Entertainment
Here's What's On TV This Thanksgiving Weekend Just In Case You, Uh, Wanted to Avoid the Fam
Technically, Thanksgiving is about family and being thankful for the good things in your life. But sometimes, you just have to get away from that family and be thankful for a four-day weekend spent on the couch. Luckily, most TV channels have got you covered.
Whether you need to slip away for a few hours of peace after Thanksgiving dinner, or plan to eat so much you won't be able to move for the rest of the weekend, there's plenty to watch — besides football. Just make sure you keep those leftovers within arm's reach.
Image: NBC
ABC: 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' & Christmas Specials
At 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving, ABC will air A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving to celebrate the holiday, but then Christmas seasons starts at 9:30 p.m. with Lady Gaga & the Muppets' Holiday Spectacular, which will probably be as weird as it sounds. The Christmas festivities continue into Friday, with Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas at 8 p.m., followed by Shrek the Halls at 8:30.
Image: ABC
A&E: 'Duck Dynasty' & 'The First 48'
Spend all of Thursday and Sunday watching hours of a family more entertaining than your own with two primetime Duck Dynasty marathons. For something a little more serious, A&E is also showing many hours of its true crime series The First 48 on Friday.
Image: A&E
AMC: 'The Godfather' & Hitchcock
If you have to share the TV with older relatives, AMC is probably your best bet with The Godfather followed by The Godfather, Part II, followed by The Godfather, again, on Thursday. If they stick around for Friday, AMC's airing of three classic Alfred Hitchcock films should also be a crowd-pleaser.
Image: Paramount
Bravo: A Random Assortment of Movies
Rather than make you grateful for the fact that your family gets to fight without cameras watching with a Real Housewives marathon, Bravo has decided to play some random movies throughout Thursday and Friday. Thursday has more rom-coms with movies like Legally Blonde and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, before Friday features some action with 2 Fast 2 Furious.
Image: Paramount
CBS: Christmas Movies & Garth Brooks
The major networks seem to really love the idea that Christmas starts as soon as the last piece of pumpkin pie is served. On Friday, CBS will show Christmas movies including The Elf on the Shelf: An Elf's Story, followed by Garth Brooks: Live from Las Vegas at 9 p.m. Then they'll go straight back into Christmas on Saturday with Flight Before Christmas and more. I don't get it either, but hey, good news for all seven remaining Garth Brooks fans out there.
Food Network: 'Chopped' & 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives'
Considering that it's called the Food Network, this weekend's lineup is pretty disappointing. Thursday night will bring the standard three hours of Chopped, before Friday evening begins the marathon of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives that no one but Guy Fieri asked for.
Image: Food Network
FXX: 'How I Met Your Mother'
On Thanksgiving day, FXX is having a How I Met Your Mother marathon, presumably to remind viewers that there are people who tell even longer stories than your own family members. Perhaps it will inspire your own Slapsgiving tradition.
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MTV: 'Ridiculousness' & 'Awkward'
Because nothing brings families together like watching idiots get hit in the balls, MTV is having an all-day Ridiculousness marathon on Thanksgiving. Then remember why you're spending the weekend home avoiding everyone you went to high school with by watching Friday's Awkward marathon.
Image: MTV
Nickelodeon: All of the 'Friends' Thanksgivings
If you can make it until 10 p.m., Nick at Nite is showing all of the classic Friends Thanksgiving episodes. This isn't your only chance to watch them, but be sure to squeeze at least a few favorites in. Thanksgiving just wouldn't be the same without Monica bossing everyone around while Ross and Rachel fight and/or have sexual tension.
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Syfy: James Bond
Because what better way to celebrate the Pilgrims escaping England for America than to watch two days of Britain's coolest hero? From 8 a.m. Thursday to 8 p.m. Friday, Syfy is showing James Bond movies, more 007 than you could ever possibly need. When you run out of martinis on Saturday, they'll be having another non-themed movie marathon until Sunday.
Image: United Artists
TBS: More 'Friends' Thanksgiving
If you know you won't be able to stay up all night for Nick at Nite's marathon, TBS is showing all of the Friends Thanksgiving episodes starting at the much more reasonable hour of 10 a.m. on Thursday, followed by a few other classic, non-holiday episodes. See if you can sneak away from dinner to catch your favorite ("The One With the Football" is on at 11 a.m.).
Image: NBC
TLC: 'Undercover Boss' & 'Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta'
You can spend Thanksgiving watching executives from your favorite fast food chains infiltrate their own stores, and be thankful for the fact that your dinner doesn't involve french fries for once. On Friday, be thankful that you aren't a bridesmaid to one of the many emotional women on the subpar Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta.
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TNT: 'Castle' & Ancient Warriors
For some reason no one will ever understand, TNT is showing Castle throughout most of Thanksgiving. On Friday, their creatively titled "Day After Thanksgiving Movie Marathon" is focused on the Greeks and Romans for some reason, with Clash of the Titans, Gladiator and 300. Maybe it's a tradition we've just never heard of.
Image: Universal
USA: 'Modern Family' & 'Law & Order: SVU'
USA is thankful for its Modern Family syndication rights, apparently, as the network will show the comedy nonstop on Thursday, before taking a break for some action movies on Friday until primetime brings more Modern Family. Over the weekend, there will be a Law & Order: Special Victims Unit "Locks & Loaded Marathon," that will only be interrupted on Saturday night for, you guessed it, Modern Family.
Image: ABC
