A Complete List of All the 'Friends' Thanksgiving Episodes (2024)

Every sitcom needs at least one Thanksgiving episode where the beloved characters bond over the madness surrounding this holiday. Many fans ofFriends might remember that the series did not have just one Thanksgiving episode, however. There were multiple, and they were all iconic in their own way.

Since Thanksgiving is upon us, there is no better way to celebrate than to kick back and relax with Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler (Matthew Perry), and Ross (David Schwimmer). Keep reading to get a list of everyFriends Thanksgiving episode and to find out which celebrity makes an appearance at a Thanksgiving episode of Friends, what the cast ate, and where you can watch the episodes in 2021.

Is there a Thanksgiving episode in every season of ‘Friends’?

A Complete List of All the 'Friends' Thanksgiving Episodes (1)

Some shows are known for going big on certain holidays. For example, The Simpsons has been legendary at giving viewers a scare on Halloween with itsTreehouse of Horror specials. Meanwhile,Bob’s Burgers is known for having some interesting Valentine’s Day episodes.

When it comes to Thanksgiving, it seems thatFriendsis currently the undefeated champion. Every season, the series had a Thanksgiving episode, and the show gave no other holiday this same treatment. Some people even citeFriends as the source behind the popularity of the term “Friendsgiving” in recent years.

Which ‘Friends’ episodes have Thanksgiving?

So how many Thanksgivings did Friends celebrate? The show ran for 10 seasons, which means that there are 10 Thanksgiving episodes in total. If you’re looking to binge-watch the 10 iconic episodes, then here’s a Friends Thanksgiving episode list.

Season 1, Episode 9 – “The One Where Underdog Got Away.” The inaugural Friends Thanksgiving episode set the table for how the series portrayed the holiday. Monica’s plans for a quiet Thanksgiving quickly fall apart as all the characters end up at her apartment. And when the Underdog float breaks free during the parade, the gang accidentally locks themselves out of the apartment.

Season 2, Episode 8– “The One With the List.” Season 2 went a little lighter on the Thanksgiving angle. NBC required all Thursday night shows in 1995 to have a holiday theme. Writers added a storyline involving Monica attempting to incorporate “Mockloate,” synthetic chocolate, into Thanksgiving recipes to meet that requirement. However, the episode’s most memorable plotline involves Ross’ ill-fated list of pros and cons about Rachel.

Season 3, Episode 9 – “The One With the Football.” Football is just as synonymous with Thanksgiving as food. It’s no surprise that a Friends Thanksgiving episode features the sport. In season 3, the group decides to play a friendly football game, bringing up memories of the Geller Bowl for Monica and Ross. The sibling rivalry overtakes the game, and the two continue to wrestle over the ball long after the rest of the gang leaves to eat dinner.

Season 4, Episode 8 – “The One With Chandler in a Box.” In this Thanksgiving episode, Monica injures her eye while preparing dinner. Her trip to the eye doctor leads her to meet Timothy, who happens to be the son of her ex, Richard. Monica invites Timothy to Thanksgiving dinner, and the two share a kiss. However, it reminds her too much of Richard for her to pursue a relationship.

Season 5, Episode 8 – “The One With All the Thanksgivings.” The 1998 Thanksgiving episode featured Friends flashbacks as each member of the group recalled their worst Thanksgiving. From severed toes to Joey’s turkey head, the stories included one absurd twist after another.

Season 6, Episode 9 – “The One Where Ross Got High.” It’s a Gellar family reunion in season 6. Monica and Ross’ parents join the group for Thanksgiving. Chandler attempts to impress the Gellars but finds out they think he’s a pothead based on Ross’s lie in college. Meanwhile, Rachel makes dessert, resulting in a trifle with a layer of beef.

When you're too excited for Thanksgiving… pic.twitter.com/A93wNe7IBw

— FRIENDS (@FriendsTV) November 11, 2020

Season 7, Episode 8 – “The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs.” Rachel gets excited when her assistant, Tag, agrees to spend Thanksgiving with the gang. On the other hand, Chandler is less than thrilled to discover Phoebe hiding a dog in the apartment, thus exposing his fear of dogs.

Season 8,Episode 9 – “The One With the Rumor.” The season 8 Thanksgiving episode stands out to Friends fans thanks to guest star Brad Pitt as Will Colbert. Jennifer Aniston’s then-husband played a high school classmate bullied by Rachel. The episode also featured Joey single-handedly eating a 19-pound turkey.

Season 9, Episode 8 – “The One With Rachel’s Other Sister.” Another guest star appeared in season 9’s Thanksgiving episode. Christina Applegate played Amy, Rachel’s inconsiderate sister. She starts a fight over who gets Emma if anything happens to Rachel and Ross.

Season 10, Episode 8 – “The One With the Late Thanksgiving.” The final Friends Thanksgiving episode is a roller coaster. Monica and Chandler become furious with the rest of the group for showing up late to dinner. However, their mood quickly changes when they receive the news they’ve been selected to adopt a baby.

Related

Did the ‘Friends’ Cast Really Eat While Filming Their Thanksgiving Episodes?

How you can watch these ‘Friends’ Thanksgiving episodes

After a successful stint on Netflix introduced Friends to a new generation of fans, the sitcom moved streaming homes to HBO Max in 2020. A reunion special brought the Friends cast together to celebrate the HBO Max launch.

HBO Max subscribers can find all 10 Friends Thanksgiving episodes on the service along with every other episode and the 2021 reunion special.

For Thanksgiving 2021, TBS will air a Friends Thanksgiving marathon. It starts at 1:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, Nov. 25.

A Complete List of All the 'Friends' Thanksgiving Episodes (2024)

FAQs

A Complete List of All the 'Friends' Thanksgiving Episodes? ›

The hit sit-com not only makes for great television, but it also has some of the best Thanksgiving episodes out there. There are 10 episodes related to the holiday, so watching one year-after-year could be a new Thanksgiving tradition that you start!

How many Thanksgiving episodes were there on Friends? ›

The hit sit-com not only makes for great television, but it also has some of the best Thanksgiving episodes out there. There are 10 episodes related to the holiday, so watching one year-after-year could be a new Thanksgiving tradition that you start!

How can I watch all the friends Thanksgiving episodes? ›

The most obvious place to stream is through HBO Max, where subscriptions start at $15.99 per month for the basic ad-free plan after a free 7-day trial. Depending on your cable and TV provider, you may also already have access to HBO Max for free or a discounted price. Check to see if you already have access here.

Which season of Friends did not have Thanksgiving? ›

While the series skipped a proper Thanksgiving episode in season two (despite the Mockolate treats Courteney Cox's Monica prepares, the main storyline revolves around the love triangle between Rachel Jennifer Aniston's Rachel, David Schwimmer's Ross and Lauren Tom's Julie), the other nine seasons brought memorable ...

Why are there so many Thanksgiving episodes of Friends? ›

Thompson believes the Friends Thanksgiving episodes were so important because they served big purposes creatively, too. "[Writers] used those episodes for some really important moments... Ross and Rachel have one of their first fights in ["The One With the List"].

What is the least popular Friends episode? ›

But just because “The One With the Invitation” is currently the lowest-rated Friends episode doesn't mean it has to stay that way forever. If it's your personal favorite, you can always register for IMDb and give it 10 stars.

What app has all seasons of Friends? ›

Max currently has all 10 seasons of the show streaming on its platform, making it the Central Perk of streaming services. Subscriptions to Max begin at $9.99 a month (with ads). If you have Amazon Prime, you can also add Max on to your Prime subscription and enjoy a weeklong free trial after doing so.

How many hours does it take to watch all the friends episodes? ›

It takes about 80 hours to watch the 236 episodes which cover all the seasons of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. But if you skip the intro theme song in each of the episode (which is about 1 minute), you can save 236 minutes (about 4 hours).

Where was Friends filmed? ›

Filming took place at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, California.

What season of Friends is Joey doesn't share food? ›

F R I E N D S | “Joey doesn't share food!!” 🍟 The One with the Birth Mother. (Season 10, Episode 9.) #friends | Instagram.

What episode of Friends is the first Thanksgiving? ›

Season 1, Episode 9: "The One Where Underdog Gets Away" The first-ever Friends Thanksgiving episode earns a spot near the top of the list in part because it's the first, setting the precedent for great episodes to come.

What years are the Thanksgiving flashbacks in Friends? ›

As the six friends are telling stories about the past Thanksgivings, they reveal Joey got his head stuck into a turkey back in 1992, while in The One with the Flashback (1996) it is revealed that Joey moved in Chandler's apartment in 1993, meeting the rest of the friends (except Rachel) then.

Why is there no 9 11 episode of Friends? ›

Friends had to rework an episode in Season 8 due to a joke from Chandler that was deemed insensitive due to the 9/11 tragedy. The writers decided not to address 9/11 directly in the show, but included subtle nods and tributes throughout the season, such as American flags and notes on the etch-a-sketch on Joey's door.

What is vd in Friends? ›

In the iconic 90s sitcom, Matt Leblanc's character Joey Tribbiani is mortified after discovering his face plastered on billboards with the slogan 'VD [venereal disease] – you never know who might have it'.

Which Friends episode had Brad Pitt? ›

S8 E9: In this Thanksgiving episode, special guest star Brad Pitt plays Will, Monica's high school friend who was the only student fatter than Monica was. She invites him to Thanksgiving dinner with the gang, unaware that he isn't exactly fond of Rachel.

How many minutes were Ross and Joey late for Thanksgiving? ›

Phoebe, Rachel, Ross, and Joey all come back 45 minutes late for dinner. Monica and Chandler are furious that no one turned up on time for the meal they didn't even want to cook in the first place, so they lock everybody out.

Was there a 9 11 episode of Friends? ›

Friends had to rework an episode in Season 8 due to a joke from Chandler that was deemed insensitive due to the 9/11 tragedy. The writers decided not to address 9/11 directly in the show, but included subtle nods and tributes throughout the season, such as American flags and notes on the etch-a-sketch on Joey's door.

What is the Thanksgiving episode in season 6 of Friends? ›

The One Where Ross Got High

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