By: Cory Matthews
7 Lessons 90s Sitcoms Taught Me About Thanksgiving
1. Something Always Goes Wrong With the Turkey
Sometimes it’s burnt. Sometime it’s frozen. And sometimes it ends up on Joey’s head.
2. An Unexpected Guest Will be There
If you're planning a Thanksgiving in a house that only has three rooms and no ceilings, you can bank on it. Often it's a new husband that and no one informed the the ex of the woman he came with (talk about awkward – amirite?). But usually it's a celebrity. ‘
And sometimes, just sometimes…
3. Jonathan Brandis Will Show Up
Sure, this only happened in one glorious episode of Saved by the Bell: The College Years when they paraded out a who's who of the NBC lineup. I believe Six from Blossom showing up was a huge deal. ‘
Oh, and sure, tell me ‘Seaquest has been canceled…or he died or something. But I believe. Oh yes. Every year. ‘
4. The Least Likely Person to Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen ‘? ‘Volunteers at a Soup Kitchen
Along with the Christmas episode and the “someone unexpected bails me out of my gambling debt at the pool hall” episode, the sitcom Thanksgiving is a time for characters to learn lessons. And the only people that know how to enlighten spoiled characters…The Homeless!
Just ask Hillary and Carlton Banks. They had their minds blown when they showed up at homeless shelter only to learn that the poor are people too. And yes, one of those wise peasants was played by none other than Zachary Ty Bryan, who you may remember as a HUGE CELEBRITY (see Number 2 and 3).
5. Someone Who Should Never Cook Will Cook
“Oh, Rachel. You'd like to prove to everyone that you can contribute to Monica's lavish Thanksgiving feast despite never having cooked anything in your life? That's a bet I'm willing take.”
-A character in every Friends Thanksgiving
Okay, not every Thanksgiving episode. But it happened at least 80 times once. And it's a tried and true formula since someone will learn a lesson. The idiot will learn about cooking and the rest of the cast will learn about doubting the idiot. ‘
Now, if I could just taste Rachel's meat trifle. ‘
6. There Will be Some Sort of Culture Clash
Usually goes down when two families from vastly different backgrounds join forces. Like the Matthews and the Hunters. ‘
7. Nobody Has Dinner with Their Extended Family
Nope. Just the people we already knew and a random to spice it up. Or the homeless. Let's not forget ‘about ‘the homeless. After all, they teach us about life. ‘