The Thanksgiving holiday is fast approaching, which means it’s the perfect time to revisit some TV favorites. If you’re a fan of The Big Bang Theory franchise you’re especially in luck, as TBS is airing all of the Thanksgiving-themed episodes from Big Bang Theory, Young Sheldon, and Georgie and Mandy‘s First Marriage on Thanksgiving Day. If you’re curious about which episodes to cue up for your Thanksgiving festivities, we’ve got you covered with our one-stop guide.
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To get started, let’s head back to the original series that started it all.
The Big Bang Theory: The Thanksgiving Decoupling
The Thanksgiving Decoupling originally aired in November of 2013 as episode 9 of season 7, and fans will remember it for the major revelation regarding Penny. During a conversation regarding Sheldon not wanting to go to Howard’s house for Thanksgiving, Penny makes a joke about spending a fun Thanksgiving in Las Vegas when she was dating Zack.
Penny then says they gambled and went to a wedding chapel and had a surprisingly good turkey dinner. She then says it’s funny they had one of those fake weddings, but everyone breaks the news to her that they are in fact real. This leads to a hilarious reunion with Zack, who is invited to an already chaotic Thanksgiving dinner where Mike and Sheldon are somehow bonding and Howard is a bit irate about it. While the hijinks ensue throughout, there are some truly warm moments amongst this off-the-wall family by the end, and it’s easy to see why it’s a favorite.
The Big Bang Theory: The Platonic Permutation
“The Platonic Permutation” originally aired in November of 2015 as episode 9 of season 9. The episode splits things up into three main stories, with two being focused on the relationships between Penny and Leonard and Amy and Sheldon. Leonard ends up in the dog house after the revelation that he’s read Penny’s journal, which is why he knows so much about her, though karma gets him in the end.
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As for Sheldon and Amy, they are trying to be friends after breaking up, and though it’s awkward at times, they actually manage to successfully navigate a day together purely platonically. This leads to a rather surprising ending for them, and that is paired with the rest of the gang’s comedy-filled time serving at a soup kitchen. This also leads to a meeting between Howard and Elon Musk, who Howard is a huge fan of, and tells Musk of his hopes to go to Mars.
Young Sheldon: Family Dynamics and a Red Fiero
“Family Dynamics and a Red Fiero” originally aired in November of 2018 on episode 9 of season 2, and is more heavily Thanksgiving-themed than the previous episode of Big Bang Theory. In this episode of Young Sheldon, George throws a wrench into the festivities after asking the family how they would feel about moving away to Oklahoma, and most of them are against it.
Sheldon was supposed to observe his family for his psychology class, and after the eventful Thanksgiving dinner, the verdict was that he had a lot of drama in his house. George thinks about taking the new job and is even given a tour of the new facilities, but he decides not to take the job, and Sheldon ends the episode by looking back at the sacrifices his parents made to keep the kids from having their childhoods disrupted.
Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage: Thanksgiving
The most recent addition to the list just aired last week, occurring in the popular spin-off series George & Mandy’s First Marriage. The episode aired on November 14th as episode 5 of season 1 and reunited Georgie and Mandy with much of the cast from Young Sheldon. There is a cloud that hangs over though, as this is the first Thanksgiving without George Sr., and the idea of celebrating with Georgie’s family to honor this is quickly derailed.
That’s because Mary has decided not to celebrate this year, and Missy is scheduled to hang out with her friends during the holiday while Sheldon is staying put in California. Georgie and Mandy set about trying to make the holiday reunion happy anyway, and eventually, they are able to get most of the family back together under one roof. What follows is a humorous and still quite touching tribute to their father and another addition to the franchise’s Thanksgiving legacy.
Which Thanksgiving episode is your favorite? You can talk all things TV with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb or on Bluesky @knightofoa!