Thanksgiving episodes of the hit show Friends are as big a part of the holiday as turkey and stuffing. In the wake of a monthlong celebration of the series' 25th anniversary, fans will have the opportunity keep the party going by watching Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Chandler (Matthew Perry), Ross (David Schwimmer), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Monica (Courteney Cox) and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) gather together to give thanks on big screens across the country.
Whether you plan to celebrate turkey day with a tub of popcorn, Red Vines and hundreds of other fans or cuddle up at home waiting for The One with Brad Pitt, to show our gratitude, we have compiled a ranking of the 10 most memorable Friends' Thanksgiving fights. Gobble gobble.
Monica Cuts Off Chandler's Toe (Season 5, Episode 8)
One of the series' weaker holiday outings, "The One with All the Thanksgivings" reveals the reason behind Monica's dramatic weight loss is Chandler. This storyline comes out of nowhere, and it feels like a forced way to create both friction and history between the couple.
Are fans supposed to believe Chandler forgets two consecutive Thanksgivings at the Gellers, including one where he loses part of an appendage? Chandler's outrage over an incident he doesn't even remember makes no sense. Surely, there had to be a better way to explain Monica sticking her head up a dead turkey's butt.
Everyone Shows Up Late For Dinner (Season 10, Episode 8)
The show's final Thanksgiving episode is a disappointing one. After manipulating Monica into preparing dinner, Phoebe, Rachel, Ross and Joey all show up an hour late. There are funny bits: Chandler's obsessive enthusiasm about his homemade cranberry sauce (the only dish he makes), the disembodied heads of the late arrivals pleading their case through a chained apartment door and Phoebe, Ross, and Rachel shoving Brussel sprouts down Joey's pants.
But this milestone isn't infused with the sentimentality it deserves. While Monica's anger is understandable, her unwillingness to forgive the others is just as unflattering as her friends' shared lack of consideration.
Rachel's Sister Wants To Raise Emma (Season 9, Episode 8)
Christina Applegate makes her first appearance as Rachel's self-involved sister Amy, but the real guest of honor at Thanksgiving dinner is Monica and Chandler's wedding china. Fans may not see the girl fight between Rachel and the self-involved Amy coming, but there's plenty of foreshadowing that Monica's beloved fancy dishes will be collateral damage.
Nobody is safe from Amy's insults whether intended or backhanded least of all Rachel who Amy is completely, absurdly and unapologetically insulated from anything that doesn't interest her, but she's the catalyst for an insecure and underestimated Chandler to step up and demonstrate his made parenting skills. Amy's antics reinforce why fans' favorite friends steer clear of family over the holidays.
Chandler & Joey Compete For A Girl (Season 3, Episode 9)
As Monica and Ross work through some serious family issues during a game of touch football, Chandler and Joey find themselves competing for the affections of a Dutch woman named Margha (Susanna Midnight). Margha has no skin in this game. She's just a stranger in a strange land hanging out alone in a park. This is just a not-so-friendly attempt for Chandler and Joey to prove who has game, and who will be stuck sitting on the sidelines.
It's pretty well-established throughout the series nobody wants to go up against Joey when it comes to wooing women, but Chandler's in desperate need of a win after losing in love with none other than ... Janice (Maggie Wheeler). Both boys get what they deserve for treating a woman like nothing more than a human equivalent of the Geller Cup, but it never gets old watching Joey try to figure out Western European geography.
Ross Accuses Rachel Of Not Being Sentimental (Season 4, Episode 8)
After briefing reunited at the start of season 4, Rachel and Ross are very much off again by Thanksgiving. This doesn't stop Ross from being hurt and angry when he finds out Rachel exchanges every gift she's ever given, including ones from him.
Fans know Ross is never one to let things go given the whole "We were on a break thing," and he hassles Rachel relentlessly about her love of store credit. Rachel pulls out a shoebox full of memorabilia from their time together, reminding us just how much of a jerk Ross can be, and how stupid he was for letting her get away. It also gives fans a heads up that while this chapter of their romance is closed, the book isn't finished.
Rachel Finds Out About Her Teeny Weenie (Season 8, Episode 9)
Aniston's then-husband Brad Pitt makes an appearance playing Monica's high school pal, Will. But the sparks that fly between Rachel and Monica's formerly overweight friend aren't the romantic kind. Rachel learns Will and Ross were the founders and two most enthusiastic members of the I Hate Rachel Green Club. This walk down memory lane reveals Ross and Will started the rumor that Rachel was a hermaphrodite. Yes, they gave her a teeny weenie.
Props to the writers for creating such absurd gossip and for the reveal of a much more plausible skeleton in Ross' closet: an illicit romance with the school's elderly librarian. This is so on-brand for Ross. It's a fun episode, stuffed with almost as silliness as Joey is with turkey.
Joey Punishes Chandler (Season 4, Episode 8)
When saying sorry for kissing your best friend's girl isn't enough, another way to go is spending eight hours in a shipping crate.
There isn't much actual on-screen fighting going on between the Joey and Chandler, but Joey isn't a happy camper, and Chandler's not winning him over with this trademark humor. The logic behind the box punishment is wonky at best, but it makes not just for a memorable moment for the show but TV in general.
Ross And Monica Spill Each Other's Secrets (Season 6, Episode 9)
There is so much good stuff going on in this episode: Phoebe's sexually charged dreams about Ross and Monica's dad, Rachel's meat and custard trifle and Joey's singular focus to ditch dinner and spend the day ogling hot dancers. But it wouldn't be a holiday gathering without family friction, and some of the best moments on the show occur when Monica and Ross act more like brother and sister than friends.
Ross' pathological need to be the favorite child leads to his downfall as Monica throws him under the bus, and Ross retaliates, divulging Monica is living with Chandler. "The One Where Ross Got High" is the perfect amalgamation of everything great about Friends.
The Gang Gets Locked Out Of The Apartment (Season 1, Episode 9)
Season 2 features the series' first Thanksgiving episode, "The One Where Underdog Gets Away," and Monica is uncharacteristically frazzled over preparing dinner for her friends. Things go awry when the gang finds themselves locked out of Monica and Rachel's apartment. This leads to an argument between the roommates that turns into a full-blown meltdown over the disappointing holiday.
There comes a time in every 20-something's life when they realize they can't always go home again. Transitioning into adulthood can be bittersweet, but it provides opportunities to start new traditions -- like fighting, making up, being grateful for what you have, and celebrating over grilled cheese sandwiches with your best friends.
Ross & Monica Battle Over The Geller Cup (Season 3, Episode 9)
Not only is "The One with the Football" the best Friends' Thanksgiving episode, but it's also one of the show's all-time greatest episodes. Everything about it works, but the driving force behind its success is the sibling rivalry between Ross and Monica. Their usual jabs are a bit sharper, and fans get a good first look at Monica's competitive streak. Ross proves to be a bit of a whiner and both are equally obnoxious whether they're winning or losing.
Joey and Chandler are immersed in their own subplot, but Phoebe is content to go with the flow, and Rachel finally learns what it's like to not be one of the cool kids. The result is a nostalgic longing for those days on the playground when grievances could be hashed out and forgotten before dinnertime as long as the Geller Cup wasn't up for grabs.