A new study into Thanksgiving TV statistics has shown that Friends completely dominates when it comes to Turkey Day, with all ten of its Thanksgiving episodes making the list of most-watched Thanksgiving TV. Friends is one of the most beloved and popular sitcoms of all time - it defines the 1990s and is still a huge part of the current cultural zeitgeist. Created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, the NBC comedy aired from 1994-2004 and made its six main actors international superstars.
As the title suggests, Friends follows a group of six friends in New York weathering the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of adulthood. It’s clear from the beginning that the six friends are more like family (literally, in Ross (David Schwimmer) and Monica’s (Courtney Cox) case). That sentiment is officially cemented in the first season when their original plans all fall through, and the gang ends up celebrating an unconventional but happy Thanksgiving together. "The One Where Underdog Gets Away" was the first of ten Friends Thanksgiving episodes across ten seasons, and many are considered to be some of the show’s very best episodes.
Now, Friends has officially been crowned as the very best of Thanksgiving TV. In a study conducted by USDISH, the season 2 episode, "The One With The List," was revealed to be the most-watched Thanksgiving episode of all time, drawing in a very impressive 32.9 million viewers when it first aired in 1995. In addition, all ten Thanksgiving episodes appear on the top-fifteen list, completely dwarfing the other shows that appear (including other '90s classic, Seinfeld) with only one episode each. See the list below:
It’s not surprising that "The One With The List" drew in so many viewers at the time, as it marks a crucial turning point in Ross and Rachel’s will-they-won’t-they romance. The episode directly follows their first kiss at the end of the previous episode, "The One Where Ross Finds Out," so Friends fans were obviously eager to find out what happened next. Other high-ranking episodes include "The One With Rachel’s Other Sister" and "The One With The Rumor," which probably drew viewers in with special guest stars, Christina Applegate and Jennifer Aniston’s then-husband, Brad Pitt, respectively.
It’s easy to understand why Friends’ Thanksgiving episodes were so popular when they first aired. They remain popular, however, because many of them are simple episodes that mostly take place in Monica’s apartment and focus on the six core characters. The comforting nostalgia and familiarity of Friends is greatly heightened when it feels like the viewer is hanging out with the characters, and the Thanksgiving episodes are perfect for emphasizing how the six friends are a chosen family.
Source: USDISH