Originally posted in 2021; edited for content and clarity.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Most of us have our Thanksgiving viewing favorites, and while football and Planes, Trains and Automobiles are classic staples (as is my dad’s personal fave, watching the backs of his eyelids), here are some not-so-traditional suggestions:
- Friends, “The One Where Ross Got High”
Everyone has their favorite Friends Thanksgiving episode. My informal poll on Twitter yielded a clear winner, “The One with All the Thanksgivings”, which is my runner-up. My personal fave? “The One Where Ross Got High”, because of this scene…
…and this scene:
You can stream Friends on Max.
- Dan in Real Life
The supporting cast of this charming romantic comedy is to die for – John Mahoney, Dianne Wiest, Allison Pill, Amy Ryan, and Jessica Hecht, among others – but at its core is the delightful Steve Carell. Carell’s Dan is a widower with three daughters, spending Thanksgiving weekend at his family’s oceanside house. On a trip to town, Dan meets Marie (the lovely Juliette Binoche) and finds himself attracted to her, only to return home and discover that Marie is his brother’s girlfriend.
You can stream Dan in Real Life on Disney+.
- How I Met Your Mother, “Slapsgiving”
Marshall has promised Barney the third slap in their ongoing slap bet before sundown on Thanksgiving, and the entire affair is très awkward because exes Robin and Ted slept together the night before. Oh, and Robin’s new beau Bob is in attendance. Slap bet commissioner Lily, hosting her first Thanksgiving, finally breaks the tension by allowing the slap, and the results are hilarious. My favorite part? Marshall’s post-slap serenade.
You can stream How I Met Your Mother on Hulu.
- Addams Family Values
Best. Thanksgiving. Pagent. EVER.
Addams Family Values is available to stream on Paramount+.
- WKRP in Cincinnati, “Turkeys Away”
The plot is simple: bumbling station manager Arthur Carlson intends to pull off the biggest promotion in the history of WKRP by dropping live turkeys out of a helicopter. Fortunately for the viewer, it doesn’t go well, leading to one of the funniest lines in television history: “As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly!”
WKRP in Cincinnati is available to stream on Apple TV and iTunes.
- The Ice Storm
Based on Rick Moody’s novel, Ang Lee’s gorgeous ode to 1970s suburban dysfunction is set over the long holiday weekend, culminating in the titular weather event the day after Thanksgiving. The cast – headlined by Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, and BAFTA winner Sigourney Weaver – is divine. The Ice Storm isn’t an easy watch, but if you’re in the mood for a tragedy, this could be the perfect option.
You can stream The Ice Storm on Max.
- Cheers, “Thanksgiving Orphans”
“Thanksgiving Orphans”, which originally aired on November 27, 1986, was ranked seventh by TV Guide on their list of the 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time. It is best remembered for its climactic food fight and the long-awaited appearance of Norm Peterson’s oft-heard but previously unseen wife Vera.
Cheers is available to stream on Peacock, Hulu, and Paramount+.
- Home for the Holidays
Home for the Holidays, the second feature film from director Jodie Foster, stars Holly Hunter as Claudia, whose personal and professional lives are a mess. When her teenage daughter decides to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia opts to visit her dysfunctional family. The supporting cast (Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, Geraldine Chaplin, Robert Downey Jr, Dylan McDermott, Steve Guttenberg, Cynthia Stevenson, Claire Danes, Austin Pendleton, and David Strathairn) is an absolute embarrassment of riches.
You can stream Home for the Holidays on Showtime and Hoopla.
- A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
The Peanuts Thanksgiving special turns 50 this year! Although it’s not quite as iconic as its Christmas counterpart, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is a delight nonetheless. The special, which earned Charles M. Schulz a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Children’s Programming, features the music of Vince Guaraldi and a storyline where children are inexplicably responsible for preparing Thanksgiving dinner. In 2023, the pro-Pilgrim message feels terribly dated, but I still love the interplay between BFF’s Snoopy and Woodstock.
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving is available for streaming on Apple TV.
Peanut Butter and Julie 