You can absolutely watch the Friends Thanksgiving episodes in chronological order, but if you want to get the most enjoyment out of them, watch them in order from worst to best.
The One with the List (S2E8)
“The One with the List” is barely a Thanksgiving episode, and it consists of Ross making a horrifying pros and cons list of Rachel and Julie. Dead last.
The One Where Underdog Gets Away (S1E9)
For all of the great things about Friends, Season 1 isn’t its best. Its very first Thanksgiving episode, “The One Where Underdog Gets Away,” gets points for being a Thanksgiving episode and starting what turned into an epic tradition, but that’s about it.
The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs (S7E8)
“The One Where Chandler Doesn’t Like Dogs” is a bit of a throwaway Thanksgiving episode, too. The friends celebrate the holiday, but not much else of note happens. Watching Ross squirm when he can’t name all 50 states is hilarious, though.
The One with the Football (S3E9)
There’s not much going on inside the apartments in “The One with the Football,” but what makes this episode stand out is its portrayal of another time-honored Thanksgiving tradition: a game of football.
The One with the Late Thanksgiving (S10E8)
Again, not a whole lot of Thanksgiving dinner going on in “The One with the Late Thanksgiving” thanks to Joey and Ross attending a hockey game and Phoebe and Rachel taking Emma to a baby beauty pageant, but it ends on the sweet note of Monica and Chandler finding out they’re about to become parents.
The One with Chandler in a Box (S4E8)
“The One with Chandler in a Box” is where the Friends Thanksgiving episodes start getting really good. While the premise is a bit of a downer with Chandler and Joey fighting over Kathy, there’s plenty of humor thanks to Monica pining over Richard’s son and Chandler proving his loyalty to Joey by spending the day silent inside a box.
The One with Rachel’s Other Sister (S9E8)
Christina Applegate should’ve been in at least five more episodes of Friends. She was the superior (in the worst best way possible) sister, and the drama she brought to their Thanksgiving celebration was fabulously hysterical, just like her.
The One with the Rumor (S8E9)
Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Brad Pitt, and David Schwimmer in ‘Friends’
Any episode with details about Monica, Ross, and Rachel in high school is top-tier, and bringing Brad Pitt into the mix made “The One with the Rumor” one of the best Friends Thanksgiving episodes of the entire series.
The One with All the Thanksgivings (S5E8)
Monica and Joey putting turkeys on their heads is indelibly burned into the brains of anyone who’s ever watched the Friends Thanksgiving episodes. This sitcom did flashback episodes like none other, and “The One with all the Thanksgivings” is one of its finest.
The One Where Ross Got High (S6E9)
Everything about this episode is incredible, and it’s perfectly encapsulated by the climactic scene where everybody’s past indiscretions and confessions are aired out in front of Ross and Monica’s parents. Peak television, and peak Friends Thanksgiving episodes.
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