The Turkey Who Came to Dinner

"The Turkey Who Came to Dinner" is a Season 4 episode of Rugrats.

Characters Present

 * Tommy
 * Chuckie
 * Phil
 * Lil
 * Angelica
 * Spike
 * Stu
 * Didi
 * Chas
 * Howard
 * Betty
 * Drew
 * Charlotte
 * Lou
 * Boris
 * Minka
 * Delivery Man 3
 * Turkey

Plot
The episode begins with Didi telling a story about pilgrims to Tommy, Phil, and Lil. In her story, she tells them that the pilgrims were people just like their parents, and a long time ago, they came from far, far away. She also tells them that Thanksgiving, which is also today, is the day they pick to say "Thank you" for all the good things they had, including their families, and their new friends, the Native Americans, who helped them when things were really hard. She finishes the story by telling them that every year on Thanksgiving, they give thanks for their family and friends by having a lovely dinner. This dinner includes corn, potatoes, stuffing, and pie. Before she can reveal the turkey as the main course, she is interrupted by Betty and Charlotte, who are arguing in the kitchen while Howard is stirring. Charlotte wants to put mustard instead of butter on the turkey, believing it to be healthier, but Betty tells her that mustard is for hot dogs, not turkey. Didi ends the story and tells Tommy, Phil, and Lil to paint their turkeys while she heads into the kitchen. As Didi heads towards the kitchen, the doorbell rings. Stu, who is installing satellite dishes in his backyard, asks Didi if she can answer the front door. Didi sighs unhappily, but opens the front door anyway. Chas has arrived with Chuckie, as well as a television set. Chas wishes Didi a happy Thanksgiving, and asks her where he can put his television set. Didi tells him to put it in the living room with the others.

Chas and Chuckie walk into the living room, where Boris is asleep on the couch. Chas sets his TV on top of another in a pile. Stu says hello to Chas and Chuckie and wishes them a happy Thanksgiving. He then tells him that he and Drew are installing satellite dishes, and once they're all up, they'll be able to watch so many football games. Drew then calls Chas over to help him and Stu install the satellite dishes. Chas tells Chuckie to play with his friends while he goes outside to help Stu and Drew.

Chuckie walks up to the table where Tommy, Phil, and Lil are playing. Chuckie notices they are all wearing feathered headbands, and asks them why they're wearing them. Tommy explains to Chuckie that he, Phil, and Lil are playing "Nakie Americans", and puts a feathered headband from the table on Chuckie's head. Chuckie, remembering a past experience, asks Tommy if he has to take his clothes off. Phil tells him that he doesn't, and what he does have to do is wear a feathered headband and have a nice, big dinner. Lil then shows a picture that she, Tommy, and Phil made, with turkeys made from the paint on their hands. Tommy then tells Chuckie that it's "Hanksgiving". Chuckie asks who "Hanks Giving" is, and Tommy explains to him that "Hanksgiving" is not a person, rather, it's the day they have a big dinner with all their friends and family, and remember how happy they are. Chuckie asks Tommy that if they have to have dinner with their entire families, if they'll have to invite Angelica as well. Tommy tells Chuckie it's a great idea, and walks towards her. Chuckie tries to stop Tommy, but to no avail.

Tommy, Phil, and Lil all walk up to Angelica, and Tommy asks her if she wants to come to their "Hanksgiving" dinner. Angelica yells at him to be quiet, as she is watching the Thanksgiving parade on one of the televisions. On the television screen, a balloon of a turkey is shown. Lil then tells Phil that she doesn't think Angelica wants to join them. Tommy tells her that that's all right, as they'll make their own dinner and find some new friends to eat it with them. They all walk back to their table.

In the kitchen, Howard is still stirring while Didi tells Betty and Charlotte that they're only going to have one turkey, and they'll all have to cook it together. Howard asks Didi where the turkey is, and Didi tells him that Lou told her he was getting it, but he should have gotten back hours ago. Just then, Lou returns with a bag of groceries and some balloons. Didi asks Lou if he bought the turkey, and Lou tells her he did better than that; he won a turkey as first prize in the Senior Center's Thanksgiving Cribbage Cavalcade, and shows her the trophy from it. Minka then asks Lou where the turkey is, and Lou tells her it's being delivered, and will come to Tommy's house by 4:00 at the latest. The adults are all shocked upon hearing this, and Lou, missing the point, tells them they don't have to thank him. He then tells them that he's going into the backyard to play a football game with Stu and Drew. After Lou leaves, Betty tells the other adults that if they don't have a turkey in the oven as soon as possible, there won't be a Thanksgiving dinner this year. Minka suggests to her that they make a quick trip to the grocery store, and Betty tells her she was thinking the same thing. Betty then tells Howard that he will be driving her, Didi, Charlotte, and Minka to the grocery store. As Betty, Howard, Charlotte, and Minka all walk towards Betty's car, Didi tells Stu that they're going out, and to watch over the kids while they're away. Stu, who is still installing satellite dishes in his backyard, tells her he will.

At their table, Chuckie asks Tommy what they'll be having for Thanksgiving dinner. Tommy tells Chuckie that their Thanksgiving dinner will consist mostly of Reptar cereal. He then asks Chuckie, Phil, and Lil if they have anything else to add. Angelica is still watching TV, and asks Cynthia if the parade was beautiful. Tommy asks her if she wants to help them with their Thanksgiving dinner, and Angelica tells him she's got better things to do than to help him and his friends. Specifically, she wants to put on her own parade. Chuckie asks her if she's serious, and she tells him she is; if Tracy can put on a parade, whoever she is, then so can she, and she's going to have the biggest and best parade anyone's ever seen; Angelica's Thanksgiving Celebration of Angelica. She then tells Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil that they're all going to help her. She dumps out a box of toys, and Tommy tells her that he'd like to help her, but he, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil are too busy making their Thanksgiving Dinner. He then tells Chuckie, Phil, and Lil that he might have left some crackers under the couch. He, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil, all walk towards the couch, and Angelica tells them that she doesn't need their help, as she can make her parade all by herself, and they'd probably just mess it up anyway. She then tells at them to take off their feather headbands.

In the backyard, Stu, Drew, and Chas are all installing satellite dishes. Lou sees this and calls Stu over. Stu nearly falls off his ladder in shock, but Chas stops him before he can fall. Lou asks him if he'd like to play a game of football with him, but Stu tells him that he can't, as he, Drew, and Chas have to install all their satellite dishes by 2:00, when the football games begin. Drew tells Lou that he, Stu, and Chas are going to watch every football game in the country. Lou then asks Stu and Drew if they'd really rather watch a football game than play one, and they both tell him yes. Chas agrees with Stu and Drew, saying it's much safer. However, he doesn't hold Stu's ladder steady, and it falls over, knocking all the satellite dishes down. Lou then says to himself that he should have had girls instead of boys.

Back in the house, Tommy hands some Reptar cereal to Chuckie, Phil, and Lil, when there is a knock at the front door. A Delivery Man has arrived with a box with the Turkey Lou won, revealing it to be a live one. He walks up to Boris, who is still asleep on the couch, and wakes him up. Boris angrily tells him he's trying to sleep, and the Delivery Man tells him that he's sorry to bother him, but he has a turkey. Boris tells him that today is Thanksgiving, so it's the appropriate occasion to have a turkey. The Delivery Man asks Boris where he should put the turkey, and Boris tells him that there's no better place for a turkey on Thanksgiving than in the kitchen. The Delivery Man takes the Turkey to the kitchen and thanks Boris. Boris then says to himself that young people don't know anything about turkeys on Thanksgiving, and goes back to sleep.

The Delivery Man sets the Turkey down in the kitchen. Chuckie peers into the kitchen and sees the box with the Turkey in it, and tells Tommy something's inside the box. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all walk into the kitchen, and Tommy knocks on the box. Inside the box, the Turkey gobbles. Tommy opens the box, and the Turkey jumps out, scaring him, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil away. Spike sees the turkey, who looks back at him, and has a crush on him. Spike runs away as the Turkey chases him into the backyard. Phil asks Tommy what the thing in the box was, and Tommy tells him he thinks it was a turkey. Outside, the Turkey continues to chase Spike. Chuckie nervously asks Tommy if turkeys are friendly. Tommy tells him they have to be, as Didi told him they are a big part of Thanksgiving. He then tells him, Phil, and Lil, that he has an idea; he's going to invite the Turkey to their Thanksgiving dinner. Chuckie tells Tommy he isn't sure that's such a good idea, as he thinks the Turkey is very scary. As the Turkey continues chasing Spike, Tommy tells Chuckie that the "Nakie Americans" and the "Penguins" looked different from each other, but they made friends with each other. He then tells him that they, along with Phil and Lil, are going to get their dinner and eat outside like the "Penguins" in Didi's story did.

After having finally installed all the satellite dishes, Stu, Drew, and Chas all walk back into the house. Stu and Drew pick up the table with the tiny TV on it, and Stu tells Boris that they're just going to be moving the table with the TV on it. Drew then tells Boris that they can watch the Dallas game on his TV set, as it has the best color. Chas then picks up his TV and asks Stu and Drew if they can use it to watch the highlights of the parade. Stu and Drew suddenly realize that they completely forgot about the parade as Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all go into the backyard.

Lou walks into the kitchen and finds the box that had the Turkey inside empty. He asks Boris if he's seen the Turkey, and Boris tells him that the Delivery Man came a little while ago, and he told him to put the Turkey in the kitchen. Lou tells Boris that the Turkey isn't in the kitchen now. Boris asks Lou how that's possible, and Lou tells him that that particular turkey is a live one. He asks Boris if he'd like watch football, or if he'd rather help him find the Turkey. Boris doesn't like the idea of either, but tells Lou that he will help him anyway. Lou is glad to hear that Boris is going to help him, and tells Boris that the Turkey must be somewhere in the house. In the backyard, Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all chase after the Turkey, who is still chasing Spike.

Betty, Howard, Didi, Charlotte, and Minka all arrive at Superama, and Charlotte is relieved that it's open on Thanksgiving. Inside the story, Betty points the way, and she, Howard, Didi, Charlotte, and Minka find there's only one turkey left. A Lady turns the corner, and sees the turkey. Betty tells the lady not to even think about touching the turkey. It's now five against one as the lady and Betty both run for the turkey. The Lady pushes her shopping cart at Betty, knocking her into it, and taking the last turkey for herself. Howard tells Betty she had a good try, and as he helps her up, she tells him she could have taken the Lady down. Charlotte then asks Betty, Howard, Didi, and Minka what they're going to do about the turkey now that Betty failed to get the last one. Didi tries to suggest that they all work together, but Betty interrupts her, telling her that her idea isn't going to work this time. She tells her, Howard, Charlotte, and Minka that she's going to do things her own way from now on, and leaves. Howard follows her, as does Charlotte and Minka, leaving Didi all alone.

Back in Tommy's house, Angelica walks into the backyard, pulling the parade floats she made from her toys and Lou's trophy. She looks over at Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil and says that she doesn't need their help, as she made the best floats all by herself. As she says this, she walks backwards and falls over, knocking over her floats, and tangling herself in a ribbon she used to decorate them with. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all watch as the Turkey gobbles at a rather scared Spike. Chuckie tells Tommy, Phil, and Lil that the Turkey sure likes Spike. Phil then tells Tommy to ask the Turkey to join in their Thanksgiving dinner. Tommy tries to do so, but the Turkey chases Spike away. Angelica tries to untangle herself from the ribbon, when Spike and the Turkey both run past her. Angelica is surprised when she sees that there is actually a live turkey in Tommy's house, and follows the Turkey to Spike's doghouse. Tommy stops Spike, and Angelica asks him what he's doing with a live turkey. Tommy tells her that he, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil are trying to ask the Turkey to come to their dinner. Angelica suddenly has a devious idea, and tells Tommy that the Turkey will be coming to dinner, as he's going to be the dinner. Tommy asks Angelica how the Turkey could be dinner if he's alive. Angelica responds by telling him he can't be alive. Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all gasp in shock, and Angelica tells them and Tommy that she's going to tell the adults that there is a live turkey in the backyard, so they can cook and eat him. Tommy angrily tells Angelica that the Turkey is their friend, and on Thanksgiving, people are supposed to say "Thank you" for their friends, not eat them. Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all agree with him. Angelica then tells Tommy that she may keep the Turkey a secret after all, but it all depends on whether or not he, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all help her with her parade. Tommy sees Lou and Boris looking for the Turkey, and he, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all reluctantly agree to help Angelica. The Turkey continues to chase Spike, ending the first act.

In the second act, Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all help Angelica build the floats to her parade. After they put Lou's trophy in the wagon, Tommy tells Angelica that they're all done. Angelica tells them they're not quite done yet, as they still have to put on the main attraction. She eyes the Turkey, planning to use him as the main attraction. Tommy isn't sure if this is such a good idea, but Angelica tells him that it's getting close to dinner time. Tommy gasps in fear, and decides he'd rather have the Turkey be the star of Angelica's parade than tonight's dinner.

Inside the house, Stu, Drew, and Chas all watch a football game, until Chas changes the channel to a nature documentary. Drew takes the remote from him and changes the channel back, and Chas tells him that he always watches nature documentaries. Drew angrily tells Chas that today is Thanksgiving, and nobody watches nature documentaries on Thanksgiving. Dejected, Chas walks towards a chair and sits down on it as Stu and Drew watch the many football games on the many TV sets.

Back outside, Angelica announces her parade, using various stuffed animals, as well as Tommy, as her audience. She announces that her parade will begin with its best float; the Turkey. She then tells Chuckie to start the parade, and Chuckie nervously pulls a whimpering Spike by his collar. Phil and Lil walk behind him, pulling the Turkey, who is pulling a float with Cynthia tied to Lou's balloons. Angelica then says that she made the float all by herself, which Tommy knows that's not true. Angelica then announces the next float, called "Everything that makes Angelica great", and a pickup truck with a sunflower and a teddy bear passes by her. Chuckie then trips over a rock, causing him to let go of Spike's collar. Spike looks back at the Turkey and whimpers nervously. Phil and Lil let go of the Turkey, causing him to chase Spike, much to Angelica's disdain. The Turkey chases Spike all over the backyard, with Angelica's floats in tow. Angelica, who is now under the wreck of her floats, growls angrily. Tommy nervously tells her that she had a nice parade, and Lil adds that she thought it went on too long. Angelica pushes the wreck of her floats away and angrily tells Chuckie that he let go of Spike on purpose so he'd ruin her parade. She then tells him, Tommy, Phil, and Lil that just for that, she's going back on her word, and telling the adults about the Turkey so they can eat him anyway. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all gasp in fear upon hearing this.

As Lou looks for the turkey, he tells Boris about the time he got lost in the French wilderness for a week, following his landing in Normandy. Because he couldn't speak French at the time, nobody could find him, and by the time they did, he could catch fifteen trout at one time with his bare hands. Lou then looks in the closet, and finds what looks like the Turkey, however, when he looks down at it, it is revealed to be a feather duster, which causes him to sneeze. Boris then tells Lou that all that fishing he did didn't happen in closets.

Back in the living room, Stu asks Drew to turn down his football game, as now he can't hear his own. As Drew tries to do so, Angelica tries to tell him about the live Turkey in Tommy's backyard, but Drew tells her that he and Stu are busy watching their football games. Angelica tries again, but Drew asks her if it can wait. Angry, Angelica holds her breath, causing concern for her from Drew, who begs her to stop. Angelica stops, and takes Drew into the kitchen. He asks her what she was trying to tell him, and she tells him that there's a live turkey in the backyard. She takes him into the backyard, and finds Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil standing in front of blanket, which the Turkey is hiding under. Drew can't see the Turkey under the blanket, and tells Angelica that he has to go back to his football game, and believing she made the Turkey up, tells her to tell Charlotte about it next time she sees it. Drew walks back into the house, and Chuckie uncovers the Turkey from the blanket, telling Tommy, Phil, and Lil that they can't hide the Turkey forever. Tommy agrees, and tells Chuckie they have to get the Turkey out of the backyard. Since the Turkey is a bird, Tommy wonders if he can fly. He tells Chuckie, Phil, and Lil to show the Turkey how to fly by flapping their arms. They all do so, but get tired very quickly. Tommy then tells the Turkey that he has to fly for them, as if he doesn't get out of the backyard, the adults will eat him for dinner. Chuckie tells Tommy that maybe all the Turkey needs before he can fly is a running start, as it worked for his kite when Chas took him to the park. Tommy tells Chuckie that they'll try that.

Betty, Howard, Didi, Charlotte, and Minka all return. Betty tells Charlotte that she can't believe she got the last frozen turkey dinner. Charlotte tells her that she got it by not wasting her time looking for turkey franks. Betty tells her that at least with her turkey franks, she can cook turkey her way, the right way. Charlotte then asks Betty if she can give her some of her french mustard for one frank. Angelica walks up to Charlotte and tries to get her attention. Charlotte tells her it will have to wait, as she's busy negotiating. Didi asks Betty, Howard, and Charlotte if they can all share what little they have, so there'll be enough for everyone, and Charlotte tells her that she only says that because she doesn't have anything like they do. Didi gasps in shock upon hearing this, and Betty calls dibs on the microwave. Charlotte tells her that she'll get to the microwave first. Betty and Howard both chase after her, much to Didi's disdain, and Angelica follows them. Didi sighs in frustration, and walks into the kitchen.

In the backyard, Tommy, Phil, and Lil all watch as Chuckie pulls the Turkey on Spike's leash. They all cheer for him, and Chuckie tells them that the plan is working, as the Turkey is going up, until he crashes into a fence. Tommy, Phil, and Lil all walk up to him, and Tommy tells him that now they know that turkeys don't make good kites. Angelica sees this from inside, and tries to get the attention of Charlotte, who is opening a can. She tells Charlotte that if she comes outside, she can show her the turkey. Charlotte then tells Angelica that she's coming. They look outside, and find Tommy, Phil, and Lil playing hide and seek, as well as the Turkey dressed in Chuckie's clothes. Charlotte, thinking the turkey is Chuckie, tells Angelica she doesn't see the Turkey. She then asks her if this is a cry for attention. She then picks Angelica up and tells her that she can help her with Thanksgiving dinner.

As soon as the coast is clear, Tommy walks up to Chuckie, who is standing naked behind a bush, telling him it's safe to come out now, as their plan to disguise the Turkey worked. As Lil removes Chuckie's clothes from the Turkey, she tells Chuckie that he's the best "Nakie American" of all. As she and Tommy help him put his clothes back on, Chuckie tells her that he'd rather be a dressed-up American. Lil then asks Tommy and Chuckie how they're going to get the Turkey out of the backyard if he can't fly. Tommy tells her he isn't sure. The Turkey then walks up to Spike, who is on the seesaw. Tommy asks Spike what he's doing as he walks off the seesaw, knocking the Turkey over. Tommy suddenly has an idea; if they put the Turkey on one end of the seesaw, and drop something really heavy on the other end, they'll launch him into the air, and over the fence. Lil asks Tommy how they're going to get the Turkey on the seesaw, and Spike walks up to Tommy, whimpering nervously.

Back in the house, a lot of turkey products that Betty, Howard, Charlotte, and Minka bought are put in the microwave, some before they're even taken out of their packages. After putting her turkey franks, still in their packages, into the microwave, Betty sets the microwave to the "Mega Nuke" setting for ten minutes, thinking that will solve their Thanksgiving dinner problem. Stu and Drew continue watching their football games, and Stu is excited when he hears his favorite team made a field goal. Drew, watching a different game, tells Stu that they didn't make a field goal, they fumbled, and Stu shows him the game he was talking about. This soon gets them to argue with each other. Angelica walks up to them and Chas, the latter of whom is asleep, and asks them if anyone's hungry. Lou then leads Boris across the house, and Angelica decides to tell them about the Turkey.

Back in the backyard, Tommy, Chuckie, and Phil all climb on top of each other. After Phil is on top, Tommy tells Lil they're ready. Lil pulls Spike over by his collar, leading the Turkey onto one end of the seesaw. Phil jumps onto the other end, launching the Turkey into the air. Inside Lou's bedroom, Lou does his turkey call, and Boris asks him if he has indigestion. Lou tells Boris that he doesn't, and that he's using his special Allegheny turkey call. Boris tells Lou that if he acts like a turkey, maybe the turkey will come to him. Angelica walks into Lou's bedroom, and tells Lou and Boris that she knows where a turkey is. The Turkey lands in the backyard, and Chuckie tells Tommy that Phil isn't big enough to launch the Turkey out of it. Lil tells them that they could wait until Phil gets older, but Tommy tells her that they could try to lift Chuckie, as he is the biggest. He asks Chuckie if he's ready to help, and Chuckie nervously asks him if he can keep his clothes on. Confused, Tommy tells him that he can. Chuckie tells him that he will help, if only for the fact that the Turkey is their friend. Tommy tells Lil to grab Spike, as he and Phil are going to lift Chuckie. Lil pulls Spike by his collar, leading the Turkey to the end of the seesaw again as Tommy and Phil lift Chuckie. Chuckie jumps onto the other end, launching the Turkey into the air just as Angelica, Lou, and Boris all walk out. They all see the Turkey, and Lou tries to catch him with his net. He misses, and Angelica walks up to Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil, telling them their plan to save the Turkey failed, as now the Turkey is going to be tonight's dinner. Boris takes Lou's net from him and chases after the Turkey, and Lou chases after him. Angelica tells Lou and Boris to hurry and catch the Turkey, leading them to where he's going. As Angelica, Lou, and Boris all chase after the Turkey, Angelica trips over one of her floats and falls over. She then tells Cynthia, who is still tied to Lou's balloons, that they've almost caught the Turkey. Lou and Boris chase the Turkey onto the seesaw, and trip and fall onto the other end, launching the Turkey into the air again, this time causing it to land on one of the satellite dishes. The Turkey falls over, and Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all gasp as all the satellite dishes fall over, causing interference with the football games, and turning them off, much to Stu and Drew's horror, and awakening Chas. Things go from bad to worse as all the packaged turkey products in the microwave catch fire. The microwave door opens, launching a gooey mess into the kitchen. Didi then suddenly worries about the children outside, and as she goes out, Betty finds a fire extinguisher and uses it to put out the fire. Minka looks in the remains of the microwave, realizing they won't have any Thanksgiving dinner now.

Back in the backyard, the Turkey emerges from the fallen satellite dishes unharmed, much to Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil's relief. Didi, Charlotte, and Howard all run out, relieved to find their children unharmed. Every other adult walks out as Chas points out the Turkey, much to the other adults' bewilderment. Angelica tells them that she told them there was a turkey all along. Stu says that the Turkey ruined their football games, Angelica says that it ruined her parade, and Betty says it ruined their dinner. The rest of the adults agree, until Drew says that dinner isn't quite ruined yet, as they still have the Turkey. The Turkey nervously ducks under the satellites, and Chuckie tells Tommy the adults are going to eat the Turkey. Tommy tells Chuckie that if the adults gonna eat the Turkey, they'll have to eat him first. Tommy, Chuckie, Phil, and Lil all walk up to the turkey, and the adults are surprised to see them taking a stand against injustice by protecting the Turkey. Betty asks why they'd want to do that, and Chas says that they think they're going to eat him. Charlotte tells them they are, as the Turkey ruined their Thanksgiving. Didi tells Charlotte that the Turkey didn't ruin Thanksgiving; they all did, as they spent the entire day arguing over what to eat and what to watch. She then tells them that Thanksgiving isn't about football, food, or parades, much to the ire of Angelica, who tells the adults that they didn't see her parade. Didi tells the other adults that Thanksgiving is about family and friends, and if the babies can make friends with a turkey, they can surely be friends with each other, and tells them to apologize to each other right now. The adults all do so, until Boris points out that without a turkey, they have nothing to eat for Thanksgiving dinner. Tommy walks up to him with a box of Reptar Cereal, and Betty tells him that Tommy has a suggestion. She picks up Phil and Lil and asks them if they're willing to share their Reptar cereal with them. Phil and Lil giggle in approval.

That night, everyone is outside as Stu serves them Reptar Cereal, telling everyone he never thought they'd be so thankful. Didi walks up with a pitcher of milk, telling everyone she's thankful that they're all together, much to the ire of Angelica, who was really looking forward to having turkey for dinner. Lil then says that today was the best Thanksgiving she ever had. Phil then tells her it was also the only Thanksgiving she ever had. Tommy then says to Chuckie, Phil, and Lil that he's thankful that they're all his friends, and Chuckie says that he's thankful that they're not eating the Turkey. Angelica angrily looks over at the box of Reptar cereal as Spike eats from his food bowl. The Turkey walks up to him, and Spike isn't afraid of him anymore. They eat from his food bowl together as the episode ends.

Trivia

 * When Chuckie hears about "Nakie Americans", he asks if he has to take his clothes off, referencing the events of "Naked Tommy".
 * This is the seventh half-an-hour episode of the series after "Tommy's First Birthday", "The Santa Experience", "Passover", "Chanukah", "Mother's Day" and "Vacation".
 * Angelica mentions a parade by Tracey's, this is a reference to the annual Thanksgiving parade presented by department store conglomerate Macy's.
 * Perhaps not coincidentally, this episode came out the same year in which the Rugrats balloon made its first appearance in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.
 * This episode reveals that Lou participated in the Normandy invasion of 1944, but got lost in the French countryside for a week, during which he taught himself how to catch trout with his bare hands.
 * "Hanks Giving" was later used as part of the title of the seventh episode of the fourth season of King of the Hill, which was called "Happy Hank's Giving", ironically in that episode, Thanksgiving doesn't go as planned for the Hill, Souphaniousinphone and Gribble families nor does it go as planned for Boomhauer or Bill.

Goofs

 * For much of the episode, Charlotte Pickles wears a casual outfit consisting of a blue vest over a white shirt and pink pants. But in the shot where she and the other women and Howard are standing at the microwave as Betty says "Instant Thanksgiving", Charlotte is in her usual business attire.
 * When Didi is talking about how the turkey didn't ruin Thanksgiving, her glasses turn yellow instead of their normal green.