Ep 8. The One With The Thanksgiving Flashbacks (a.k.a. The One With All The Thanksgivings)

The One With The Thanksgiving Flashbacks (a.k.a. The One With All The Thanksgivings) is an episode from the fifth season of the beloved TV show Friends. As the title suggests, this episode is all about Thanksgiving and takes a trip down memory lane by showcasing various Thanksgiving dinner experiences from past years.

The episode starts with Monica preparing a special Thanksgiving dinner for her friends, but things quickly go awry as Joey gets his head stuck in a turkey and Chandler makes a joke that goes too far, causing Monica to cut off his toe. As they wait for the ambulance to arrive, the group reminisces about past Thanksgivings, each with their own unique and hilarious set of mishaps.

Viewers are treated to flashbacks of the gang’s Thanksgiving celebrations over the years, starting from when they were all in their early twenties. We see Chandler attempting to impress a college friend with a fake British accent, while Joey protests against immigrating animals and concedes to eating an entire turkey alone. Rachel, on the other hand, is seen dealing with a mix-up between a traditional Thanksgiving dessert and an English trifle, resulting in a questionable concoction that has everyone feeling a little unwell.

Later on, in true Friends fashion, a game of spin-the-bottle takes place, which gets out of hand once Ross and Chandler are caught kissing in Rachel’s bedroom. Monica walks in on them and is completely mortified, but it’s all in good fun as the group laughs it off.

We’re also taken back to the year that Monica first started dating Chandler, where we see him bonding with her father, who is initially skeptical about Chandler’s intentions with his daughter. In the same flashback, we’re also privy to a very young Joey in drag, which is one of the funniest and most memorable moments from the entire series.

The episode concludes with a touching moment between Monica and Chandler, as their relationship deepens. Monica admits that she’s grateful for his presence in her life and is glad to have him at her Thanksgiving table. Chandler, in turn, tells her that he’s also thankful for her and that she’s the only person who can make him laugh even when times are tough.

Overall, The One With The Thanksgiving Flashbacks is a delightful and humorous trip down memory lane for the Friends gang. It’s a great reminder of why this show has continued to remain so popular among audiences even years after it first aired.