5 best The Simpsons Thanksgiving episodes to watch this holiday

If you’re a fan of The Simpsons, you already know the show has a holiday episode for just about every occasion. But Thanksgiving? That’s a rare treat, and honestly, those episodes always land.

The Simpsons (Image Via: X/@TheSimpsons)

Not sure where to start? Easy. Pick the ones packed with family drama and those offbeat jokes that only The Simpsons can pull off. These five episodes are all you need to make your holiday break a lot more fun.

5 best The Simpsons Thanksgiving episodes to watch this holiday

5) Homer the Moe – Season 13, Episode 3

This Thanksgiving pick is such a strange but lovable one. The episode starts off as a regular Moe story where he gets tired of his bar feeling the same every day. He leaves Homer in charge to go reconnect with his college days.

Homer the Moe – Season 13, Episode 3 (Image Via: Disney+)

When he returns, he turns Moe’s Tavern into a trendy spot that the regulars absolutely hate. After everything falls apart, he decides to bring the old bar vibe back.

The Thanksgiving moment in this episode is front and center when the guys gather at Moe’s for a holiday meal that looks terrible but still feels like a real chosen family moment.

They create a bond, laugh and enjoy the worst tofu-based dinner ever. On‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ top of that, there is a random celebrity cameo that adds more fun to the episode. Though it may not be the most typical Thanksgiving tale, it still conveys that vibe of the day spent with the people who make you feel like home.

Thus, this is a wonderful choice for the kind of fans who enjoy The Simpsons as much for the friendships as for the huge number of ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌jokes.

4) Homer vs. Dignity – Season 12, Episode 5

This one is a Thanksgiving pick that feels different from the others because the holiday pops up halfway through the chaos. Homer gets so broke that he has to turn to Mr. Burns for help, which obviously goes badly.

Homer vs. Dignity – Season 12, Episode 5 (Image Via: Disney+)

Burns pays him tiny amounts of money to do embarrassing things just for entertainment. Homer goes along with it until Lisa helps him realize how much dignity he is losing.

Once Homer quits being Burns’ personal clown, he tries to make things better by donating everything he earned to Costington’s. That is how he ends up being Santa in the Thanksgiving parade. It sounds random, but that’s exactly why The Simpsons makes it work.

It turns a parade moment into something sweet when Homer thanks Lisa for helping him find his confidence again. The episode is silly but surprisingly meaningful, which makes it a fun Thanksgiving watch if you want more humor than heart.

3) Stepbrother From the Same Planet – Season 34, Episode 8

Thanksgiving already comes with enough stress but The Simpsons turns it up more by dropping a surprise stepfamily situation right on Homer’s head. Grampa shows up with a younger girlfriend, and she brings her kid, who is now supposed to be Homer’s stepbrother.

Step Brother From the Same Planet – Season 34, Episode 8 (Image Via: Disney+)

Homer obviously does not love that. The‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ show sounds like it is off, very loud, and quite a mess, which is the reason it is the ideal holiday that is supposed to be calm but never really is.

A main feature differentiating this episode is the sibling rivalry theme being used in the dramatization. Homer attempts to cope with this unanticipated new member of the family while simultaneously trying not to lose his temper. The humorous part is also there where the plot reflects an older episode, but now Homer is the one in the character Bart once had.

However, the episode is still a Thanksgiving one as it depicts the theme of new people coming into the family and how difficult it can be at a big holiday. It makes people laugh and, unexpectedly, it has quite a bit of heart in the end, which is very typical of The ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌Simpsons.

2) Thanksgiving of Horror – Season 31, Episode 8

With this Treehouse special, The Simpsons takes the usual Thanksgiving traditions and flips them into three creepy and funny shorts. One part throws the family into a wild First Thanksgiving parody where they are turkeys trying to survive.

Thanksgiving of Horror – Season 31, Episode 8 (Image Via: Disney+)

Another part has Homer buying an A.I. version of Marge that becomes way too real. And the last story sends the whole thing into space with a cranberry sauce monster that basically eats everything.

This episode is packed with references and jokes at every turn. It plays with horror, sci-fi and tech gone wrong, while still keeping Thanksgiving tied into every storyline. Even though it is not a regular family gathering type of episode, it still fits perfectly because The Simpsons has always been amazing at mixing stories with the holidays.

This one also ended up being the longest episode the show ever made. It is weird, but honestly, it is super fun if you want something different from the usual warm family moments.

1) Bart vs. Thanksgiving – Season 2, Episode 7

If you want a Thanksgiving episode that feels like classic The Simpsons, this is the one you start with. It has that early seasons vibe where everything is grounded but still funny in a messy, real family kind of way. Bart and Lisa get into a huge fight after he ruins the centerpiece she worked so hard on.

The scene blows up so badly that Bart actually runs away. While he is gone, he ended up doing some of the most wild stuff just to get by, like trying to grab a pie and even giving blood with a fake ID.

The heart of this episode kicks in when he realizes how much he misses home. When he finally walks back through the door, the whole family softens. Even the leftover dinner ends up feeling sweet because everyone is together again.

This episode nails how The Simpsons used to balance silliness with real feelings. It shows Thanksgiving as a day that might start rough but ends with everyone remembering why family matters in the first place.

These‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ five episodes highlight that The Simpsons might not have many Thanksgiving specials up their sleeves, but the few it has, they are able to offer something completely different. Some are loving, some are crazy and a few are simply bizarre.

So, if you are in the mood for laughs, tears and a little holiday madness, then these 5 episodes of The Simpsons are the ideal way to kick ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌off your holidays!