30 greatest Thanksgiving episodes of all time

30. Everwood

Episode: Season 1, Episode 11, “A Thanksgiving Tale”

What’s on the menu: What should be on the menu is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner just like Ephram and Delia’s late mother used to make, complete with a roast turkey, apricot stuffing, and cheese biscuits. But what almost ends up on the menu is a takeout Thanksgiving dinner from Mama Joy’s, which would be equally delicious but wouldn’t quite hit the spot. In an attempt to save the day from their dad’s takeout takeover, Ephram tries his hand at whipping up mom’s feast.

For their first Thanksgiving in Everwood, the Browns continue to wade through the trauma of losing their matriarch and learning to repair the disconnects in their family. It’s not easy for the trio in that first year, or ever for that matter, but thanks to their new friends, they pull through. After Dr. Abbott faces a health scare, he invites the entire town to his house for Thanksgiving dinner, a gesture more thoughtful in theory than in practice. Also, Amy begins to juggle her feelings for Ephram with those for her boyfriend Colin.

Why we’re thankful for it: Nothing screams a Thanksgiving episode like fresh romantic tension, and the Ephram and Amy love story truly picks up steam under the close quarters of a shared holiday. Same goes for the Brown family’s bond, which was one of the most compelling aspects of Everwood’s first season. They had to teach each other what they needed in the wake of an unthinkable tragedy, especially during the holidays. More than anything, every episode of Everwood feels like the television equivalent of a cozy, comforting hug, never more so than this one.