Throwback Thursday: ‘The Price Is Right’, ‘Mystery Science Theatre 3000’, and Great Sitcom Thanksgiving Moments

The holiday season is here! Happy Thanksgiving one and all. Here is our Throwback Thursday picks for the week of November 22-28.

With it being the week of Thanksgiving we decided to focus our TV moments solely on some of the greatest sitcom Thanksgiving episodes. So we are serving up some fantastically funny moments from Friends, How I Met Your Mother, and Cheers. 

Then in the world of premieres, we have some oldies but goodies ready for you. Starting in 1956 with The Price Is Right and heading clear up to 2019 with Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings. We have all types of TV to focus on this week so take a ride with Mystery Science Theatre 3000 and visit all the other TV premieres along the way.

Fasten your seatbelts…it’s going to be a bumpy ride through TV history.

Major TV Moments:

Dinner to Food Fight (Cheers Season 5 Episode 9, “Thanksgiving Orphans”) (November 26, 1986)

Carla hosts a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner for the whole gang when it comes to light that many of them are alone for the holiday. Carla soon regrets allowing the guys into her home.

Diane tries her hardest to get the crew to go around the table and give things they are thankful for. No one really gets the true point of the exercise which leads Diane to give an example that drags on and on.

When the turkey takes longer than anticipated to cook, the guys get antsy and hangry. This leads to some dinner time shenanigans — a food fight. 

Alls well that ends well. By the end of the episode, we are treated to a wonderful, heartwarming scene of unity and friendship.

Rachel’s English Trifle (Friends Season 6 Episode 9, “The One Where Ross Got High”) (November 25, 1999)

When you say Thanksgiving and Friends the episode that first comes to mind is “The One Where Ross Got High” for the story of Rachel’s trifle alone. Sure, there is also the accompanying story of Ross lying to his parents about his pot smoking in college and blaming Chandler, but nothing beats the English dessert gone wrong.

Rachel is given full reign over the dessert for Thanksgiving this season, and that alone should terrify everyone. But, it seems that she is doing okay with the task at hand until she lists off the layers of her English trifle. 

Nothing spells delicious like ladyfingers, jam, custard, peas, beef, banana, and whipped cream. Everyone is too afraid of telling Rachel the truth that they come up with ridiculous elaborate ways to leave the table with their helping. 

Then things really go off the deep end when in the span of one minute every character unloads their deepest secrets for Mr. and Mrs. Gellar to digest. In the end, it gets them to like Chandler and gives audiences a few laughs along the way.

Slapsgiving 2.0 (How I Met Your Mother Season 5 Episode 9, “Slapsgiving 2: Revenge of the Slap”) (November 23, 2009)

When Marshall bequeaths one of his two remaining slaps from the slap bet to Robin and Ted, the two begin to argue over who gets to do it. Barney, wanting to know when he will be slapped steps in to play referee. 

It’s all fun and games for these three until the claws start to come out in an attempt at winning the slap honor. Ted admits he actually isn’t okay with Robin sleeping with one of his friends, and saying he didn’t admit it because he’s still in love with Robin.

Meanwhile, Marshall and Lily are fighting because Marshall has stayed in contact with her father and invited him over for Thanksgiving. This is a move that Lily sees as unforgivable and leaves, but Marshall soon goes after her in solidarity.

When Robin and Ted can’t accept the slap from each other they bequeath the slap to Lily’s father, but he can’t do it either. The funniest part of this constant stream of transfers is Barney’s terrified demeanor as he anticipates each possible slap and then gets taken by surprise when Marshall clocks him.

Premieres:

This week we have many classic TV shows to look at. Of course, there is the ever-popular game show, The Price Is Right which has been around for 64 years and still manages to keep us hooked.

Then there are seminal programs such as Dr. Phil, America’s Funniest Home Videos, and Mystery Science Theatre 3000.

Saved by the Bell fans will be excited to know that the original Bayside adventures began this week when Good Morning, Miss Bliss premiered. This one-season show prequeled the high school years by looking at John F. Kennedy Junior High.

Here are a few TV shows that premiered this week in TV History:

• 1956 – The Price Is Right
• 1987 – Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures
• 1988 – Mystery Science Theatre 3000
• 1988 – Good Morning, Miss Bliss
• 1989 – America’s Funniest Home Videos
• 1999 – Little Bill
• 2002 – Barefoot Contessa
• 2002 – Dr. Phil
• 2008 – Penguins of Madagascar
• 2009 – I’m in the Band
• 2009 – Big Time Rush
• 2011 – Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse
• 2019 – Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings

Tell-Tale TV Archives:

Much like with our TV Moments, we decided to focus on Thanksgiving articles as much as possible this week. 

In 2014, we listed out the five best Thanksgiving episodes. This list has episodes from shows we love such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, How I Met Your Mother, Gilmore Girls, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Then in 2015, we all listed the things we are most thankful for in the world of TV. This list reminds us to be grateful for all the simple things in life.

Finally, we found an interview with Mason Cook from Speechless that is a fun read. Check out all these fun little throwbacks as you relax this week.

2014

Families and Catastrophies: 5 Fantastic Thanksgiving Episodes from Your Favorite Shows

2015

TV We’re Thankful For: Our Staff Talks Strong Female Characters and Smart Comedies

2017

 

Mason Cook Talks ABC’s ‘Speechless’ [Exclusive Interview]

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What are some major TV premieres, finales, or moments you remember? Sound off in the comments below and your choice just might be featured in a future Throwback Thursday column.

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