Well, it’s Thanksgiving again and it’s been a hard year so I thought it was time to finally complete our FRIENDS Thanksgiving episode review and share it here for all of you since our Christmas list has been pretty popular. And just to help get you in the mood, order this “Thanksgiving Pants” towel for your kitchen next year. It’s such a subtle but amazingly fun nod to one of the best FRIENDS episodes ever! Do you know (without looking!) which one it is?? Drop a comment and let me know!
Season 1 Episode 9: The One Where Underdog Gets Away
Overall episode number: 10
Ranking: 🦃 🦃 🦃 🦃 🦃 5/5 Turkeys
Everyone’s plans get wrecked, even Monica’s (who is making her first Thanksgiving dinner) so the six friends find themselves all enjoying their backup plan. This is the first Thanksgiving episode and it’s one of the best. From Joey’s helpless health problems to Rachel and Monica fighting over who had the “key–ees” and ending with Chandler’s very touching toast, this one feels a bit like a favorite old sweatshirt that always fits comfortably.
Best lines: “No thank you, I prefer to keep a safe distance from all this merriment.”
“Hey Monica, I have a question, I don’t see any tatertots.”
“I’m very thankful that all of your Thanksgivings sucked. and here’s to a lousy Christmas and a crappy new year.”
Season 2 Episode 8: The One with the List
Overall 32
Ranking: 🦃 🦃 2/5 Turkeys
I don’t love this one because of the sad avoidable relationship drama between Ross and Rachel (not to mention Monica’s funny but ridiculous Mockolate storyline) but the cold opening is so funny with the comparison of the girls and the guys retelling the story of the kiss. I personally love when Chandler is struggling with the printer help line because I relate so deeply to printers just being a royal pain.
Best lines: “Oh no, two women love me. They are both gorgeous and sexy. My wallet’s two small for my fifties and my diamond shoes are two tight.”
“Oh sweet Lord, this is what evil must taste like!”
Bonus: Phoebe’s dramatic song is one of the best moments of the episode, of course.
Season 3 Episode 9: The One with All the Football
Overall 57
Ranking: 🦃 🦃🦃 🦃 4/5
We like this one but Wyatt likes it more than I do so most of the turkeys are coming from him here. Competitive Monica is always fun, and football Pheobe is pretty great too. Poor Rachel and her pretzel. The guys are ridiculous but it leads to some great lines and theo whole game leads to some entertaining physical comedy. There are some iconic fashion looks in this episode. Also, it’s pretty clever that the oven timer is the game timer.
Best lines: “Is everybody else seeing a troll doll nailed to a 2×4?”
Monica: “Phoebe, I thought you said you know what you’re doing?
Phoebe: I thought you meant in life.”
Phoebe: I thought you meant in life.”
And also, it gave us the ever useful “Bunny up!”
Season 4 Episode 8: The One with Chandler in a Box
Overall 81
Ranking 🦃 🦃🦃🍗 3.5/5
We have the rather disturbingly funny storyline with Monica but we also have the disturbingly painful fight between Joey and Chandler. Them fighting is almost as heartbreaking as Ross and Rachel…or maybe more so? Anyway, Chandler in the box leads to some really great lines and Monica going off on all her friends’ dating failures is pretty fabulous. The secret Santa storyline adds some extra comedic gold.
Best lines: “It’s like inviting a Greek tragedy over for dinner.” and then “I could see where I’d be your best shot, but no.” (when the girls are talking about Monica and Richard’s son.
“You’re not supposed to take these. It’s like a million years old. We actually have people looking for that.”
Joey and Chandler at the end is one of the happiest moments. “You did some real good thinking in there!”
Season 5 Episode 8: The One With All the Thanksgivings
Overall 105
Ranking 🦃 🦃 🦃 🦃 4/5
I love a “flashback Monica” episode and this one is pretty great–Monica’s attempts at seduction with the carrot fingers makes me laugh, especially when compared to Rachel’s instructions (it’s such a clever comparison that she’s doing exactly what Rachel says but so differently!)…but also based on how their personalities are reflected in the current season’s present times. (Remember when Rachel tries to seduce Joshua??) But…honestly, I think Chandler is way too hard on Monica. Though, he does forgive her pretty easily and say the L word for the first time! Plus, Joey’s monologue on women’s underwear is pretty darn epic.
Best lines:
“Of course it smells bad, you’ve got your head up a dead animals’s a**”
“Joey, now is not the time!”
“I miss the tip. It’s the best part.”
“That’s because you’re brand new!”
Season 5 Episode 9: The One with Ross’s Sandwich
Overall 106
Ranking 🦃 🦃 🦃 🦃 4/5
This episode is a bonus because of the leftover sandwich content but because it’s at the height of the hilarious and wonderful Monica and Chandler sneaking around, it’s worth the watch during your Thanksgiving binge. And honestly, other than the “I could eat some chicken” bathtub moment, it has the best hikinks. So, even though Ross’s storyline is ridiculous (though funny?!) I really enjoy this episode. Add in Phoebe and Rachel and their literature class and this one is just too fun. We also get a fun Ross falling over the sofa moment. Plus, this episode introduces us to the Moistmaker and honestly, it sounds…amazing, right?
Best lines:
“Sorry I’m late, but I left late.”
I have this on a sweatshirt and it’s one of my favorite things and I get so many compliments on it…but I always have to explain that it’s from FRIENDS because they don’t know it’s something Rachel. CHECK IT OUT HERE.
“Someone ate the only good thing going on in my life!”
“He takes naked pictures of us and then he eats chicken and he looks at them!”
Season 6 Episode 9: The One where Ross Got High
Overall 130
Ranking: 🦃 🦃 🦃 🦃🦃 5/5
I love this episode so much. From the cold open to the peak moment of Judy addressing all the ridiculous going on–this is pure Thanksgiving gold. Joey and Ross wanting to leave the dinner early, Rachel’s dessert adventures, Monica and Chandler being paranoid about their relationship–it’s all so good. Also, the loophole that gets Phoebe out of the dessert is…*chefs kiss* P.S. Have you seen the bloopers with Ross shoving too much dessert in his mouth? It’s totally worth tracking down. But Joey loving the dessert is even easier. I mean, you can’t much more classic than a good ol’ FRIENDS trifle.
Best lines:
“Offering people gum…is not cooking.”
“It’s Thanksgiving, not truth day!”
“What’s not to like? Custard? Good. Jam? Good. Meat.? Goood!”
“Oh my God, he dream cheated on you!”
Season 7 Episode 9: The One where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs
Overall 130
Ranking: 🦃 🦃 2/5
Chandler’s storyline is just ok though it leads to a fun revelation about Ross and ice cream. Rachel has some comedy too, but I don’t like Tag at all. I love that Joey is ready to eat once he puts his sweatpants on and that Ross struggles so much with a simple game…but honestly, is it simple? I’m sure I’d fail this episode’s game too. But Chandler conquers his fear and Rachel takes a (perhaps misguided risk) that pays off, so things are working out great. Honestly, this one is forgettable, but worth the watch for a marathon of Thanksgiving episodes.
Best lines:
“It’s like a cow’s opinion. It doesn’t matter. It’s moo.”
Monica: Yes, there is! He’s black and white and shaggy, and he’s sitting next to Rachel and licking Rachel’s hand.
Phoebe: Oh, my God! Where are you?
Monica: I’ll be right there. [knock at the door]
Phoebe: They’re here already? How are they doing this?!
Phoebe: Oh, my God! Where are you?
Monica: I’ll be right there. [knock at the door]
Phoebe: They’re here already? How are they doing this?!
Season 8 Episode 9: The One with the Rumor
Overall 179
Ranking: 🦃 🦃🦃🦃🦃 5/5
Thsi used to be my very favorite Pregnant Rachel is fun, but Joey eating the whole turkey is even better and then the guest star?? This is the episode that I saw during high school that made me fall in love with the show. I was into Brad Pitt at the time and honestly, though my feelings for him have cooled almost completely, my feelings about this episode have not. It’s so funny and so clever. I love Phoebe and Chandler’s little storyline. I also love Rache’s cluelessness about how her high school vibes have affected other people–and Joey’s protectiveness of her…and Phoebe’s infatuation with Will. “It’s exactly how I imagined it would be!” Oh, and Thanksgiving pants…it’s a whole vibe. (And a vibe you can have in your kitchen, too–thanks to this towel!
Best lines:
Joey: “Let me explain to you how the human body works. I have to warm up my stomach first.”
Will: “I actually know what you’re talking about and you can eat and eat and nothing will ever fill that void.”
Joey: “Who the hell is this guy?”
“You can’t have Thanksgiving without turkey. That’s like Fourth of July without apple pie, or Friday with no two pizzas.”
“It’s no fat, no sugar, no dairy… It’s no good, throw it out.”
“That’s right, ’cause I’m a Tribbiani, and this is what we do. We may not be great thinkers or world leaders, we don’t read a lot or run very fast, but dammit we can eat!”
Seriously so fun, right?
Season 9 Episode 8: The One with Rachel’s Other Sister
Overall 202
Ranking: 🦃🦃🦃🍗 3.5/5
This isn’t my favorite but there are still some really great moments and honestly, a bad Thanksgiving episode is still a good episode. Guest stars can be fun but Rachel’s sister is just so unlikable. I know that’s the point, but it’s still just a downer for me. Though, I do LOVE when she’s describing Ross to Ross and honestly, the snark from Ross is at an all time high with her and I love when Ross is funny and not pathetic. Plus, Joey’s storyline with his inability to lie seems a little inconsistent with his character—I mean we’ve met Ken Adams. And Chandler has a sort of pathetic freak out that isn’t my favorite, though I do love a good “Chandler fixes things and proves he’s the wisest one of all of them” moment, and this one is especially bright because of what happens to the dishes right after!
Best lines:
“How about this? You could treat me like an equal…or talk down to me like a child…”
“For the rest of our lives, I’ll be careful until told otherwise!”
Season 10 Episode 8: The One with the late Thanksgiving
Overall 226
Ranking: 🦃🦃🦃🍗 3.5/5
This is, again, not one of the best Thanksgiving episodes but it’s still totally worth a watch, especially since it’s the last one. The scene in the hallway is so funny and there is some pretty clever writing. This sounds terrible, but the line in the baby pageant about a guy not being there with a kid hits different as a parent and really just puts a creepy vibe on things, and that storyline isn’t my favorite anyway. But, this episode did give us the gift of rock, paper, scissors, fire, water balloon! (And I still ended it with tears in my eyes at Monica and Chandler’s excitement over their adoption news.)
Best lines:
“Don’t you put words in people’s mouths. You put turkey in people’s mouths!”
“I got mugged. They stole my pocket.”
“You know what? I don’t want to be with them either but it’s Thanksgiving and we should not want to be together, together!” (Which is SUCH a beautiful reminiscent moment that harks back to the very first season!)
Alright, there you have it. The best and worst FRIENDS Thanksgiving episodes according to Wyatt and I. But what you really need is to make your own ranking. Get watching and get ranking.
If you need to snag your own set of complete episodes, this is the Blueray set we have and the quality is so much better than the DVDs…but the episodes are the cut versions so be aware of that if you’re a purist! If you want the full, uncut episodes of FRIENDS, this is the set you want! And don’t forget your Thanksgiving pants towel!
Happy Thanksgiving!
