thanksgiving episodes are a classic tradition on American TV, known for their heartwarming and funny portrayals of families. Writers often put a lot of effort into these yearly episodes, using them to highlight what makes each character unique. The pressure of a big holiday meal, combined with being stuck with family, usually leads to hilarious situations. These episodes have become iconic and people still enjoy watching them every November.

‘New Girl’ (2011–2018) – “Thanksgiving”

Jess really wants to impress her favorite music teacher, so she invites him over for a holiday dinner, even though her roommates aren’t thrilled. They eventually agree to help her prepare a turkey dinner to win him over. But the evening takes an unexpected and grim turn when they find their elderly neighbor has passed away in her apartment. Now, they have to deal with the shocking discovery while also trying to fix their ruined dinner and salvage the evening.

‘The Middle’ (2009–2018) – “Thanksgiving II”

Frankie Heck goes to work on Thanksgiving hoping to snag a deal on a new dryer. Meanwhile, Mike and the kids are left to handle Thanksgiving dinner at home. Things get complicated when their very proper neighbors unexpectedly drop by to join the celebration, and the Hecks scramble to keep everything from falling apart as dinner plans go awry.

‘Community’ (2009–2015) – “Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations”

Jeff tries to skip Shirley’s Thanksgiving party to see his distant father. Meanwhile, the rest of the study group gets stuck in Shirley’s garage and jokingly plans an elaborate escape, imagining it like a scene from ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ as narrated by Abed. Eventually, they realize how much they depend on each other and rush to be there for Jeff when he faces his father.

‘Modern Family’ (2009–2020) – “Three Turkeys”

Phil and Claire attempt to make Thanksgiving dinner, relying heavily on a cooking app. When the power goes out, they have to move the whole meal to Jay and Gloria’s house. Meanwhile, Jay is desperately trying to keep his and Gloria’s secret trip to Mexico a secret – they were hoping to avoid the family gathering! This leads to a complicated and hilarious series of lies, including Jay hiding a cooked turkey inside a suitcase.

‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ (2013–2021) – “Thanksgiving”

Amy Santiago throws a Thanksgiving dinner hoping to convince Captain Holt to mentor her. Things get chaotic when someone accidentally sends the turkey down the toilet! Meanwhile, Holt and Jake have to leave to investigate a theft from the evidence room. In the end, the precinct winds up enjoying Chinese food together after solving the case and strengthening their teamwork.

‘Everybody Loves Raymond’ (1996–2005) – “No Fat”

Marie wanted to make Thanksgiving healthier this year, so she prepared a tofu turkey hoping to lower everyone’s cholesterol. However, her family was secretly horrified by the soy-based dish. They quietly ordered a traditional Thanksgiving dinner from a restaurant and planned to eat it hidden away in the kitchen. But their plan was discovered when Marie caught them enjoying the real turkey and all the classic sides.

‘Roseanne’ (1988–2018) – “We Gather Together”

As a big fan of realistic family shows, I remember this early episode of Roseanne so well. It revolves around a huge family dinner – you know, the kind with both sets of grandparents, and both sides are…let’s just say, opinionated! Roseanne is totally running around trying to keep everyone happy and get dinner on the table, all while navigating the tension between her mom and dad. Then, boom – a pretty big secret about their marriage gets revealed right at the dinner table! It really set the stage for how honestly the show portrayed everyday holidays for working-class families.

‘Bob’s Burgers’ (2011–Present) – “Turkey in a Can”

Bob meticulously brines his turkey for three days, but each morning, he discovers it floating in the toilet. This drives him to suspect his family is deliberately ruining his Thanksgiving, and he becomes increasingly frantic. Louise takes charge, trying to solve the mystery as Bob spirals from lack of sleep. Ultimately, they discover a family member sleepwalks and, while surprised, everyone embraces this unusual new tradition with affection.

‘Frasier’ (1993–2004) – “A Lilith Thanksgiving”

Frasier and Lilith visit an exclusive boarding school hoping to get their son, Frederick, accepted. They leave Martin and Niles in charge of Frederick while they meet with the school’s headmaster. Instead of focusing on the interview, Frasier and Lilith become fixated on a challenging logic puzzle, letting their pride get in the way and ultimately sabotaging their chances. Meanwhile, Martin happily enjoys a relaxed time with his grandson.

‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ (2005–Present) – “The Gang Squashes Their Beefs”

The gang attempts to make amends for their past misdeeds by hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for everyone they’ve ever wronged. The guest list includes notoriously difficult people like the McPoyles and Gail the Snail, immediately creating tension. While Mac and Dennis try to maintain order, Frank and Dee secretly plot revenge against their rivals. Predictably, the dinner falls apart as old conflicts reignite, and everyone finds themselves stuck in an apartment that catches fire.

‘How I Met Your Mother’ (2005–2014) – “Slapsgiving”

Marshall is about to cash in on the third of five slaps he won from Barney as the group celebrates their first Thanksgiving together. Barney spends the whole meal dreading the inevitable hit. Lily takes on the role of official rule-keeper to make sure everything is fair. This episode kicks off a beloved holiday tradition that fans still enjoy watching every year.

‘Seinfeld’ (1989–1998) – “The Mom and Pop Store”

Jerry mistakenly breaks a trophy and it falls onto a car, which George thinks belongs to actor Jon Voight. Whenever the group tries to talk to the car’s owner, Kramer keeps getting nosebleeds. Meanwhile, Elaine wins a radio contest for her boss, Mr. Pitt, and his prize is the honor of holding the Woody Woodpecker balloon in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Unfortunately, the balloon is destroyed because of all the trouble Jerry, George, Kramer, and Elaine cause.

‘Cheers’ (1982–1993) – “Thanksgiving Orphans”

With nowhere else to go for the holidays, the bar’s usual crowd ends up at Carla’s place. Diane attempts to create a festive, traditional dinner, but Norm has trouble with the turkey. As everyone gets hungrier, the tension builds, and the evening ultimately descends into a huge food fight, leaving everyone covered in food.

‘Friends’ (1994–2004) – “The One with All the Thanksgivings”

This episode is full of flashbacks to past Thanksgivings, where the friends share their most embarrassing holiday memories. We find out how Chandler lost a toe, and see Joey hilariously get his head stuck inside a turkey while trying to prank Chandler. Eventually, Monica ends up dancing with the turkey on her head as a way to apologize to Chandler, which surprisingly leads to a sweet confession of love.

‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ (1978–1982) – “Turkeys Away”

Arthur Carlson attempts a publicity stunt where turkeys are dropped from a helicopter, but it quickly turns into a disaster as the birds fall to the ground. Les Nessman provides on-the-scene reporting, reacting with extreme shock and alarm. The episode famously concludes with the station manager making a memorable comment about turkeys’ ability to fly.

Tell us which Thanksgiving sitcom moment makes you laugh the hardest in the comments.

2025-11-27 19:49