'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAIBAAAgEEAgMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQFERJBBiExcf/EABUBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQF/8QAFxEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAREAA//aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8AnXXjOKw7RXuVMk0NzCbhUhiXkq7C8dkjtgfwarPxmLhgGjWBUPtVMKnQ6Gz9pSp3IpXP7sQN/9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Over the years, television has given us some of the absolute best New Year's Eve episodes on some of our favorite shows, that accurately define the joy and the thrill of the holiday when we give ourselves 365 new chances. Whether it's failed New Year's resolutions, messy parties and last minute-awkward midnight kissing, television has explored every corner of the New Year's Eve experience.
If you are ringing in the new year from your couch this year, these seven episodes have got you. Grab your snacks, silence the group chats, and let television do the heavy lifting while you romanticize the holiday like a professional.
The Limo: How I Met Your Mother
In How I Met Your Mother, The Limo turns New Year’s Eve into a chaotic, champagne soaked fever dream. Like most New Year's Eve episodes, this one thrives on missed connections, bad timing, and last minute honesty. Ted rents a limo to outrun disappointment, Barney chases the perfect party, Lily’s shoes start a war, and Marshall loses Lily in the most stressful scavenger hunt imaginable. Five parties, one flat tire, a fake Moby, and zero control later, the group learns the hard truth: You cannot engineer magic. It is messy, romantic, and painfully relatable. One of the most realistic New Year's Eve episodes that understands plans are overrated and feelings always win.
New Year's Eve: Modern Family
On Modern Family, nothing is truly not chaotic and out of an array of New Year's Eve episodes, this one titled New Year's Eve holds on to that reputation. Jay drags the entire family to a has-been glamorous Palm Springs hotel that has aged like milk and as soon as everyone gets there, they all start plotting an escape. Phil and Claire chase romance and end up with nudists, Mitch and Cam realize they're actually pretty old and Jay lands himself in a poker game with Billy Dee Williams.
Back at home, Haley and Alex babysit Manny and Luke and are forced to face his plans of getting some action with the two girls he invites over. One of the funniest New Year's Eve episodes, it truly captures the spirit of the holiday: hopeful, awkward, romantic and disappointing while still being perfect.
The One With The Routine: Friends
In Friends, The One With The Routine turns New Year’s Eve into pure, unfiltered chaos. Monica and Ross chase their TV moment with an aggressively earnest dance routine that should never see daylight, while Joey plots a midnight kiss that could change everything.
What makes this a perfect watch for a New Year’s Eve episode is how it balances that weird end of the year where everyone is chasing magic, validation and a clean slate. If anything, watch it for Monica and Ross' iconic dance routine, and maybe have a spin at it yourself!
Ultimatum: The Office
Ultimatum is one of those quietly chaotic episodes of The Office where Michael Scott, as usual, finds himself in a rather tough spot. The episode revolves around Holly, Michael's crush, and her fiance A.J. who she has given an ultimatum to for proposing. In celebration and anticipation of disappointment, Michael builds both a celebration box and a heartbreak kit like a man preparing for war with feelings.
On the other hand, Pam tries to make a resolution board to help everyone with New Year's resolutions, but is forced to face how bad everyone is at improvement. Truly one of the funniest New Year's Eve episodes, it's a funny, chaotic, and heartwarming watch and you should definitely put it on, at least for Steve Carrell's Michael Scott.
The Millenium: Seinfield
One of the best New Year's Eve episodes on television came out more than two decades ago, thanks to Seinfield. The episode, titled The Millennium follows Kramer and Newman spiraling into competitive party planning, but Jerry comes in and ruin everything with a brutal calendar fact.
It's true Seinfield vibes, all chaos, all fun and some humorous truth bombs dropped. As far as classic New Year's Eve episodes go, this one has aged like fine wine.
The One With All the Resolutions: Friends
The One With All The Resolutions from Friends is one of the best New Year's Eve episodes that truly captures the pain and difficulty of having to hold on to your New Year's resolutions. The episode starts with everyone setting big goals to get self improvement but it doesn't make it through as long as they wished.
Chandler makes a resolution to not mock anyone, promising to keep his sarcastic tongue shut, but it proves to be rather difficult with Joey's new girlfriend. Joey makes a resolution to learn guitar and Phoebe steps up, but her methods are not what you would think and mostly include animal names to describe how you would hold the guitar.
Monica decides to spend the new year taking more photos of the group, which includes shots of everything that should not be on a photo album, like an argument. She also suggests Rachel's resolution be that she stops gossiping, and although she's initially proud of holding on to "information" she hears around, she ends up finding one of the biggest revelations of the episode: Chandler and Monica's relationship.
Ross gets the funniest arc, having bought leather pants that don't fit him as a result of his resolution to try new things. The whole episode is chaotic and truly describes what New Year's Eve episodes should look like: messy, failed resolutions and a new year where you are stuck as the same you but your friends still make sure to fill you with love.
Old Acquaintance: Bojack Horseman
Trending
Old Acquaintance is one of the most brutal episodes of and that proves New Year's Eve episodes aren't always cheery and brimming with joy. While fireworks promise fresh starts, every character finds themselves making choices that sabotage their lives. The celebrations are hollow, as Bojack chases artistic meaning, Princess Carolyn burns bridges and Diane is faced with truths that hurt.
Among New Year's Eve episodes, this one understands that fresh beginnings are nothing without the changes you get ready to face. And as most Bojack Horseman episodes go, this one is packed with dark humor that spoonfeeds you the true shade of what a New Year's crisis feels like.
Reply
