Friends: Ranking Every Thanksgiving Episode From Worst To Best

3. The One Where Underdog Gets Away (Season 1)

Friends The One Where Underdog Gets Away
NBC

The very first Thanksgiving episode, all of the friends have their own plans for the holiday. Rachel is going skiing (shoop, shoop, shoop), Joey is visiting family, but Monica agrees to cook dinner for herself and Ross (as their parents are going away that year), Phoebe (who celebrates it in December with her grandmother) and Chandler (who, well, hates Thanksgiving).

However, things go awry when they get locked out of the apartment, while Joey's family reject him after he stars in a VD ad campaign. Like many of the best Friends episodes, it manages to strike the perfect balance between humour and heart.

They all chip in for Rachel's ski trip, while the sight of Joey being the poster boy for VD is hilarious, and the way they all come together at the end and enjoy the Thanksgiving they have, even if the turkey has burnt to a crisp, is a lovely moment.

Quote: Chandler: €œ"Oh my god! Underdog has broken loose and is flying over the city!€" Joey: €œ"The balloon?"€ Chandler: €œ"No, no. The actual cartoon character...€"

Contributor
Contributor

NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.