In celebration of the show's 20th anniversary, TVLine has ranked the five Thanksgiving episodes from How I Met Your Mother, highlighting their holiday themes and comedic elements. The top spot goes to the third-season 'Slapsgiving,' praised for its iconic slap bet payoff and holiday buildup. Other episodes feature family dynamics, curses, and traditional festivities across the series' nine seasons.
Overview
How I Met Your Mother, the CBS sitcom that premiered in 2005, featured five Thanksgiving-themed episodes over its run. These installments blend holiday chaos with the gang's personal stories, from slap bets to family reunions. The ranking considers IMDb scores, episode quality, and ties to Thanksgiving traditions, with scores ranging from 7.8 to 9.0.
The Ranking
Starting with the lowest, season 7's 'The Rebound Girl' (IMDb: 7.8) uses the holiday as a backdrop for Marshall and Lily's house inheritance debate and Ted and Barney's baby adoption impulse, plus Robin's pregnancy scare. It minimally engages the theme, serving more as a plot driver.
In fourth place, season 1's 'Belly Full of Turkey' (7.9) offers a classic setup with Lily experiencing Eriksen family life in Minnesota and fearing large-baby births. Ted and Robin's volunteer mishaps lead to Barney's community service reveal at a strip club, where the Mother's name is hinted.
Third is season 5's 'Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap' (7.8), continuing the slap bet as Marshall passes a slap to Ted or Robin, but Judge Fudge delivers it. Lily's father Mickey seeks reconciliation, adding depth amid the comedy.
Second place belongs to season 6's 'Blitzgiving' (9.0), introducing the Blitz curse via guest star Jorge Garcia, causing Ted and Barney to miss key moments. Ted's disastrous TurTurkeyKey cooking forces a detour, making it a standout classic.
Topping the list is season 3's 'Slapsgiving' (8.9), where Marshall builds tension for his third slap on Barney during their first married Thanksgiving. Ted and Robin debut post-breakup mock salutes, and Lily stresses in the kitchen, featuring the memorable 'You Just Got Slapped' song.