21 Answers To Why Jim Halpert Is Actually A Great Guy | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

21 Answers To Why Jim Halpert Is Actually A Great Guy

Pam ended up with Jim, not Brian, because Jim is real.

5505
21 Answers To Why Jim Halpert Is Actually A Great Guy
Facebook

Last week, Buzzfeed released this article listing poor examples of why Jim is actually a d*ck and that Pam should have ended up with Brian, the boom mic guy who oozes with typical unrealistic Hollywood perfectionism. For those of you who have watched The Office, one of the best comedy TV shows of all time (next to Friends), then that article may have caused you to react like Michael.


Or maybe it convinced you that Jim is indeed, wrong for Pam. Well, let me try to turn you back around to the right road and show you the true love that is Jim and Pam and why Jim is just like the rest of us, a flawed character who makes mistakes. Here's the list of Buzzfeed's reasons and my arguments.


1. Jim's d*ckishness increases over time.

Nope. His love for Pam increases over time. From the night he first poured out his feelings to her and kissed her knowing he had to give it a shot when Pam was in a dysfunctional relationship with Roy to the shows' finale. Then she rejected him and he had to move away because being around someone you love that doesn't feel the same way is torture. Jim is a true man of courage.

2. His treatment of Karen.

Yes, Jim could have handled his relationship with Karen a little better. But this does not mean he is a bad guy. When Karen asks about him and Pam, he lies and tells her he's never had a thing for Pam. He lies to protect Karen and while it may not be the best way, it's the typical way we as humans usually take, is it not? He made a poor decision with meaningful intentions. Also, he gets weird when Karen comes to Scranton because Pam, the girl he's still trying to get over, and Karen, his current girlfriend are both in the same place now. He can't help but be a little awkward about it when Karen moves a little too close to him when they haven't been dating long and wants to talk it out about him and Pam. This doesn't make him a d*ck, just a confused guy in conflict who genuinely feels bad about still having feelings for Pam when he's dating Karen. Just another mistake by a good guy.

3. Jim didn't show up to Pam's art show.

Yeah, because Pam was still with the real d*ck, Roy. It was Roy's job to show up to her art show, not Jim's. He was too busy giving up on her and trying to move on.

4-5. The way he treats Pam.

The Buzzfeed article says Jim's treatment of Pam sucked after they started dating as well. It uses Michael and Jan's enormously awkward dinner party as an example. Jim and Pam are trying to escape the dreadful night overwhelmed by the toxicity of Michael and Jan's relationship. Jim pretends to get a call saying his apartment is flooded and attempts to leave before Pam stops him. But there's no way that Jim was going to leave Pam there by herself. If Jim can scheme up some hilarious pranks on Dwight, you bet your ass he was going to devise a way to get Pam out of that dinner party after he leaves. He loves her too much. That is also the beauty of their relationship. They know how absurd Michael and the whole Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch is and how they are basically the only normal people that work there. Because of this, they enjoy the insanity together and use it to mess with each other as a couple and it's true love in the comical craziness that is The Office. The second example the Buzzfeed article uses is Pam trying to escape lunch with Michael and his girlfriend which happens to be Pam's mom. You can't blame Pam for trying to get out of it when she pretends to get a phone call but Jim, being the wonderful husband he is, makes her face her fears head on and hangs up the phone for her. He knows what's best for her and this is something she has to deal with. He's helping her in the long run.

6. Season 5 when Pam is at art school and engaged to Jim.

This is just typical long-distance difficulties. Pam is not available to talk much so when they do talk she has to tell him everything. It's hard to keep up with all that she is telling him so he is frustrated when he can't. This doesn't make him a douchebag, just a caring fiance angry that he never gets to see the woman he loves and talk to her all the time.

7. He buys a house without telling Pam.

While that may not be a smart thing to do, it's just Jim doing what he thinks is best for him and Pam. It's typical of Jim's character and a foreshadowing in the show that Jim and Pam will have struggles but will endure because their love is too strong. While Pam is concerned about Jim not telling her about the house she does end up liking it and they are happy when they start a family in it which is all that matters.

8. He refuses to wear a Halloween costume with Pam.

Every man struggles with his pride and Jim is no different than other men. He's never liked wearing Halloween costumes even to please his wife, it's one of his flaws as a prideful man holding on to his dignity. However, the Buzzfeed article forgets to mention when Jim swallows his pride and puts on his costume for Pam at the end of the episode to make her happy because that's what he does. He's always making Pam happy.

9. He's a mediocre co-parent.

Again, Jim is a flawed man just trying to learn to be a parent just like Pam. It's not an easy job. He didn't check for a spare christening gown for Cece when Cece gets baptized in an Arcade Fire T-shirt. That's just a classic new parent mistake and that's what Jim does. He makes mistakes which makes him relatable to all of us. When Dwight is keeping Cece quiet at the Glee viewing party, he tries to take advantage of the situation by making Jim fetch him a beer and feed him pizza as a thank you. Jim doesn't like this and can you blame him? It's a ridiculous request for such a small task, Jim likes to keep his dignity remember? Especially when it comes to his enemy, Dwight. This doesn't make him a bad parent. Plus, he ends up doing it anyway.

10. Jim doesn't mention Pam when he wins the "best dad" Dundie.

Yes, maybe he should have mentioned Pam but it's the freaking Dundie awards. Another ridiculous, unnecessary event in the world of The Office passionately assembled by Michael. Pam, again being one of the only normal people there along with Jim, doesn't actually take it to heart when Jim forgets to mention her. She's just a little disappointed while also knowing how dumb the Dundie awards are. For Jim, he knows how dumb it is as well so it didn't cross his mind to mention Pam. He just wanted to accept the award and move on being the flawed, prideful character he his and this being a TV show, he's growing and developing through that as it progresses.

11. Jim is not a supportive colleague.

Because everyone else in The Office is crazy! It's hard to support those people. But there are plenty of examples throughout the show where Jim is a good guy to the people he works with. Jim not wanting to listen to Erin talk about Gabe to Pam in the car is just a typical guy reaction. He lets Pam handle it because it more up Pam's alley anyways. He wouldn't have helped at all and he understands this.

12. He's always complaining about his job.

Just the one time when Dwight was the manager. Yeah, I would complain too. Dwight turned the office into a dictatorship. Jim telling Pam he wouldn't take her when he's dreaming of leaving forever is clearly a joke, one only this great couple could have together.

13. Jim takes the Athlead job without telling Pam.

This was dumb. But again, just another guy in conflict with what he wants. He finally finds something he's passionate about so he grabs onto it, hoping later he can convince his wife to get on board. It's not because he's a bad guy.

14. He invests $10,000 into Athlead without telling Pam, again.

Hey, he's confident and excited about the opportunity he has with Athlead. This is the part of the show where Jim's pride is getting the best of him, he's making bad mistakes and he's certainly going to learn from it because that's the point. Underneath these selfish decisions his definitive love for Pam still clings on, not the wickedness of a douchebag.

15. He isn't sad to be away from his family.

This is just false. Jim always misses Pam and his kids. It is nice to have a break from the craziness of a new family. We learn that he is a messy guy when living with Darryl in Philadelphia but this does not make someone a bad person at all. I doubt he makes Pam always do the dishes. He's too nice for that.

16. Pam finds out about Jim deciding to move to Philadelphia from the receptionist.

He was going to tell her and talk to her about it. How was he to know the receptionist would slip up?

17. He misses Cece's dance recital and makes Pam cry.

Boom. This is where all of Jim's mistakes come back to bite him, where his pride has completely taken over, but also where he realizes what he has become. Like all good stories with character development, this is where the resolution is after all the climax of the problems. This is the only time when Jim truly acts like a d*ck but all around he is not. He faces the consequences of his actions, learns his lesson, drops his pride, and finally discovers what is most important in his life: Pam and his family. He's a flawed man whose made some big mistakes in his marriage. He opens his eyes though and goes back to Pam because he knows how much he really loves her and how much he has always loved her. If he was truly a d*ck, he wouldn't have come to this realization, felt guilty about all that he'd done, and come back to her. He's like all of us: a flawed person who makes mistakes. She is still everything to him in the end.

18-21. Pam should have ended up with Brian, the boom mic operator nerd.

First of all, Brian should not have even been in the show. He was just thrown in there to be a "savior" for Pam and add suspense to the trials of Jim and Pam's marriage. This perfect guy, handsome, serious and dramatic was just not the real deal. Jim is the real deal, plus he's funny. Brian's a robot who has been filming these people for nine freaking years holding a boom mic because he's lame. She loves Jim and Jim loves her. Even after all his mistakes, Pam holds onto Jim and that is true unconditional love. Pam is just as awesome as Jim.

I hope this has made you believe in Jim again. Jim is a great guy and he and Pam are still one of best TV power couples ever. You can't take away or deny real love.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
girl with a hat

This is for the girls who have dealt with an emotionally, mentally, physically or verbally abusive father.

The ones who have grown up with a false lens of what love is and how relationships should be. The ones who have cried themselves to sleep wondering why he hurts you and your family so much. This is for all the girls who fall in love with broken boys that carry baggage bigger than their own, thinking it's their job to heal them because you watched your mother do the same.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf Quote
"DESTINY IS FOR LOSERS. IT'S JUST A STUPID EXCUSE TO WAIT FOR THINGS TO HAPPEN INSTEAD OF MAKING THEM HAPPEN." - BLAIR WALDORF.

The world stopped in 2012 when our beloved show "Gossip Girl" ended. For six straight years, we would all tune in every Monday at 9:00 p.m. to see Upper Eastside royalty in the form of a Burberry headband clad Blair Waldorf. Blair was the big sister that we all loved to hate. How could we ever forget the epic showdowns between her and her frenemy Serena Van Der Woodsen? Or the time she banished Georgina Sparks to a Christian summer camp? How about that time when she and her girls took down Bart Bass? Blair is life. She's taught us how to dress, how to be ambitious, and most importantly, how to throw the perfect shade.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

11 Moments Every College Freshman Has Experienced

Because we made it, and because high school seniors deserve to know what they're getting themselves into

566
too tired to care

We've all been there. From move-in day to the first finals week in college, your first term is an adventure from start to finish. In honor of college decisions coming out recently, I want to recap some of the most common experiences college freshmen experience.

1. The awkward hellos on move-in day.

You're moving your stuff onto your floor, and you will encounter people you don't know yet in the hallway. They live on your floor, so you'll awkwardly smile and maybe introduce yourself. As you walk away, you will wonder if they will ever speak to you again, but don't worry, there's a good chance that you will make some great friends on your floor!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

21 Things I've Learned About College Life

College is not what everyone expects it to be.

288
laptop
Unsplash

The college years are a time for personal growth and success. Everyone comes in with expectations about how their life is supposed to turn out and envision the future. We all freak out when things don't go exactly as planned or when our expectations are unmet. As time goes on, we realize that the uncertainty of college is what makes it great. Here are some helpful reminders about life in college.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Lessons I Learned My Freshman Year

The first year of college opens your eyes to so many new experiences.

135
johnson hall
Samantha Sigsworth

Recently I completed my freshman year of college, and boy, what an experience. It was a completely new learning environment and I can't believe how much I learned. In an effort to save time, here are the ten biggest lessons I learned from my first year of college.

1. Everyone is in the same boat

For me, the scariest part of starting school was that I was alone, that I wouldn't be able to make any friends and that I would stick out. Despite being told time and time again that everyone had these same feelings, it didn't really click until the first day when I saw all the other freshman looking as uneasy and uncomfortable as me. Therefore, I cannot stress this enough, everyone is feeling as nervous as you.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments