TVSquad

Sure, every show has a funny and/or heartwarming Christmas episode. But, for some reason, they all seem to run together. There's a tree, a Santa, some mistletoe jokes, and lots of people telling each other "I love you." It never fails to make me sick.

That's why I love Thanksgiving episodes; yes, there's a bit of schmaltz mixed in with the turkey and stuffing, but usually there's much more irreverence in these episodes. Dysfunctional families, kitchen mishaps, and, in one case, a turkey drop gone horribly wrong have all been subjects of Thanksgiving episodes of the past. Here are some favorites:

1. WKRP in Cincinatti: "Turkeys Away" - Probably the best-known episode of this classic series, it involves bored station manager Mr. Carlson, and an ill-conceived promotion involving the dropping of 20 live turkeys from a helicopter. Carlson figured the turkeys would gently float down to the ground and give Cincinatti a pleasant Thanksgiving surprise. You know what happens next; turkeys plunging to their deaths like little feathered bombs. Les Nessman's radio description of the scene is hilarious -- he even throws in a "Oh, the humanity!" for good measure -- as is Carlson's classic last line: "As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

2. Friends: "The One With The Football" - Friends seemed to take extra-special pleasure in skewering Thanksgiving. Each year, the six New York buddies would engage in some sort of turkey day shenanigans, usually involving some sort of dinner disaster or some interpersonal strife coming to a head. There are so many good Thanksgiving episodes to choose from, but this one has always been my favorite. This is where Monica and Ross captain a three-on-three touch football game for the prestigious "Geller Cup". During the game, the nasty competitive nature of the siblings comes out, and both teams play as dirty as they can to win (Phoebe flashes Chandler and Joey, for instance). Meanwhile, Joey and Chandler vie for the affections of a beautiful Dutch stranger. People switch teams halfway through, but it all comes down to Monica vs. Ross. The deciding factor? Rachel, the worst player on the field, who actually catches an apparent touchdown pass after being told to "go long." However, she celebrates too soon and spikes the ball short of the goal line. Monica and Ross go for it, and there's a stand-off that lasts into the night.

3. The Simpsons: "Bart vs. Thanksgiving" - In the long, long history of The Simpsons, this second-season episode is the only one that has a Thanksgiving theme. Here, Bart accidentally destroys Lisa's carefully-constructed Thanksgiving centerpiece, celebrating women throughout history. Sent to his room without dinner, he escapes and runs to the bad part of Springfield, where he sells his blood and gets food from a shelter. He's shown on TV, homeless and shivering, where the family sees him. He eventually makes his way back home and apologizes to Lisa, who is crying on the roof. A nice, touching story with all the funny Simpsons touches. People forget how slow-paced and story-oriented the first couple of seasons of The Simpsons was, before they succumbed to "gag-a-minute" disease. This episode shows the series' gentle side brilliantly.

4. Friends: "The One With Chandler In A Box" - This episode epitomizes the wacky/warm dynamic that every Friends Thanksgiving episode demonstrated. Here, Joey is upset that Chandler kissed his girlfriend Kathy. Chandler, wanting to do make it up to him, agrees to spend Thanksgiving in a box. The funny part, of course, is hearing Chandler's wisecracks through through the little airhole in the box (he even puts his fingers through there to make gestures). Joey tells him not to wise off, and Chandler agrees. Eventually Kathy shows up, telling the box that she doesn't want to come between two friends. Joey, realizing that this has been Chandler's best chance at love in years, goes soft and tells Chandler to chase her. "Get out of the box!" he cries. It's such a great moment; it gives me chills every time I see it. Other funny plots are when Monica is attracted to an eye doctor who happens to be Richard's son, which creeps her out, and a sickening Ross and Rachel plot that, to be honest with you, I don't even want to repeat here.

5. Cheers: "Thanksgiving Orphans" - This one is my all-time favorite Thanksgiving episode. In it, the gang gathers at Carla's for Thanksgiving, most of them hoping and praying Diane doesn't show up (she's going to be celebrating on her own, dressed as a pilgrim, of course). Norm brings a huge turkey that takes forever to cook; it is eventually dubbed "Birdzilla". General chaos ensues as the gang imbibes and waits through the night for Birdzilla to cook. Diane shows up in her colonial finest and tries to bring some decorum to the proceedings, but just gets food thrown in her face. A food fight starts, and a big bowl of mashed potatoes is thrown... and hits Norm's never-seen wife, Vera in the face! This is the only time Vera is shown throughout the show's eleven year run, and her face is obscured by Idaho's finest. Classic.

What are your favorites? Let me know in the comments.