Thanksgiving is officially upon us, bringing with it the seasonal mirth and good cheer of the holiday.
Along with long-awaited family reunions, action-packed football games, and heaping platters of food large enough to feed a small neighborhood, viewers can also look forward to the arrival of certain Thanksgiving-themed TV specials to rein in the looming festivities.
From fan-favorite sitcoms to groundbreaking animated series, here are some of the best holiday specials we recommend watching this Thanksgiving.
Anyone with separated parents knows the unparalleled stress brought upon the holidays. As an extension of this anxiety-riddled unease, New Girl’s “Parents” dives deep into the tumultuous Thanksgiving celebrations at Jess’s apartment, something further exasperated by Jess’s divorced parents. With Rob Reiner and Jamie Lee Curtis exceptionally cast as Jess’s quirky parental figures, “Parents” is a splendid New Girl special focusing on everything that makes Thanksgiving so important in the first place: family, friendship, and learning to set aside our differences and enjoy each other’s company (for at least for one day of the year, anyway).
Over the past three decades, The Simpsons has all but monopolized the Halloween season with their fan-favorite Treehouse of Horror series. A yearly installment of three or more Simpsons segments satirizing well-known horror properties, Treehouse of Horror has become something of a long-held tradition in The Simpsons’ universe, with millions tuning in each year to see what scares might await. Interestingly, in 2019, The Simpsons extended their spooky season into November, ushering in the similarly-veined trio of horror segments in “Thanksgiving of Horror.” Deftly lampooning Black Mirror, Apocalypto, and Alien, “Thanksgiving of Horror” proves that, if nothing else, The Simpsons is forever capable of mixing laughs with holiday-centric scares.
Every parent dislikes the idea of seeing their children grow up. Such is especially the case when a child takes their first steps towards adulthood, demonstrating more mature characteristics that signify their physical and emotional growth. Expounding upon this idea in a humorous yet heartrending way, “Turkey in a Can” makes for a fantastic Bob’s Burger episode with the perfect balance between humor and cathartic emotion. Blending the holidays with a whodunit-style central plot line, “Turkey in a Can” ends on a surprisingly heartfelt final note, encouraging us all to embrace change rather than fretting too fervently about the future.
Just as Treehouse of Horror is firmly tied to The Simpsons’ name, “Slapsgiving” remains a permanent fixture of How I Met Your Mother’s holiday canon. While we certainly adore the show’s later installments, there’s something special about HIMYM’s original “Slapsgiving” episode, specifically in regards to its treatment of Robin and Ted’s awkward post-breakup relationship. Navigating the oft confusing reality between whether or not they should remain friends, “Slapsgiving” delivers a stunning illustration of Ted and Robin’s unique friendship in HIMYM. (Of course, Marshall’s elaborate preparations for slapping Barney is also nothing short of hilarious, counterbalancing the episode’s bittersweet themes with a much-needed dose of comedy.)
Most amateur chefs fear one thing above all else: messing up a turkey on Thanksgiving. Taking that simple idea and exploring it to its fullest, Modern Family’s “Three Turkeys” unfolds with the signature screwball energy viewers have come to associate with the series. With various branching storylines centered around prospective issues upending the Dunphy-Pritchett-Tucker households, “Three Turkeys” is yet another marvelous Modern Family special satisfyingly suited for the holidays.
Friends has had many, many, many guest stars over the course of its 10-season run, but Brad Pitt might very well be the most well-known celebrity featured in a supporting role on the show. Debuting in Season 8’s “The One with the Rumor,” Pitt steals the entire episode as Ross’s high school best friend Will – a once gawky teenager who’s grown up to become a chiseled Adonis of Herculean good looks. Displaying a humorously passive aggressive attitude towards his former bully Rachel, every moment Will’s on-screen in Friends is laugh-out-loud hilarity – something made all the better once you realize Pitt and Jennifer Aniston were married at the time the episode was filmed.
Over 50 years since its arrival on mainstream television, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving remains every bit as beloved today as it was in 1973. Like its Peanuts counterparts in A Charlie Brown Christmas and It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, this seasonal special effortlessly dovetails approachable themes with child-friendly humor, ensuring a TV episode capable of being enjoyed by the whole family. If you had to watch only one holiday special to celebrate Thanksgiving, rest assured that you’d find no better alternative than this immortal animated classic.
