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Thanksgiving TV that makes me happy as pieThanksgiving is the perfect lesbian holiday. It involves a potluck (with vegetarian options, of course), eating too much and then sitting around with friends pretending to watch football while we talk about the people who aren't there. And we have pie. I love pie.
T-Day also provides plenty
of fodder for seasonal episodes of television series, usually centered
on a chaotic family dinner or the Macy's parade or turkeys that
aren't done on time. (See TV writer Ken Levine's blog for his summary of Thanksgiving
plots.) Sounds
like a good excuse for a list — and some food for discussion. And so,
submitted for your approval, my five favorite Thanksgiving episodes. 5. Roseanne, "Home Is Where the Afghan Is" I'm not especially a Roseanne fan, but this episode deserves mention because of its double dose of gayness. Leon (Martin Mull) and Scott (Fred Willard) announce that they are planning to adopt a child, leading to the revelation by Roseanne's mom, Bev (Estelle Parsons), that she is a lesbian. In 1996, no less.
4. The West Wing, "Indians in the Lobby" Although "Shibboleth"
is classic West Wing and on many Thanksgiving "best"
lists, I like this one better, mainly because of the interaction between
President Bartlett and his staff about how he will prepare the turkey
and stuffing. His call to the Butterball
hotline is priceless,
but my favorite exchange is in the Oval Office with C.J. (of
course) after Bartlett has expounded on his basting style.
Damn, I miss that show. 3. WKRP in Cincinnati, "Turkeys Away" TV Squad names this "Best. Thanksgiving. Sitcom. Scene. Ever." In my book, it's not necessarily the best, but certainly is a classic. As a Thanksgiving promotion, station manager Mr. Carlson decides to have turkeys dropped from a helicopter above a shopping mall, not realizing that turkeys aren't exactly world-class fliers. You'll find the video of Les Nessman reporting live from the scene here. My favorite scene comes at the end of the episode: 2. The Bob Newhart Show, "Over the River and Through the Woods" This is one of the best episodes of one of the best shows ever. Emily goes to visit family for Thanksgiving, leaving Bob to fend for himself. Jerry, Howard and Mr. Carlin come over and get drunker and drunker as they watch football and try to cook a turkey. The episode ends with a classic Newhart bit on the phone ordering Chinese food ("Moo Goo Goo Goo"). I can't describe how funny it is; just watch it if you get the chance.
1. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving Although this is not technically a series episode, I could not in good conscience leave out the ultimate Thanksgiving classic. Especially since Peppermint Patty takes center stage. Rather than describe it, though, I refer you to another Thanksgiving classic, scribegrrrl's post from last year, "Peppermint Patty's Personal Pilgrimage." Patty + Marcie forever!
On a related note, TVGuide.com reported Tuesday that, based on a recent survey, 31 percent of adults want Clair Huxtable to cook their Thanksgiving dinner. I suspect that 100 percent of lesbians agree.
To spend part of your Turkey
Day cookin' with Clair, catch the Thanksgiving episode of The Cosby
Show Thursday at 12:30 ET on the CW. What shows do you look forward to this time of year? Do you have a favorite Thanksgiving episode? And what kind of pie gives your holiday the happiest ending? Submitted by on November 21, 2007 - 3:04pm. |
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News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media
You can't go wrong w/
You can't go wrong w/ Friends! I always looked forward to their Thanksgiving episodes! HILARIOUS
Remember the thanksgiving
Remember the thanksgiving episode where Monica winds up making somithing like 6 kinds of potatoes? I love that episode. Last night some friends of the family joined my family for Thanksgiving and they brought the whipped/mashed potatoes...they had lumps in them and I couldn't resist, I turned to my sister and said "Will you make it with the lumps in it?" she didn' dissapointand replied "You know they're not supposed to have lumps right?"
Friends definetly tops my list...along with pecan pie.
"Nothing is impossible and there is no such thing as a lost cause"
Pie?
BRILLIANT to the 5th power ...
This blog makes me SOOOO happy! particularly as:
1) I do love Thanksgiving
2) I do LOVE pie
3) all of the epsidoes above are wonderful, and could potentially help me through one of the most *awkward* Thanksgivings I've had to date (a sneak preview: me, my wife, my Catholic-pro-life! aunt, my Southern-Baptist-Bill-O'Reilly lovin' aunt, my pot smoking uncle, and my step mother who is not speaking to my father for reasons relating to my sister's choice of colleges. But at least there will be pot ... and BOOZE!)
4) Claire Huxtable cooking me dinner would rock my turkey-loving world. Claire Huxtable was my TV mom for years. I miss her.
The only other episodes I may want to mention:
Bart Vs. Thanksgiving - Simpsons, Season 2
Thanksgiving Orphans - Cheers (Shelly Long in Puritan costume!!)
Home for the Holidays (I know, it's not tv ... but SO WORTH IT!)
And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges....
I can never pass up Home for the Holidays
I think I've seen it about 20 times and love it every time (I'm also the happy owner of HftH on DVD). The family is so familiar to me it's sick!
There's a scene in which Holly Hunter's character is sick and everything in her life is going wrong--the camera pauses on her for a few seconds and suddenly she sticks her tongue a little way out of her mouth. It's a small thing, but it get's me every time (*huge grin on face* just thinking about it).
For best TV episode I'll have to go with West Wing (god I miss CJ).
Will & Grace
This one's Eric and this one's Troy
While Indians in the Lobby was a good episode of The West Wing, the best was Shibboleth.
C.J. I need you to pardon a turkey.
BARTLET I already pardoned a turkey.
C.J. I need you to pardon another one.
BARTLET Didn’t I do it right?
C.J. You did it great, but I need you to come out here and pardon another one.
BARTLET Aren’t I gonna get a reputation for being soft on turkeys?
C.J. Sir, could you come out here and just get this over with?
BARTLET No, I’m not just gonna get this--What the hell is going on?
C.J. [approaches] They sent me two turkeys. The most photo-friendly of the two gets a Presidential pardon and a full life at a children’s zoo. The runner-up gets eaten.
BARTLET If the Oscars were like that, I’d watch.
Oh, I Miss The West Wing
I prefer "Shibboleth" as well, if only for the discussion CJ has with the turkeys. It's hilarious. I may have to break out the DVDs over the holiday, just because these posts have me all nostalgic.
Today I caught two of the Thanksgiving episodes of The Cosby Show--hilarious! I think my favorite one is the episode where Cliff keeps getting sent to the store to get supplies for the Thankgiving dinner.
oi, West Wing...
I do miss West Wing... thank god for the dvds.
yay for turkey day!
A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving.
I have loved and enjoyed every series Thanksgiving show that has been mentioned. I remember the WKRP eppie delivered such big laughs!
So let me just add another re-watchable Thanksgiving series eppie to the list...The Gilmore Girls' Thanksgiving show from season 3. Four thanksgiving dinners in one day for Lorelai and Rory...here is a YouTube clip of L and R showing up for the Kims' version of Thanksgiving...lol...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVQeDdEsfjs&feature=related
A Deep Fried Korean Thanksgiving.
Yikes, I hate it when those nasty double-posts happen. :P
What about Ellen?
link
btw here's a clip of the episode:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqESa7o8uyo
mmm pie.
I love apple and blueberry pie!!! oh and pecan.
~A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day.
My fav.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Pangs
Pangs is, in my opinion, one of the funniest episodes of Buffy of all time. Choice Thanksgiving-related quote-age:
Anya: I love a ritual sacrifice.
Buffy: Not really a one of those.
Anya: To commemorate a past event you kill and eat an animal. A ritual sacrifice... with pie.
Willow: Buffy, earlier you agreed with me about Thanksgiving. It's a sham. It's all about death.
Buffy: It is a sham, but it's a sham with yams. It's a yam sham.
Willow: You're not gonna jokey-rhyme your way out of this one.
Buffy: We need to boil those and put them through the ricer.
Giles: I don't think I have a ricer.
Buffy: You don't have a ricer? What do you mean? How could someone not have a ricer?
Giles: Well, do you have one at home?
Buffy: I don't know. What's a ricer?
Buffy: (to Giles) You're the reason we had to have Pilgrims in the first place.
Buffy: I'm a great cook...in theory. I've eaten a lot.
Buffy: Wasn't exactly a perfect Thanksgiving.
Xander: I don't know - seemed kinda right to me. A bunch of anticipation, a big fight, and now we're all sleepy.
And my personal favorite, although not Thanksgiving-related:
(Buffy fights with a native american spirit, who changes into a large black bear).
Spike: A bear! You made a bear!
Buffy: I didn't mean to!
Spike: Undo it! Undo it!
Pangs
hmmm..
HAHAHA, I was just about
Happy Days and Cheers
The "Birdzilla" episode of Cheers was a classic. And every Thanksgiving my brother and I say to each other "It looks just like a turkey" -- which only makes sense if you've seen the relevant Happy Days episode.
I watched the WKRP episode recently -- one of the best TV episodes in the history of TV.
So what exactly
So what exactly is 'thanksgiving'? Soun ds like some American religious thing (I know I should look it up on the net but I'm frightfully shitfaced at the mo)..
Alice.
wha?
"If you should see her...tell her I miss her still." -- Galinda. 'Wicked'
Happy Turkey Day
I don't have a favorite episode but I just had to write that I
heart Kristen Chenoweth! What a great talent and sweet person!