Febuary, 9 2026 by Haley Hammer (‘29)
Have you made your Valentine’s Day plans yet? If not, here are some of my favorite TV show episode recommendations, so you as well can have the ultimate Valentines Day experience.
FRIENDS:
Season 1 Episode 14, “The One With The Candy Hearts”
In this episode, we see Ross run into his ex-wife, Carol, and her new significant other, Susan, which is pretty awkward for Ross, considering he’s on a date with another woman, too. Meanwhile, Rachel, Phoebe and Monica burn items from old boyfriends, and Joey hilariously sets Chandler up on a date with one of everyone’s favorite characters; Janice, who also happens to be Chandler’s ex.
FAMILY GUY:
Season 5 Episode 18, “Meet the Quagmires”
Death takes Peter back to the 1980s when he and Lois first met and fell in love. However, Peter skips their date night, and Lois changes her mind about him and shifts her feelings toward Quagmire. This creates an issue as the next-door neighbor had always thirsted after his best friend’s wife, and he ends up marrying her in the new reality. This doesn’t sit well with Peter; he and Death keep returning to the past to correct the mistake. Once they do, everything falls back to normal and the Griffin family is complete again.
BIG BANG THEORY:
“The Valentine Submergence” Season 9, Episode 15
A character-driven episode focusing on the couples: Amy and Sheldon host a “Fun with Flags” episode, while Leonard and Penny try to embrace being “older” and fun, and Howard and Bernadette deal with a rabbit in their hot tub.
HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER:
“Rabbit or Duck” Season 5, Episode 15
The gang debates whether Robin’s colleague, Don, is a “rabbit” (someone you hate/avoid) or a “duck” (someone you love/want), based on the famous optical illusion. Amidst the heated debate, Barney struggles with his phone, and Ted lets Marshall and Lily set him up on a Valentine’s Day date, resulting in him going out with a “phone girl”.
These few of many amazing episodes are all showing how Valentine’s Day is not just about material things such as chocolate, or gifts, but friends, family, and showing people that you care. If you have no plans for Valentine’s Day, these are great recommendations for how to spend what some call “The Pinkest Day of the Year.”
