Please Don’t Subject Me to Football on Thanksgiving

Danielle Cohen is a journalist for the Cut who reports on the latest happenings in pop culture and entertainment. In the past, she focused on writing about fitness and wellness and how they relate to society's cultural norms at GQ.

The thing that scares me the most is what I consider my worst nightmare. The illustration accompanying this blog post combines various images to visually represent this fear. The photos used are sourced from Getty Images.

Football is receiving a lot of attention lately, for reasons that don't need to be explained. Understandably, this may be tiring for some people. However, it is important to keep in mind that Thanksgiving is a time where many families come together and watch football. Despite personal preferences, it is likely that football will be playing in the background during your holiday celebrations. This can be distracting when trying to complete tasks such as opening cans, socializing, or going on walks. Even muting the TV during a game has its drawbacks as it can be difficult to converse with someone who is fully absorbed in the game.

Anyway, having a group of muscular men on the television can spoil the festive mood of Thanksgiving. It's really unfortunate because you could enjoy so many other wonderful things while you gobble down mashed potatoes. For instance, why not replay the Macy's Parade and challenge your cousins to choose their favorite float? Alternatively, you could watch all three extended versions of the Lord of the Rings movies consecutively, which will take up more than 12 hours and occupy your time during cooking, serving, eating, and cleaning up. If you're into it, you can even watch the movie Cats (2019). Another option is to play a cozy fireplace YouTube video on the TV and be done with it.

In my personal opinion, a turkey dinner is not complete without watching a specific episode of The O.C called "Homecoming" during Thanksgiving. This episode includes various entertaining events such as Ryan and Marissa visiting Chino, Seth engaging in romantic moments with two different women, Kirsten accidently burning the turkey, and Peter Gallagher's expressive eyebrows. However, some people in my extended family do not appreciate the antics of well-off yet likable teenagers from the West Coast. Therefore, I sought advice from my coworkers on what else we could watch instead of football during the festivities. Here are some of their suggestions.

What could be more entertaining than inviting your family to watch a family that's more messed-up than yours on TV? Your aunt bickering about which cheeses were used in the mac and cheese or your uncle whining about cleaning out your grandma's attic can't compete with the conflict destroying the Corleone family, which TCM showcases every Thanksgiving by broadcasting all three parts of The Godfather saga. Enjoy the show! - Brooke Marine, second-in-command culture editor.

Although it may sound typical, watching the first few seasons of Gilmore Girls during Thanksgiving is my ultimate viewing experience. The background sound of the heated arguments during the Friday night dinners, the prevalent autumn atmosphere, and let's not forget, the episode in season three about the "Deep-Fried Korean Thanksgiving" all create the perfect ambiance. -Bindu Bansinath, a writer on the team

Bob's Burgers is known for their exceptional holiday episodes, and particularly for their Thanksgiving specials. The top pick would be the episode titled "Dawn of the Peck" from season five episode four, where a turkey trot that involves people running from turkeys turns chaotic when the birds start to attack. Other recommended Thanksgiving episodes include "Gayle Makin' Bob Sled" from season six episode four, "Turkey in a Can" from season four episode five, and "An Indecent Thanksgiving Proposal" from season three episode five.

The movie choice that will keep the entire family engaged, regardless of age and background, is Father of the Bride starring Steve Martin. This film is the sole production that all 12 members of my family can unanimously enjoy, thanks to its charming and comical plotline, pleasant soundtrack, and reasonable duration of one hour and forty-five minutes.

During Thanksgiving, I really enjoy watching the National Dog Show on NBC or Peacock. It runs from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET and is a great alternative to football for families who enjoy competition. The show features close-ups of dogs and dogs running around a ring, making it a delightful experience for dog lovers. What's more, it hardly ever causes any controversy. While some viewers may disagree with the decision to give a bichon the trophy (since it looks more like a cotton ball than a dog), others consider it a legitimate canine category. Overall, discussing the show is a safe topic for Thanksgiving dinner conversations.

Top DogAfter the conclusion of the Dog Show, you can follow it up with the film that initiated it all: Top Dog, a mockumentary created by Christopher Guest in 2000 that motivated an executive from NBC Sports to make a dog show for the time period following the parade. If you're still craving more dog show action after the movie, certain years of the event are supposedly accessible to rewatch on Peacock. This is a great way to pass a lot of time. – CL

For those seeking a starkly different option, I suggest indulging in Greta Gerwig's Little Women. Alternatively, if you crave a contemporary movie that will tug at your heartstrings while remaining slightly humorous, then Aquamarine is a must-watch. It's a timeless tale about the value of friendship. Similarly, Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is an enjoyable option that's sure to elicit giggles and an urge to embrace your loved ones. - Katja Vujić, social media editor.

When my family used to celebrate Thanksgiving in Texas, we always ended up watching the Cowboys on TV. However, now we prefer to have a more relaxed celebration. Typically, my dad will show us some of his personal videos on his computer, which always leads to us having a good laugh. After that, we like to indulge in a "so-bad-it's-good" kind of movie, such as Twilight. Since I recently re-watched the first film, I plan on watching New Moon this year. - Brooke LaMantia, the writer who covers shopping topics.