6 of the gayest Thanksgiving TV episodes ever and where to watch them

Thanksgiving, like most holidays built around family traditions, can be a stressful one for the gays. Sure, we like a massive home-cooked meal as much as anybody else, but do all the relatives have to be there?

And while the day doesn’t get quite the same attention as Christmas or Halloween, it’s one that’s revisited time and time again by our favorite TV shows—and how could it not? An excuse to bring characters together under one roof, where complex interpersonal dynamics play out over the course of a dinner, is a television writer’s dream. So perhaps it’s not surprising that, over the years, Thanksgiving episodes have set the table for some fascinating explorations of queerness, from the hilarious to the dramatic.

Whether you’re killing time while you digest all those mashed potatoes, or just need a breather away from the folks, here’s a rundown of six queer-themed Thanksgiving episodes you can watch right now.

Master Of None, “Thanksgiving” (2017)

A standalone, Emmy-winning episode, the legacy of “Thanksgiving” outshines the rest of Aziz Ansari’s Master Of None, and may stand as the definitive pop culture treatise on queer folks’ fraught relationship with the titular holiday. Told through flashbacks, the story sensitively recounts Denise’s (Lena Waithe) coming out—and her family’s uneasy, gradual acceptance of her—over the course of multiple Thanksgivings. Angela Bassett, luminous as ever, delivers an unforgettable performance as Denise’s cautious yet loving mother. Waithe co-wrote the episode, which she says was partially drawn from her own experiences, ruminating how it’s often the things left unsaid at the dinner table that can cut the deepest.

Streaming now on Netflix.

Schitt’s Creek, “Turkey Shoot” (2015)

Schitt’s Creek is a show with a keen understanding of the love/*eyeroll* relationship many of us have with our parents, making it an ideal Thanksgiving watch even when it’s not explicitly about the holiday. In this season one episode, Stevie (Emily Hampshire) invites David (Dan Levy) along on the annual turkey hunting trip. Naturally, David—who has a meltdown even when trying to deal with a bug in his room—can barely bring himself to pull the trigger, and the trip is an out-and-out disaster. The only thing that can cheer him up? Moira’s (Catherine O’Hara) new haircut, reminding us that laughing at with our family is a tradition as good as any other.

Streaming now on Hulu.

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Bob’s Burgers, “Turkey In A Can” (2013)

For over 10 years now, the animated comedy Bob’s Burgers has understood the secret recipe for a fantastic holiday episode, with its Thanksgiving outings perennial fan favorites (the show even gifted us with an all-too-rare song for Turkey Day). But we have to shout out this season four episode, which sees a dogged Bob’s attempts to brine a turkey thwarted over and over by the chaos that is his family. Notably, every time he stops by the store to pick up a new turkey, he stumbles into a flirtatious interaction with the out-of-his-league butcher (voiced by the handsome Tuc Watkins), showcasing this idiosyncratic series’ refreshing approach to the fluidity of sexuality.

Streaming now on Hulu.

Buffy The Vampire Slayer, “Pangs” (1999)

Much has been written about the metaphors at the heart of Buffy The Vampire Slayer that have made it a favorite among queer audiences since the very beginning. Even before the beloved fantasy drama introduced one of network TV’s first out gay couples, it was delivering complex stories about coming-of-age and chosen family, all centered around Buffy Summers (the iconic Sarah Michelle Gellar) and her friends, a.k.a. “The Scooby Gang.” The group dynamic gets a fantastic showcase—bickering like family—in the series’ one-and-only Thanksgiving episode, “Pangs,” a controversial one where Buffy faces off against Native American spirits, learning a sobering lesson about colonialism and the real history of the holiday in the process.

Streaming now on Hulu.

Will & Grace, “Homo For The Holidays” (1999)

Considering Will & Grace was the first primetime American series to star openly gay characters, it’s no surprise it was one of the first to give audiences a queer take on Thanksgiving. Even then, the NBC comedy was subverting expectations from the jump: When Will (Eric McCormick) invites Jack’s (Sean Hayes) mother (guest star Veronica Cartwright) over for dinner, he’s shocked to learn that his loud and proud pal never came out to her. In classic sitcom fashion, holiday hijinks ensue over the course of Mrs. McFarland’s visit—Jack led her to believe he used to date Grace (Debra Messing), much to Karen’s (Megan Mullally) dismay—but mommy dearest was holding on to a secret of her own.

Streaming now on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.

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Roseanne, “Home Is Where the Afghan Is” (1996)

Years before Roseanne Barr went full MAGA and left The Conners to their own devices, her eponymous comedy was quite progressive for the time. Take, for instance, this Thanksgiving episode from the show’s (notoriously messy) ninth season: Having won the lottery earlier that year, Roseanne splurges on a catered meal for the family, which quickly goes off the rails. Among the day’s guests are her former boss-turned-friend, Leon (Martin Mull) and his partner, Scott (the late Fred Willard), who announce their plans to adopt a child. The news sets Beverly (Estelle Parsons) off on a tirade, in which she unwittingly outs herself. Again, this season of Roseanne was a mess—but so are holidays with the family!

Streaming now on Peacock.

Related:

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Bottoms up!