Many sitcoms are known for their holiday-themed episodes, but some have a reputation for doing some holidays, such as Thanksgiving, better than others.
So, in other words, the episodes were never too different from how Thanksgiving tends to be for some, which is why Friends continues to be an annual tradition.
In fact, the show is so famous for its Thanksgiving episodes that the most die-hard fans can even name their Number One favorite among them.
For instance, Roseanne would basically release an annual mini horror movie around Halloween, Community got especially inventive for Christmas (such as Season 2’s Emmy-winning stop-motion animation special), and Friends’ Thanksgiving episodes practically define the essence of the holiday better than any other.