8 shows you can watch and stream this Thanksgiving weekend in 2022

Thanksgiving is here, and whether you’re celebrating with a huge gathering, a smaller affair—or just by yourself—there’s always ample opportunity to liven up Turkey Day with entertainment from the comfort of your own home.

This year, there are a plethora of TV picks with cult appeal, including returning favorites like the annual show, some marathons, a sports documentary, a cooking series, and even an entry into the ever-expanding universe of “Star Wars.”

Here’s your essential guide to what to watch for Thanksgiving.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The annual event is now in its 96th year, with returning Today Show hosts Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker as hosts. It will open with a musical number from Lea Michele and her Broadway cast “Funny Girl” and “The Lion King,” in celebration of her 25th birthday. Mariah Carey will close the show by performing her song “All I Want for Christmas Is You”. The singer wrote on Instagram, “My childhood dream come true! I’m going to be opening just one, Santa Claus, at this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade!” There will also be several new floats, including one called “People Of the First Light” to honor the Wampanoag tribe.

Where to watch9 a.m. on NBC, also broadcast on Peacock.

“Good Rivals”

This three-part documentary series chronicles the rivalry between the Mexican and US men’s national soccer teams, focusing on stars like Landon Donovan (USA) and Rafael Marquez (Mexico) and the country’s fan bases. While it’s not a special Thanksgiving theme, if you like to watch shows related to sports other than football – and with the World Cup in full swing – this might be for you.

Where to watch: Prime Video.

“friends”

Join the group on a marathon focused on all the fun Thanksgiving episodes, including “The One with the Rumor,” “The One with All the Thanksgivings,” “The One with the Football,” and “The One with Chandler in a Box.” Matthew Perry’s recently published memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing could add some context to what was going on behind the scenes on the long-running NBC sitcom.

Where to watch: 12:30 PM to 5:30 PM on TBS.

Andor

The first two episodes of the Disney+ series “Star Wars” (prequel to “Rogue One”) are available on other Disney platforms for a limited time over the holiday. The series follows rebel spy Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) during his formative years, when he was just a thief.

Where to watch: 9 p.m. on FX (and if you missed it, it also airs on Freeform at the same time on Fridays, and airs on Hulu, in addition to airing on Disney+).

“Criminal Minds: Evolution”

The long-running action returned (2005-2020 on CBS). In this new series, an elite team of FBI criminal profilers must take on an UnSub (Zach Gilford, “Friday Night Lights”) who has used the pandemic to build a network of otherworldly serial killers. The original series stars Joe Mantegna, Kirsten VanGensis, AJ Cook, Paget Brewster and Aisha Tyler.

Where to watch: Paramount +

The Ultimate Thanksgiving Challenge

Need some kitchen inspiration? Giada De Laurentiis hosts the cooking competition reality show, where chefs face off at Thanksgiving dinner and side dishes. The winner gets $25,000.

Where to watch: Discovery +.

“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”

Join Charlie Brown, Snoopy, and the rest of the gang in this timeless animated classic, first released in 1973. Even though it’s moved from PBS to Apple TV+, you can still tune in even if you don’t subscribe to the stream. Apple TV+ is giving non-subscribers a chance to watch it for free from November 23 to November 27.

Where to watch: AppleTV+.

“Down with Turkey”

When small-town college girl Lucy (Olivia Holt, “Cruel Summer”) comes home for the Thanksgiving break, she suspects she’ll be “dropped turkey,” or dumped by her high school boyfriend. To avoid this, she takes control of her life.

Where to watch: 11 am in free form.