When it comes to comfort food, nothing beats the Thanksgiving meal. The tryptophan-laden, coma-inducing turkey surrounded by carbilicious mashed potatoes, cornbread dressing, stuffing, cranberry sauce, yummy marshmallows on the yams, whipped cream on the pumpkin pie… just thinking about it makes my mouth water, my belt tighten and my body image issues skyrocket.

Thanksgiving is like the patron saint holiday of comfort food. TV Land is the patron saint of comfort television (yes, I am a shameless shill for this delicious network). There are episodes on classic shows that, like Thanksgiving, you can return to year after year, get a warm, full feeling, then roll over on the couch.

Here are my Top 10 "Comfort View" Episodes:

1. “Dreams” M*A*S*H – I know it’s weird to start off with an episode that basically has an amputated Alan Alda, but this fantastic look at the 4077th’s members dealing with sleep deprivation and their inner wishes and terrors is the show at its most captivating. It’s a darker episode, but at least it’s not one of those over-sensitive Alda-ish nightmares that the show later churned out.

2. “The Walk” from Just Shoot Me! – the one with Nina’s mythical tailor Mr. Chan, “Even if he is just a floating head in a jar.” For 11 years I've tried to find a place in normal conversation when I can edge in a floating-head-in-a-jar reference. Sadly, it hasn't yet materialized. Also comforting in this episode is the appearance of Betsy Palmer, this time playing a waitress instead of playing Mrs. Voorhees in Friday the 13th.

3. “My Old Lady” from Scrubs – Anything with Kathryn Joosten screams comfort, especially as a patient who announces to J.D. that she is ready to die. Best moment of the show is when a ton of bricks actually falls on J.D. when he hears her decision.

4. “Party Invitation” from Leave It to Beaver – Beaver’s the only boy invited to a girl’s birthday party. Little did I know when I watched this as a kid that I would be in the same position many many many times when it would come to bridal showers. Ah, always the bridesman…

5. “Confessions, Confessions” from The Brady Bunch – Mom always says don’t play ball in the house. Nuff said.

6. “The Big Move, Part 2” from Good Times — Sorry to be morbid yet again (this is the post-funeral episode after James dies) but DAMN DAMN DAMN I love it. Bonus points if you know this reference. If not, then please imagine Esther Rolle slamming a punch bowl on the counter. I also recommend it as a form of therapy in any situation.

7. “Mirror Mirror” from Star Trek – Spock with facial hair is like the homemade cranberry sauce that your gourmet cousin brings over – it’s not from a can so it’s not what you’re used to, but it’s really cool and makes for an alternate universe Thanksgiving.

8. “Chato” from Gunsmoke – Ricardo Montalban as a conflicted villain makes for an episode as rich as my aunt’s gravy. Seriously, it could be a food group all in itself (the gravy AND Montalban’s performance).

9. “Baggage,” “Lies,” “The Angry Family” from Everybody Loves Raymond — It’s not on TV Land quite yet, but this show finally explains my childhood. I never understood what my mom meant when she said my grandmother was intrusive — until I started watching the Barones. When the show comes to TVL in 2010, check out how entire episodes can be based on leaving a suitcase on the staircase, lying about videotaping a game or hearing a child’s story. As Debra says, “How would you like to sit through two people in their sixties, fighting over who invented the lawn?” Um, I would (yes, I am a shameless, shameless shill).

10. Roseanne — Can’t choose just one episode here. Tuning into ANY episode is like scarfing down the bird, the pie, the plate, the table. You can devour every episode of this timeless show.

Happy Thanksgiving – get stuffed on TV (and some food, too)!

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