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9 Thanksgiving Specials You Didn’t Know You Needed

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Thanksgiving isn’t just about turkey and pie—it’s also about cozying up with family for some TV bonding time. Some of these Thanksgiving specials are the nostalgic classics you know and love, while others bring a unique, slightly offbeat flavor to your holiday viewing.

Here’s our list of Thanksgiving specials that will take your day from stuffing to streaming.

 

1. This Is America, Charlie Brown: The Mayflower Voyagers (1988)

peanusts the mayflower voyages charlie brown and the gang dressed as pilgrims looking of the side of a shipEver wonder how Thanksgiving started? This educational Peanuts special dives into the Pilgrims’ adventures—perfect for a history lesson disguised as entertainment.

Where to Watch: Vimeo or used DVDs on Amazon

2. Garfield’s Thanksgiving (1989)

garfield thanksgiving poster with ode and garfield dressed as pilgrims eating a feast with turkey and all the trimmingsThe iconic lazy cat ditches lasagna for a traditional Thanksgiving feast (spoiler alert—chainsaws are involved). Expect laughs, chaos, and some endearing family moments.

Where to Watch: Peacock TV

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3. The Berenstain Bears Meet Bigpaw (1980)

berenstain bears meet big paw poster featuring brother and sister bear looking up at a smiing big pawBigfoot and Thanksgiving? Yes, really. The Berenstain Bears encounter the gentle giant Bigpaw in this quirky yet heartfelt holiday special. Bring on the nostalgia!

Where to Watch: YouTube

4. Big City Greens – Harvest Dinner (2019)

big city greens poster featuring the green family tumbling out of a refrigeratorNot strickly a Thanksgiving episode, Harvest Dinner turns into a hilarious disaster in this rare modern Disney+ gem. From paprika chases to fights over flour, the Green family brings chaos, laughs, and precious life lessons to the table. (Season 1: Episode 23)

Where to Watch: Disney+

5. A Winnie the Pooh Thanksgiving (1998)

a winnie the pooh thansgiving poster featuring the hundred acre woods gang in a fall settingPooh and the gang attempt to make the perfect Thanksgiving feast, only for Rabbit to lecture them on what a “real” holiday dinner should have. Heartwarming and full of Hundred Acre Wood shenanigans.

Where to Watch: Fandango at Home (for rent)

6. The Incredible Hulk – “Homecoming” (1979)

the incredible hulk series poster featuring bill bixby's bruce banner transforming into lou ferigno's incredible hulkThanksgiving gets surprisingly emotional in this Hulk episode. David returns home to help save the family farm in a story that’s as much about family bonds as it is about smashing things.

Where to Watch: Prime Video (purchase or rent)

7. Quantum Leap – “The Leap Home” (Parts 1 & 2) (1990)

quantum leap poster featuring sam and al in a swirling blue backgroundTime-traveling Thanksgiving, anyone? Sam leaps into his teenage self to relive family moments and rewrite history. Some laughs, some tears—it’s got a bit of everything.

Where to Watch: Roku Channel

8. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973)

a charlie brown christmas poster featuring charlie brown and snoopy. snoopy is dressed as a pilgrimThis Emmy-winning classic captures the true spirit of Thanksgiving with jellybeans, toast, and some unforgettable lessons in gratitude. Simply iconic.

Where to Watch: Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video

9. Addams Family Values (1993)

addam family values poster featuring the addams family posing in front of a large gothic fireplaceWhile not technically a Thanksgiving movie, Wednesday Addams steals the show with her unforgettable satirical Thanksgiving play. It’s dark, hilarious, and a must-watch.

Where to Watch: Paramount+ and Pluto TV

 

Settle in, grab a slice of pie (or the whole thing), and enjoy the lineup. Happy Thanksgiving and happy streaming!

Post Views: 1,605

James Carrick

James Carrick is a passionate film enthusiast with a degree in theater and philosophy. James approaches dramatic criticism from a philosophic foundation grounded in aesthetics and ethics, offering insight and analysis that reveals layers of cinematic narrative with a touch of irreverence and a dash of snark.

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One comment

  • Aloysius T. McKeever

    November 29, 2024 at 2:47 pm

    First two are my 2 favorite specials. Garfield being tops

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This prevents two square // outputs or mismatched gallery states in the Share Options window. built = await buildShareImage(row, { force:true }); builtSquare = await buildShareSquareImage(row, built.cycle_image_url || '', built.poster_url || '', { force:true }); if (!built || !built.image_url) { throw new Error('Landscape share build failed.'); } if (!builtSquare || !builtSquare.image_url) { throw new Error('Square share build failed.'); } } else { built = await buildShareImage(row); } var shareUrl = built.share_url; var postUrl = (row.getAttribute('data-post-url') || '').trim() || shareUrl; var postTitle = (row.getAttribute('data-post-title') || '').trim(); if (!postTitle) postTitle = 'this'; var shareKind = (row.getAttribute('data-share-kind') || 'critics').trim().toLowerCase(); var upperTitle = postTitle.toUpperCase(); var lineTwo = (shareKind === 'audience' || shareKind === 'audience-teaser' || shareKind === 'audience-question') ? 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