Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more!
Your Guide to Every Thanksgiving Episode of New Girl
Despite the many ruined turkeys, New Girl had a lot of memorable Thanksgivings even youths will appreciate.
Over seven seasons, New Girl became a go-to comfort show, and the sitcom’s holiday episodes are rewatched every single year. New Girl’s Thanksgiving episodes, in particular, spotlight the cast’s incredible chemistry and the show’s unique, quotable humor.
How many Thanksgiving New Girl episodes are there?
Starring Zooey Deschanel as Jess, Jake Johnson as Nick, Max Greenfrield as Schmidt, Hannah Simone as Cece, Lamorne Morris as Winston, and Damon Wayans Jr. as Coach, New Girl ran from 2011 to 2018. And while there are seven seasons, there are only five Thanksgiving episodes of New Girl.
You can find the Thanksgiving episodes in Season 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6.
How can you watch New Girl’s Thanksgiving episode?
You can stream every single episode of New Girl, including the Thanksgiving episodes, on Peacock right now.
RELATED: What to Watch on NBC Thanksgiving Day 2024
Watching your favorite sitcom on Thanksgiving is as much a tradition as tuning in to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and National Dog Show. Read on for everything you need to know to watch all of the Thanksgiving episodes of New Girl.
Season 1, Episode 6: "Thanksgiving"
The first season of New Girl kicked off a hilarious tradition of Thanksgiving episodes. In Season 1, Episode 6 (“Thanksgiving”), Jess scrambles to quickly defrost a turkey in the dryer and prepare a feast after she invites Paul (Justin Long), her colleague at school and the first guy she’s crushed on since her breakup, over for dinner.
Schmidt takes over cooking duties one on condition, as he tells Jess: “I don’t wanna hear ‘Schmidt, Schmidt, you're using too much tarragon,’ because I'm not.” Things get flirty between Schmidt and Cece. Jess is worried about what her roomies think about Paul, especially grumpy Nick, while a burnt turkey sends the group to a neighbor’s empty apartment to finish the holiday. Except the apartment is not as vacant as they thought.
Season 2, Episode 8: "Parents"
Jess invites her divorced parents over for Thanksgiving dinner in Season 2, Episode 8 (“Parents”). Her mom Joan (Jamie Lee Curtis) and dad Bob (Rob Reiner) realize their daughter tries to pull off yet another “parent trap” to get them back together while the roomies reluctantly agree to help her pull off the stunt. Schmidt also invites his cousin, Big Schmidt (Rob Riggle), and the two get into a competition to see who’s the manliest man.
This episode is full of memorable quotes, like Nick’s “I’m not into dads, I’m not a dad guy, I don’t like ‘em, I don’t trust ‘em, never have.” Or Schmidt’s “I’ll kiss Winston all day!”
Season 3, Episode 10: "Thanksgiving III"
With Jess and Nick finally dating, the couple sends out a cheesy e-vite for Thanksgiving dinner. But after Coach tells Nick he might be “getting lost” in their relationship, Nick suggests they change plans and go camping instead. “I am a man and men belong in wilderness!” he tells Jess.
The gang begrudgingly agrees to the Thanksgiving camping trip and, turns out, they’re not suited for outdoorsy living, with the exception of Coach, a former Eagle Scout. Nick only packs beer and tries to trap a bear for food, Schmidt eats a piece of scat while wearing a “cowman’s hat,” and Jess, Cece, and Winston sneak off to a country store for supplies. There’s also a dead fish, some hallucinations, and the episode ends in the hospital with a nontraditional Thanksgiving feast.
RELATED: Did You Ever Notice These Spoilers Hidden in This New Girl Halloween Episode?
Season 4, Episode 9: "Thanksgiving IV"
By this point in New Girl Season 4, everyone in the group is single, so Schmidt proposes they celebrate “Bangs-giving” instead of a traditional dinner in Episode 9 (“Thanksgiving IV”). After picking names out of a hat, they each invite another eligible single who they think is a good match. For Winston, he hints that “whoever picked me, I just want you to know that I have really gotten into feet lately, so do with that what you will.”
Things get a little confusing when Coach brings Jess’ British ex Ryan (Julian Morris), Nicks invites his elderly buddy Tran (Ralph Ahn), and Cece sends her date away.
Season 6, Episode 7: "Last Thanksgiving"
The final Thanksgiving episode of New Girl features a couple guest stars: Jess’ boyfriend Robby (Nelson Franklin) and Schmidt's father Gavin (Peter Gallagher). In Season 6, Episode 7 (“Last Thanksgiving”), Jess feels guilty about wanting to end a romantic relationship with Robby while he has a broken leg and Schmidt's dad is in a funk after he got dumped.
Things get a little heated when Schmidt finds out his dad, who we're reminded once made out with Jess, is dating multiple women, and the turkey gets chucked at the wall, but the episode ends up on an uplifting and happy note as they celebrate their last Thanksgiving in the loft.
