Modern Family Thanksgiving special episodes have a separate fanbase altogether. While some of us love Thanksgiving Jamboree, some of us would fight to the death to prove Punkin Chunkin deserves the number 1 position.
But no matter which one we choose as our favorite, Thanksgiving episodes are always a treat to watch. In case you’re a Modern Family junkie like me and feel like picking out some delightful Thanksgiving episodes whenever you’re craving turkey, this is the right place for you.
Here’s my ranking of every Modern Family Thanksgiving episode, ranked from the best to the worst. My only regret is that every season of Modern Family does not have a designated Thanksgiving episode. We deserved more of Claire’s dinners!
7Did the Chicken Cross the Road? (Season 10, Episode 7)
When Cam forgets the lyrics to his favorite country song on Thanksgiving, he blames Mitch for making everything too modern. Now, he wants to get back to his roots by getting a chicken. And that’s where the title comes from.
Though not one of the high-ranked episodes of Modern Family, this one is fun in its own way. Alex lands a job, and it is in this episode we find out that Hayley is pregnant. She literally had lipstick up her nose when she was taken to the hospital, so it was good to have her unharmed and land a piece of good news.
All in all, this is a pretty regular episode with its fair share of fun and smiles.
6Winner Winner Turkey Dinner (Season 9, Episode 7)
The highlight of this episode is Jay’s Thanksgiving toast, where he tries to honor the achievements of everyone in the family, though everyone knows they’re not quite true. It’s funny watching the family trying to cover up their lies and hold onto Jay’s stories.
Overwhelmed by the family’s achievements, Phil tries to master a magic trick to prove that he isn’t the black sheep of the family. It sort of makes you feel a little better when you see that every member had their own little failures, but it doesn’t take away from their efforts.
This episode isn’t the best one in my opinion, as the others in the list clearly surpass it and it might seem a little boring. But there’s no Modern Family episode that is “bad”, only ones you like a little less!
5The Last Thanksgiving (Season 11, Episode 7)
The title itself makes you emotional, doesn’t it? This is the last Thanksgiving episode of the season, so it sort of makes your heart ache when you remember that the family won’t be back for another Thanksgiving.
Nevertheless, keeping nostalgia aside, the episode isn’t one I would rank too high since it isn’t as funny or enjoyable as the others. It’s more of an actual ‘thank you’ episode, where Hayley wants to cook Thanksgiving dinner to thank her parents for helping her out with the twins and Phil realizes that Jay was just being a father to him, just like he was to Dylan.
There’s also the track of Mitch messing up by using the term “split-up” out of context which led their friends to think he and Cam actually split up. So, the elements of confusion and resolution are all there, it’s just that they’ve done it better in other episodes.
4Thanksgiving Jamboree (Season 8, Episode 7)
This Thanksgiving is at the Pritchett-Tucker home. Cam leaves no stone unturned to make this Thanksgiving a memorable one, and he succeeded, at least for us! There’s also Hayley telling Phil she would rather spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Rainer, who is Phil’s age.
This one is a feel-good episode and has a lot to do with Thanksgiving. Watch out for the scarecrow which looks like Mitch, and Gloria’s love for animals. Another thing I love in this episode is the bond between Mitch and Claire as they try to figure out what Cam might have been hiding.
3Phil’s Sexy, Sexy House (Season 7, Episode 7)
We’re finally in the top three! This is more of a post-Thanksgiving brunch episode but nevertheless, it counts. In this episode, there’s this sexy house that Phil is helping Mitch and Cam’s friend sell.
Since the house is so sexy, as the title clearly emphasizes, everyone decides to sneak into it (coincidentally on the same day), creating a huge hide-and-seek game. Phil wasn’t even exaggerating though; damn that bathtub! I think this is a really funny episode, so if you want to have some good laughs, this is the one to pick.
I laugh hard every time I watch Gloria stealing the driving licenses, Phil in the bathtub with ducks, and Manny trying to impress Olive with Joe. Hilarious stuff.
PS: Don’t forget “pasghetti” while you watch it!
2Three Turkeys (Season 6, Episode 8)
Claire is a Monica in this episode! Not like she isn’t always though. In this episode, Phil and Luke decide to cook Thanksgiving dinner, and obviously, Claire cannot trust them to pull it off. So, she prepares a backup turkey.
This episode is funny and has all the elements we love Modern Family for and more, making it second on this list. There’s also the hilarious subplot of Jay and Gloria’s vacation being canceled at the last minute, which they decide not to tell anyone. But then the dinner shifts to their place, and they try to cover up for it.
All in all, it’s quite a funny and fulfilling episode. A perfect one to binge while feasting on Thanksgiving turkey!
1Punkin Chunkin (Season 3, Episode 9)
“There are dreamers and there are realists in this world. You think the dreamers would find the dreamers and the realists would find the realists. But more often than not, the opposite is true. See, the dreamers need the realists to keep the dreamers from soaring too close to the sun. And the realists? Well without the dreamers, they might not ever get off the ground.”
Cam Tucker
Punkin Chunkin is not only the best Thanksgiving episode of Modern Family but also one of the best among Thanksgiving episodes in sitcoms in general. I love everything about this episode—the tasty food, the funny banter, and of course, the heartwarming end.
Cam’s lines hit really hard and it’s like you want to believe him. I love how this episode depicts the spirit of Thanksgiving, of everyone coming together, being thankful for having their loved ones close by, and how different people can coexist in successful relationships.
As Cam said, there are dreamers and there are realists. But they can co-exist in healthy relationships, as we see with Cam and Mitch, or Phil and Claire, in the show. This one is an absolute favorite, and I really am thankful for this episode (and so should you!)
About Modern Family
Modern Family is a mockumentary-style sitcom that aired on ABC from 2009 to 2020. The show is created by Christopher Lloyd and Sam Levitan.
The show focuses on the Pritchett-Dunphy-Tucker clan and the hilarious situations they find themselves in, mainly due to their unusual family.
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