Thanksgiving With Friends
Author: Taelinn Dolivras
It seems that everyone I know who celebrates Thanksgiving has some kind of tradition for the holidays. For some, it's a dish that always appears on the table; for others, it is a shopping trip to take advantage of the sales around this time of year. I too have a Thanksgiving tradition despite no longer living in a country that celebrates the holiday. However, it has nothing to do with food, or shopping. My tradition is a little more... visual.
It all started a few years ago. My husband and I had just said goodbye to my parents, who had visited us for a month, and I was feeling a little homesick. To distract me, my husband suggested we watch some feel-good TV, and since we were only a few days from Thanksgiving, one of the local channels was showing Thanksgiving-themed episodes from a few popular American shows, including Friends. My husband asked me if I wanted to watch, and though I didn't really feel in the mood for reminders of a holiday I wasn't going to be able to celebrate with my family, I agreed. And after the first episode (Season One's "The One Where Underdog Gets Away") we ended up bringing out the Friends DVDs and watching each Thanksgiving episode in order.
The first time we watched them all, we didn't rate them; it was only after watching them the second time around that I made a comment about having a hard time choosing a favorite, and the end result of our discussion was a list of all the episodes from least favorite to favorite. Ever since, we have rated the episodes against each other and come up with the year's definitive ranking.
Before I get to the list, I do want to note that I don't think there is a "bad" Thanksgiving episode per se, but that there are so many great ones that the ones that are still good episodes ended up at the bottom of the list. Furthermore, as you will notice, our rating tends to change from year to year, and can vary in terms of our mood at the time we watch the episodes, or even what other season we have been watching recently. And finally, some of you may wonder why I already have the 2015 ranking finished when Thanksgiving isn't upon us just yet... it's because we tend to watch the episodes between Canadian and American Thanksgiving during school Fall holidays, which are usually the last two weeks of October.
Friends Thanksgiving Episodes Rating 2015
(in brackets, its position relative to last year's rating)
10) The One With the List - Season 2 (=)
Though this episode is a good one in the grand scheme of things, there are not a lot of references to Thanksgiving (except for all of the Mocklate recipes) and the Ross/Rachel drama doesn't bring any warm and fuzzy feelings. Despite the outdated computer always making my husband laugh, this episode always ends up being at the bottom of our list.
Favorite Quote:
Chandler: This must be so hard. ‘Two women love me. They’re both gorgeous and sexy. My wallet’s too small for my $50s and my diamond shoes are too tight!’
9) The One With the Late Thanksgiving - Season 10 (=)
Some people - my sister being one of them - thinks this episode should be higher on the list, and she always uses the end of the episode where Chandler and Monica find out that a woman is interested in having them adopt her baby as the reason why. Though I agree that the last third of the episode has some quite good moments - I'm thinking more of the floating heads and Joey getting stuck in the door - the rest of it is pretty lame (A baby beauty pageant? Really?) I will be the first to admit that I am quite sick of season 10, since it always seems to be broadcast on reruns here, and that may influence my feelings about this episode. Still, there are much better episodes on this list, and only the fact that there is a Thanksgiving dinner (and Monica's vein) save this one from being in last place.
Favorite Quote:
Joey: Hurry! I can't feel my ears!
Chandler: Can you ever feel your ears?
Joey: Interesting.
8) The One Where Chandler Doesn't Like Dogs - Season 7 (=)
I love the States game that Ross fails to win in this episode, as well as the revelations that Chandler doesn't like dogs, and Ross doesn't like ice cream. Rachel's crush on Tag and his presence at Thanksgiving dinner is also amusing, but because of the strength of the other Thanksgiving episodes, this one doesn't rank any higher.
Favorite Quotes:
Joey: This is all a moo point … It’s like a cow’s opinion. You know, it just doesn’t matter. It’s moo. (My pick)
Joey: Fine, take their advice. No one ever listens to me. When the package is this pretty, no one ever cares what's inside. (My husband's pick)
7) The One With Rachel's Other Sister - Season 9 (-1)
My husband and I love the episodes with Rachel's sisters, and this first appearance by Christina Applegate as Amy is one of our favorites. We love the dynamic between the two sisters, as well as their catfight and its resolution. Phoebe teaching Joey how to lie is also quite funny, as is Monica's extreme nervousness about using the good china, and I love how Chandler both redeems and condemns himself within the space of a few minutes. In fact, I'm not sure why this episode isn't higher on the list... it must be because the other episodes are just that good.
Favorite Quote:
Ross: A PhD is just as good as an MD.
Rachel: Oh, sure, Ross, yeah. If I have a heart attack at a restaurant I want you there with your fossil brush.
6) The One Where Underdog Gets Away - Season 1 (+1)
The one that started it all, this episode is a classic. Viewers are still learning about the cast at this point, so it's neat to see how this episode sets the stage for many Thanksgivings to come, with Monica taking charge in the kitchen to prepare the holiday treats, Chandler sharing why he hates Thanksgiving, and the whole gang coming together to celebrate, even if no one had really planned on it turning out that way. I still crack up every time Joey realizes that he has become the poster boy for VD, and the sequence where posters of him are shown around town while the Police song "Don't Stand So Close To Me" plays in the background. Plus the Ugly Naked Thanksgiving that cools everyones tempers and brings them all together is quite touching.
Favorite Quote:
Chandler: I know this isn't the kind of Thanksgiving that all of you all planned, but for me, this has been really great, you know, I think because it didn't involve divorce or projectile vomiting. Anyway, I was just thinking, I mean, if you'd gone to Vail, and if you guys'd been with your family, if you didn't have syphilis and stuff, we wouldn't be all together, you know? So I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm very thankful that all of your Thanksgivings sucked.
All: That's so sweet!
Ross: And hey, here's to a lousy Christmas.
Rachel: And a crappy New Year.
5) The One With Chandler In A Box - Season 4 (-2)
This episode has ranked higher in the past but for some reason this year it fell two spaces. Despite the humor in this episode, without the references to the Kathy-Chandler-Joey triangle shown in the season leading up to this, it doesn't have the same emotional pull. Still, the punishment Chandler endures to show Joey how much he cares about him is both touching and hilarious, as is Monica's eye-patch getup for her 'date' with her former boyfriend Richard's son and the aftermath of their kiss are quite funny, and the reconciliation between Joey and Chandler at the end definitely tugs at the heartstrings.
Favorite Quote:
Monica: Fine. Judge all you want to, but [to Ross] married a lesbian, [to Rachel] left a man at the altar, [to Phoebe] fell in love with a gay ice dancer, [to Joey] threw a girl’s wooden leg in a fire, and [to Chandler] live in a box!
4) The One With the Rumor - Season 8 (=)
Another episode that never fails to amuse. Sure, it's kind of sad now that Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston are divorced, but even if you can't forget about the real life events that hang over the episode, there's not a lot to dislike here. The rumor that Will, Pitt's character, and Ross started about Rachel being a hermaphrodite is hilarious, as are all of the references to Will's good looks and his struggle to eat well and be healthy. Joey's attempt to eat an entire turkey, complete with Phoebe's maternity pants to be more comfortable, is also a scream.
Favorite Quote:
Will: Look at her standing there with those yams. My two greatest enemies, Ross: Rachel Green and complex carbohydrates.
3) The One With the Football - Season 3 (+2)
For some reason, this episode spoke to us more this year. I suspect it partly has something to do with the fact that the gang seems so comfortable with their characters in this episode, and clearly had a lot of fun filming the sports sequences. The continuing sibling rivalry between Ross and Monica is also amusing, and the battle of the genders at the end, though a bit stereotypical, fits well with the overall tone of the show. My husband still gets a kick out of the ridiculous tactics used by both sides, such as Phoebe flashing Chandler so that her team can steal the ball, and Ross pantsing Monica so he can intercept a pass. And we both enjoy the final scene with the Geller siblings end up being the last two out on the field fighting over the ball.
Favorite Quote:
Rachel: We should definitely play football more often. Maybe there’s a like league we could join or something.
Phoebe: Isn’t there a national football league?
Chandler: Yes. Yes, there is, they play on Sundays and Monday nights.
Rachel: Oh shoot! I work Monday nights.
2) The One With All The Thanksgivings - Season 5 (=)
This episode runs a close second to the one that follows. I do love a good flashback, and it's always a blast to see the past versions of our favorite characters. And this one also has some of the quotes that seem to come up the most often in my discussions with family and friends. ("I'm going to spread the legs as wide as I can" and "More turkey, Mister Chandler?" immediately come to mind) Plus, there's not a lot that can beat seeing Joey and Monica walk around with turkeys on their heads.
Favorite Quote:
Chandler: No-no-no! I am the king of bad Thanksgivings. You can't just swoop in here with your bad marriage and take that away from me.
Rachel: Oh, you're not gonna tell the whole story about how your parents got divorced again are you?
Ross: Oh God, no.
Joey: Oh, come on! I wanna hear it! It wouldn't be Thanksgiving without Chandler bumming us out!
Chandler: It's a tradition, like the parade. If the parade decided it was gay, moved out, and abandoned its entire family.
1) The One Where Ross Got High - Season 6 (=)
Out of all of the Thanksgiving episodes, this one tops them all. There are just so many good things in this episode that it would take me an entire article to list them all. Rachel's disastrous trifle, the guest appearance of Monica and Ross's parents, and the list of secrets revealed by Monica and Ross about each other are only three of those hilarious moments that make this episode the best of the best. Having seen the episode with commentary, I have a new appreciation of how challenging it is to write and produce an episode with so many people and several intertwining storylines in such a small space. Everything happens in Monica's apartment, and we get the best (and worst) of each of the characters we know and love all wrapped up into one neat package. And the sign that this really is my top Thanksgiving episode pick is that I can watch it every year and still laugh as if I were watching it for the first time. A true classic.
Favorite Quotes:
Ross: What is with everyone today? It's Thanksgiving, not Truth Day! (My pick)
Ross: (After eating Rachel's trifle) It tastes like feet.
Joey: I like it!
Ross: Are you kidding?!
Joey: What's not to like? Custard, good. Jam, good. Meat, good! (My husband's pick)
As you can see, the episode ranking never stays static; every year we change our minds and debate about where each episode should fall on the scale from least favorite to best of the best. Even this year we had a hard time choosing the order, as my husband prefers the later seasons while I prefer the earlier ones, which sometimes leads to intense discussion about how the final list should look.
However, there is one thing that never changes: the feeling that no matter where I am or what is happening in my life, it's comforting to know that this tradition will endure and that I'll always have my Friends for Thanksgiving. I hope you enjoyed reading about my Thanksgiving tradition, and here's hoping you and your family and friends enjoy your own traditions this year as much as I have enjoyed sharing mine!
