Thanksgiving Binge Guide: TV Marathons and Specials to Watch When You've Had Your Fill of Family

What to binge watch after you've binge eaten!

By Billy Nilles Nov 25, 2015 8:00 PMTags
Friends, Thanksgiving, TurkeyNBC

You've got four days off of work for Thanksgiving, but only four hours set aside for family and food on Thursday night. What's a TV lover to do to guarantee that they don't have to go outside or get trapped in yet another unwanted discussion about why they're still single? Tune in to all the marathons that TV has to offer over the weekend, of course!

But in this wide world of endless cable networks, you don't want to settle for any old Alaskan Bush People marathon. With that in mind, we've compiled what we believe are the best bets to keep you occupied and entertained this holiday weekend. You're welcome.

ABC

Thursday

- Kick off your day with a parade or two! Macy's 89th Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off at 9 a.m. ET on NBC with performances by Mariah Carey, Daughtry and more. CBS' Thanksgiving Day Parade, its 55th, will also kick off at 9 a.m. ET, and will feature performances by the casts of Broadway's Jersey Boys and Beautiful - The Carole King Musical.

- Friends (TBS, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.): No Turkey Day is complete without a marathon of the sitcom known for TV's most iconic Thanksgiving episodes.

- Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce (Bravo, 6 a.m. - 2 p.m.): Looking for something a little more current? Catch up on Bravo's excellent first scripted series before season two premieres on December 1.

- Modern Family (USA, 4 p.m. - 1 a.m.): After putting in the requisite face time with your crazy family, spend some time with an even crazier, and funnier, one.

- NFL games: While sports may not be for everyone, football is a Thanksgiving tradition. The Philadelphia Eagles will play the Detroit Lions at 12:30 p.m. ET on Fox, while the Dallas Cowboys and the Carolina Panthers will face off at 4:30 p.m. ET on CBS. In the final game of the day, the Green Bay Packers will take on the Chicago Bears at 8:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

- The All-Star Dog Rescue Celebration (Fox, 8 p.m.): Hosted by Kaley Cuoco, celebs will introduce adoptable rescue dogs. You will say "Aw!" a lot. 

Friday

- The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (Bravo, 6 a.m. - 1:40 p.m.): Wake up to the diamonds and the drama of the ladies of the 90210. It'll definitely make you appreciate your family a little more.

- The Golden Girls (TV Land, 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.): Reality TV not your jam? Then spend the day with everyone's favorite grandmas. Just make sure to rustle up some leftover cheesecake before you do!

- The Simpsons (FXX, 6 p.m. - midnight): Let another of America's favorite families help you avoid yours.

CBS

Saturday

- Law & Order (TNT, 5 a.m. - noon): An early riser? Get your day going with Lennie Briscoe (Jerry Orbach), Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) and the gang.

- NCIS (USA, 10 a.m. - 11 p.m.): Prefer your long-running procedurals of the CBS variety? Then spend the day with Gibbs (Mark Harmon) & Co.

Sunday

- The Walking Dead (AMC, 1 p.m. - 10 p.m.): If you haven't become a zombie yourself, there's only one marathon worth your time on your last day off. Get caught up on Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and the gang's season six struggles before the mid-season finale ends your day.

- Plus, new episodes of Showtime's Homeland and The Affair are set to air, as well as The Good Wife on CBS.

Happy Thanksgiving! (And apologize to your mom in advance on our behalf.)

(E!, Bravo, and USA are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)