The Streamer’s Guide to a ‘Gilmore Girls’ Thanksgiving

The holiday-themed television episode is a lost art form in the streaming era. Back in the days of appointment television, these episodes became almost ritualistic, holding a distinct place in the annual rhythm of our pop culture consumption. Before we shared streaming passwords, we watched weekly (and traveled by horse and buggy, in the snow, uphill both ways). You actually cared about what your favorite characters dressed up as for Halloween. A few weeks later, your favorite show had a holiday episode— sometimes overt, like every Christmas-timed episode of Glee, and sometimes they were less so.The holidays offered a time for our favorite shows to reflect on family dynamics and seasonal rituals. For Gilmore Girls, a show entirely based on family dynamics and seasonal rituals, the Thanksgiving holiday was a vessel through which to serve more Stars Hollow kitsch and crispier leaves.That said…there are a mere two episodes of Gilmore Girls dedicated to Thanksgiving. In truth, the entire series feels like apple pie and stuffing, so any episode will do for Friendsgiving background noise. If you want to do the holiday right, these are the two best episodes to watch on turkey day.Watch every episode of ‘Gilmore Girls’ on HuluSeason 3, Episode 9: “A Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving”In perhaps the most iconic Thanksgiving episode of Gilmore Girls, Rory and Lorelai have a Four Christmases holiday, attending four different celebrations in one day. At the elder Gilmores, it’s lavish, traditional fare. At Mrs. Kim’s house, it’s a strict, no-nonsense, Korean Thanksgiving. At Sookie and Jackson’s, it’s a farm-to-table feast, and at Luke’s diner, it’s a heartfelt bite.Like any good Thanksgiving dinner, the main course is not the poultry, but the discourse happening at the table. In this episode, Rory reveals to Lorelai that she’s applied to multiple colleges beyond Harvard, opening the door for her to follow her grandfather’s footsteps, straight onto the campus of Yale. Other episode highlights include Lane’s first kiss and growing pains between Human Kirk and Cat Kirk. If you know you know, and if you don’t, thanks for reading this far.STREAM EPISODESeason 6, Episode 10: “He’s Slipping ‘Em Bread...Dig?”It took three whole seasons to recover from the four-pronged holiday episode, but the girls came back to the table in season 6 with a much more weighted episode. The sixth season of Gilmore Girls is largely marked by the divide between Rory and Lorelai, but this holiday-timed episode marks their reunion after a months long feud. The drama this time is between Luke and Lorelai, with Luke hiding a major secret from his dream girl—he has a daughter named April, whom he’s just met.STREAM EPISODESeason 3, Episode 7: “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They?”In the spirit of journalism, we can’t definitively call any other episode of Gilmore Girls an official Thanksgiving episode. That said, there are more than a few autumnal picks that scratch the same itch.Like this one, with its supreme autumnal vibes. “They Shoot Gilmores, Don’t They” aired in November, a few weeks before the big season 2 Thanksgiving episode. Here’s an idea: if you start streaming here and make it a mini-marathon, you’ll be feeling festive by Turkey Day.STREAM EPISODESeason 4, Episode 9: “Ted Koppel’s Big Night Out” For millions of Americans, Thanksgiving and football are synonymous whether you’re watching on television or playing in the backyard. So let’s go ahead and call “The One Where Emily and Richard Are Football Fans,” a.k.a. “Ted Koppel’s Big Night Out,” an honorary Thanksgiving episode. The Harvard-Yale game typically happens the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Plus, crisp air, big sweatshirts, and juicy family secrets exposed? Come on!STREAM EPISODE“A Year in the Life: Fall”For cozy nostalgia of a different kind, switch from Hulu/Disney+ to Netflix and queue up the fourth and final episode of the revival series. Honestly, rewatching “A Year in the Life” might also be a good mini-binge idea. Milo Ventimiglia’s yearning face against the autumnal foliage of Stars Hollow is emotional terrorism for the members of Team Jess, but otherwise...STREAM EPISODE