NBC
The holiday season is here and Us Weekly is here to remind you that your family isn’t as bad as you think they are.
So many TV shows have a classic Thanksgiving episode, and while some are heartwarming and wholesome, others are decidedly less so. In fact, the best Thanksgiving episodes of all time feature a dysfunctional family dinner.
But which TV family is the most unhinged? Us is here to rank some fictional dysfunction in all its glory. From the Roys to the Waldorfs, strap in and grab a festive fall cocktail.
Keep scrolling for a breakdown of the most dysfunctional TV families ranked by their Thanksgiving episodes:
Related: Best TV Thanksgiving TV Episodes to Rewatch on Turkey Day
What better way to spend Thanksgiving than rewatching some of the most memorable holiday TV episodes? Us Weekly has put together a list of must-watch episodes, which include everything from Marshall Erikson’s epic “Slapsgiving” song on How I Met Your Mother to Friends’ Chandler Bing accidentally blurting out “I love you” to Monica while she’s […]
10. ‘This Is Us’ Season 1, Episode 8: ‘Pilgrim Rick’
NBC
In no world are we ever, ever going to call Jack Pearson (Milo Ventimiglia) unhinged. The man was a perfect husband and father. However, Us would be remiss if there was no baseline when it came to normal TV families. It only goes downhill from here. Yes, both Jack and Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore) had some issues with their own family, but that almost never came into play with their own three kids.
This episode, which originally aired in November 2016, did start with bickering on the part of the Pearson family as they head to Rebecca’s parents’ house for Thanksgiving. After a fight with Rebecca’s parents, she reroutes the family to a motel run by a man called Pilgrim Rick. Back in modern day, Randall (Sterling K. Brown) hosts Thanksgiving for his whole family.
9. ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Season 9, Episode 10: ‘The Gang Squashes Their Beefs’
FX
The Gang is already an unhinged group of misfits that It’s Always Sunny viewers know and love. However, this episode is less about family and more about other feuds, which — spoiler alert — don’t get squashed.
The episode originally aired in November 2013, things become awkward for Dee (Kaitlin Olson), Mac (Rob McElhenney), Charlie (Charlie Kelly) Dennis (Glenn Howerton) and Frank (Danny DeVito) when they are forced to spend the holiday confronting old foes. As expected, this makes for a pretty interesting Thanksgiving dinner — and dysfunctional found family.
8. ‘Friends’ Season 5, Episode 8: ‘The One With All the Thanksgivings’
NBC
If you’re not watching this Friends episode every Thanksgiving, then what are you doing? Friends is the perfect example of a dysfunctional chosen family that anyone in their mid-20s can relate to — especially when it comes to the holidays.
The episode, which first aired in November 1998, went back in time and reminisced about past Thanksgivings. Monica (Courteney Cox) recalled when Chandler (Matthew Perry) called her fat when he was in college. She later lost weight and attempted to seduce Chandler — but cut off his toe. To make things even more unhinged, Monica puts a raw turkey on her head in modern day. (Yes, this is that episode.)
7. ‘Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage’ Season 1, Episode 5: ‘Thanksgiving’
Troy Harvey/Warner Bros.
It was a full family affair for Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage when the Young Sheldon cast finally reunited in the November 2024 episode. Of course, the episode has its fair share of drama.
This episode comes shortly after George Cooper Sr’s (Lance Barber) death on Young Sheldon. So, Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Mandy (Emily Osment) are determined to get his mother over for Thanksgiving. Mary (Zoe Perry) is in no mood to celebrate. Meanwhile, Mandy’s parents are having their own issues as Audrey (Rachel Bay Jones) grows frustrated with Jim’s (Will Sᴀsso) drunken antics while she slaved away in the kitchen.
6. ‘The O.C.’ Season 1, Episode 11: ‘The Homecoming’
FOX
Imagine a Thanksgiving at the Cohen house without chaos? It wouldn’t be The O.C. if that was the case.
The November 2003 episode has Ryan (Ben McKenzie) taking Marissa (Mischa Barton) to visit his brother in a Chino prison before heading back to Newport for their respective family Thanksgivings. Seth (Adam Brody) makes things even worse for the day when both Summer (Rachel Bilson) and Anna (Samaire Armstrong) are coming over for the holiday. Seth is seeing both of them at once and, as expected, this all comes to light.
5. ‘Gilmore Girls’ Season 3, Episode 9: ‘A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving’
The CW
Rory (Alexis Bledel) and Lorelai (Lauren Graham) are dysfunctional as a mother-daughter duo, but adding others to the mix makes holidays even worse than usual.
Related: Best ‘Gilmore Girls’ Episodes to Keep the Fall Vibes Going This Thanksgiving
If you’re out on the road feeling lonely and oh-so-cold, Gilmore Girls is the perfect comfort watch to warm you right up. The series, which premiered in 2000 and was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, follows single mom Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) as she raises her daughter, Rory (Alexis Bledel), while trying to reconnect with her […]
The episode premiered in November 2002 and follows the pair as they try to eat their way through four different Thanksgiving dinners. The dysfunction of it all comes in when they head to Emily (Kelly Bishop) and Richards (Edward Herrmann) for a traditional meal. Rory’s college plans get brought up at the dinner table and things get heated. Eventually, they head back to Luke’s where Rory’s love life amps up the drama as her new boyfriend Jess (Milo Ventimiglia) gets threatened by her ex Dean (Jared Padalecki).
4. ‘The Sopranos’ Season 3, Episode 8: ‘He Is Risen’
HBO
Being a mob family immediately puts this show high on the list, and as far as Thanksgivings go, The Sopranos have a doozy of a dinner in this April 2001 installment.
While Thanksgiving isn’t the focal point of the episode, there are some wild plot points: a death on the toilet, a boyfriend for Meadow (Jamie Lynn Sigler) and even Tony (James Gandolfini) finds himself a new goomar. The episode’s тιтle comes from a Christian rock songwriter visiting the Soprano home for Thanksgiving dinner who declares “he is risen” — wrong holiday, bud.
3. ‘Tell Me Lies’ Season 2, Episode 6: ‘Do Your Dirty Words Come Out to Play?’
Hulu
Thanksgiving brought out the worst in everyone when the Tell Me Lies found family is forced to spend the holiday together at Baird College.
After a failed attempt at cooking a full Thanksgiving dinner, the students all decide to get drunk and … slap each other in the face during the October 2024 episode. Stephen (Jackson White) continues to wreak havoc on his ex Lucy’s (Grace Van Patten) new relationship with Leo (Thomas Doherty) even causing them to break up at the end of the episode.
2. ‘Gossip Girl’ Season 1, Episode 9: ‘Blair Waldorf Must Pie’
The CW
No show loves a Thanksgiving episode more than Gossip Girl, and the first one is the most memorable. Plus, it shows off the high levels of dysfunction going on with Manhattan’s Elite.
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Airing in November 2007, this episode allowed viewers to see the old Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively) for the first time since she returned to New York City. Flashback scenes show her getting drunk and meeting Dan (Penn Badgley) for the first time before starting a water fight with Blair (Leighton Meester) and Nate (Chace Crawford).
1. ‘Succession’ Season 1, Episode 5: ‘I Went to Market’
HBO
The Roy family takes the cake — or pie — for most dysfunction during Thanksgiving, especially when it comes to this July 2018 episode.
Who remembers Logan Roy (Brian Cox) hitting his grandson in the face? We’ll never forget it. Or the introduction of Ewan (James Cromwell), thanks to his grandson, Cousin Greg (Nicholas Braun) driving to Canada to pick him up. A truly unmatched Thanksgiving episode. Us won’t judge if you skip dessert to watch.
