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A Guide to Every ‘New Girl’ Thanksgiving Episode on November 23, 2023 at 7:30 pm Us Weekly

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From “Bangsgiving” to holidays in the wilderness, New Girl is known for its Turkey Day specials.

The Fox series, which ran for seven seasons from 2011 to 2018, followed Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel), a quirky teacher who moves into a Los Angeles loft with three men — Schmidt (Max Greenfield), Winston (Lamorne Morris) and Nick (Jake Johnson) — after she discovers her (now ex) boyfriend has been cheating on her.

The sitcom, which was created by Elizabeth Meriwether, never missed an opportunity for a holiday extravaganza, from zany Halloween antics to heartfelt Christmas cheer. However, it was the show’s decision to air an (almost) annual Thanksgiving episode that pleased viewers the most. The series even brought in a few iconic guest stars like Jamie Lee Curtis and Rob Reiner, who portrayed Jess’ mom and dad, respectively.

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“[It was] intimidating. Very intimidating,” Deschanel recalled of her onscreen parents during a 2014 appearance at PaleyFest. “I felt like the whole time we were, like, Home Alone face. Something about Rob Reiner, when he walked in, just his signature deadpan, it’s like, ‘Whoa.’ It was really amazing and they are both so nice and generous and told us so many great stories.”

Related: Best Thanksgiving TV Episodes to Rewatch on Turkey Day

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What better way to spend Thanksgiving than rewatching some of the most memorable holiday TV episodes? Us Weekly has put together a list of must-watch episodes, which include everything from Marshall Erikson’s epic “Slapsgiving” song on How I Met Your Mother to Friends’ Chandler Bing accidentally blurting out “I love you” to Monica while she’s […]

Keep scrolling for a guide to every New Girl Thanksgiving episode:

“Thanksgiving” (Season 1 Episode 6)

It may be the first holiday episode, but it’s also the most important as “Thanksgiving” sets up the romantic tension between fan-favorite couple Jess and Nick.

In order to get more face time with her crush Paul (Justin Long), Jess insists on throwing a Thanksgiving get-together despite Nick, Schmidt and Winston wanting to engage in their annual “Dudes-giving.”

While the guys finally agree, problems arise as Jess reveals she doesn’t know how to cook and the turkey has to be defrosted in just a few short hours. The awkward dinner only gets worse when the roommates head next door and discover their neighbor’s dead body.

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“Parents” (Season 2 Episode 8)

Who doesn’t love a good guest star? Curtis and Reiner show up to portray Jess’ mom and dad after she “parent traps” them into both attending Thanksgiving dinner – something she’s been trying to do since their divorce.

Family hijinks are abound, with Schmidt and his cousin (also named Schmidt and played by Rob Riggle) competing to prove who is “more manly” and Jess’ parents, who claim to hate each other, hooking up in the bathroom. Jess is devastated when she realizes their rendezvous won’t end in a reconciliation.

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“Thanksgiving III” (Season 3 Episode 10)

Thanksgiving in the wilderness! The gang — plus Coach (Damon Wayans Jr.)! — heads out for a change of scenery as Nick suggests they try hunting and gathering in the woods for the holiday. Jess — wanting to support Nick as their new romance continues to blossom — agrees to the idea and convinces the rest of the roommates to join in.

In true New Girl fashion, things quickly go astray as Winston, Jess and Cece try to secretly buy fruits and vegetables for their Thanksgiving feast, upsetting Nick. A guilt-stricken Jess then ingests a toxic fish to make him feel better, leading her to become instantly ill and delusional.

The group ends the night in the hospital with Jess, who has contracted giardia — among other things — simply happy to be spending the holiday together (and alive).

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“Thanksgiving IV” (Season 4 Episode 9)

Thanksgiving? More like Bangsgiving. Everyone in the loft is single, which means Schmidt is ready to mingle. He suggests the roommates all set each other up on blind dates to find new love.

Jess is hopeful to connect with someone so she can get over her crush on coworker Ryan (Julian Morris), but Coach ends up bringing him as Jess’ blind date. Meanwhile, Coach is intimidated by his date’s strength, Winston shares his fear of lunch ladies and Nick brings his elderly friend Tran to the dinner. Exes Schmidt and Cece coincidentally are left with no dates, leaving them to spend the evening together.

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Related: Thanksgiving Movies to Watch Between Cooking and Feasting

Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday to celebrate family and feasting — it is the perfect excuse to stream your favorite festive movies all week long. When not eating mashed potatoes and apple pie, families and friends alike can cozy up on the couch to watch classics like A Charlie Brown’s Thanksgiving or the […]

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“Last Thanksgiving” (Season 6 Episode 7)

The final Thanksgiving episode of New Girl features another stellar guest star, Peter Gallagher, who portrays Schmidt’s recently heartbroken father. The father-son duo work on their issues while Nick revels in his sadness over girlfriend Regan (Megan Fox) not showing up.

Jess, meanwhile, tries to find a way to break up with boyfriend Robby (Nelson Franklin), who shows up to dinner without an invitation, after she previously caused a bunch of accidents that landed him in a wheelchair.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images From “Bangsgiving” to holidays in the wilderness, New Girl is known for its Turkey Day specials. The Fox series, which ran for seven seasons from 2011 to 2018, followed Jess Day (Zooey Deschanel), a quirky teacher who moves into a Los Angeles loft with three men — Schmidt (Max Greenfield), Winston 

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What We Can Learn Inside 50 Cent’s Explosive Diddy Documentary: 5 Reasons You Should Watch

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50 Cent’s new Netflix docuseries about Sean “Diddy” Combs is more than a headline-grabbing exposé; it is a meticulous breakdown of how power, celebrity, and silence can collide in the entertainment industry.

Across its episodes, the series traces Diddy’s rise, the allegations that followed him for years, and the shocking footage and testimonies now forcing a wider cultural reckoning.

For viewers, it offers not just drama, but lessons about media literacy, accountability, and how society treats survivors when a superstar is involved.

Rapper 50 Cent pictured in Tup Tup Palace night club with owners James Jukes and Matt LoveDough, Newcastle, UK, 7th November 2015

1. It Chronicles Diddy’s Rise and Fall – And How Power Warps Reality

The docuseries follows Combs from hitmaker and business icon to a figure facing serious criminal conviction and public disgrace, mapping out decades of influence, branding, and behind-the-scenes behavior. Watching that arc shows how money, fame, and industry relationships can shield someone from scrutiny and delay accountability, even as disturbing accusations accumulate.

Rapper 50 Cent pictured in Tup Tup Palace night club with owners James Jukes and Matt LoveDough, Newcastle, UK, 7th November 2015

2. Never-Before-Seen Footage Shows How Narratives Are Managed

Exclusive footage of Diddy in private settings and in the tense days around his legal troubles reveals how carefully celebrity narratives are shaped, even in crisis.

Viewers can learn to question polished statements and recognize that what looks spontaneous in public is often the result of strategy, damage control, and legal calculation.

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3. Survivors’ Stories Highlight Patterns of Abuse and Silence

Interviews with alleged victims, former staff, and industry insiders describe patterns of control, fear, and emotional or physical harm that were long whispered about but rarely aired in this detail. Their stories underline how difficult it is to speak out against a powerful figure, teaching viewers why many survivors delay disclosure and why consistent patterns across multiple accounts matter.

4. 50 Cent’s Approach Shows Storytelling as a Tool for Accountability

As executive producer, 50 Cent uses his reputation and platform to push a project that leans into uncomfortable truths rather than protecting industry relationships. The series demonstrates how documentary storytelling can challenge established power structures, elevate marginalized voices, and pressure institutions to respond when traditional systems have failed.

5. The Cultural Backlash Reveals How Society Handles Celebrity Accountability

Reactions to the doc—ranging from people calling it necessary and brave to others dismissing it as a vendetta or smear campaign—expose how emotionally invested audiences can be in defending or condemning a famous figure. Watching that debate unfold helps viewers see how fandom, nostalgia, and bias influence who is believed, and why conversations about “cancel culture” often mask deeper questions about justice and who is considered too powerful to fall.

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South Park’s Christmas Episode Delivers the Antichrist

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A new Christmas-themed episode of South Park is scheduled to air with a central plot in which Satan is depicted as preparing for the birth of an Antichrist figure. The premise extends a season-long narrative arc that has involved Satan, Donald Trump, and apocalyptic rhetoric, positioning this holiday episode as a culmination of those storylines rather than a stand‑alone concept.

Episode premise and season context

According to published synopses and entertainment coverage, the episode frames the Antichrist as part of a fictional storyline that blends religious symbolism with commentary on politics, media, and cultural fear. This follows earlier Season 28 episodes that introduced ideas about Trump fathering an Antichrist child and tech billionaire Peter Thiel obsessing over prophecy and end‑times narratives. The Christmas setting is presented as a contrast to the darker themes, reflecting the series’ pattern of pairing holiday imagery with controversial subject matter.

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Public and political reactions

Coverage notes that some figures connected to Donald Trump’s political orbit have criticized the season’s portrayal of Trump and his allies, describing the show as relying on shock tactics rather than substantive critique. Commentators highlight that these objections are directed more at the depiction of real political figures and the show’s tone than at the specific theology of the Antichrist storyline.

At the time of reporting, there have not been widely reported, detailed statements from major religious leaders focused solely on this Christmas episode, though religion-focused criticism of South Park in general has a long history.

Media and cultural commentary

Entertainment outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter, Entertainment Weekly, Forbes, Slate, and USA Today describe the Antichrist arc as part of South Park’s ongoing use of Trump-era and tech-world politics as material for satire.

These reports emphasize that the show’s treatment of the Antichrist, Satan, and prophecy is designed as exaggerated commentary rather than doctrinal argument, while also acknowledging that many viewers may see the storyline as offensive or excessive.

Viewer guidance and content advisory

South Park is rated TV‑MA and is intended for adult audiences due to strong language, explicit themes, and frequent use of religious and political satire. Viewers who are sensitive to depictions of Satan, the Antichrist, or parodies involving real political figures may find this episode particularly objectionable, while others may view it as consistent with the show’s long‑running approach to controversial topics. As with previous episodes, individual responses are likely to vary widely, and the episode is best understood as part of an ongoing satirical series rather than a factual or theological statement.

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Sydney Sweeney Finally Confronts the Plastic Surgery Rumors

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Sydney Sweeney has decided she is finished watching strangers on the internet treat her face like a forensic project. After years of side‑by‑side screenshots, “then vs now” TikToks, and long comment threads wondering what work she has supposedly had done, the actor is now addressing the plastic surgery rumors directly—and using them to say something larger about how women are looked at in Hollywood and online.

Sweeney at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival red carpet premiere of Christy

Growing Up on Camera vs. “Before and After” Culture

Sweeney points out that people are often mistaking normal changes for procedures: she grew up on camera, her roles now come with big‑budget glam teams, and her body has shifted as she has trained, aged, and worked nonstop. Yet every new red‑carpet photo gets folded into a narrative that assumes surgeons, not time, are responsible. Rather than walking through a checklist of what is “real,” she emphasizes how bizarre it is that internet detectives comb through pores, noses, and jawlines as if they are owed an explanation for every contour of a woman’s face.

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The Real Problem Isn’t Her Face

By speaking up, Sweeney is redirecting the conversation away from her features and toward the culture that obsesses over them.

She argues that the real issue isn’t whether an actress has had work done, but why audiences feel so entitled to dissect her body as public property in the first place.

For her, the constant speculation is less about curiosity and more about control—another way to tell women what they should look like and punish them when they do not fit. In calling out that dynamic, Sweeney isn’t just defending herself; she is forcing fans and followers to ask why tearing apart someone else’s appearance has become such a popular form of entertainment.


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