Jim and Pam. Their celebrity couple name would be Jam.
The story of the good-at-everything paper salesman patiently waiting for the engaged and spineless receptionist to uncharacteristically dump her fiancé and declare her mutual feelings for him has had generations of people swooning. I will admit that my first time watching "The Office," I was one of these people.
Having watched the show at least 30 times now, my opinions on the storyline and characters have changed drastically. When I watch the show now, I realize that I am not a huge Jim fan. The way he treated the other girls he dated on the show was thoughtless and inconsiderate.
The purse girl was obviously a distraction for Jim in which we see the contrast of her colorful wardrobe and "embarrassing" love of "Legally Blonde," to Pam's dull appearance and love for more tasteful things, such as Edward Scissorhands. In the end, purse girl is unceremoniously dumped on a boat with no apology since the audience is not really supposed to care about her. They're supposed to care about Jim and Pam.
Purse girl aside, I feel that the character I most felt for in the Jam storyline was none other than, Karen Filipelli. Karen was nice and cool and, in my opinion, did not deserve to be treated the way that she was. It is made obvious that Jim considers her to be a rebound from his rejection from Pam. While Karen may be awesome, there is something about her that is not quite.....Pam. And this is supposed to be her flaw. I mean, the girl moved to Scranton.
To be with someone who didn't feel like it was the decent thing to let her know that she would be working alongside a girl he had been in love with for 7 years. I would say that is not perfect romantic lead behavior. Karen's involvement ultimately ends with Jim leaving her in New York to go on a date with Pam. This may have sounded like a crazy romantic ending to most, but to me, it was an awful and rude way to treat someone you have been seriously dating.
The thing that is the most bothersome about the storyline, is the glorification of giving up your dreams for a significant other. Jim gives up a corporate job in New York to be with Pam as a salesman in Scranton. Pam gives up art school because she can't be away from Jim for 3 months. These are big dreams that these two characters have embedded in their arcs. Jim dreams of being something bigger than a paper salesman and Pam dreams of being an artist. While she eventually makes it to office administrator, it is implied that when she moves to Philadelphia for Jim, she is back to doing the job of a receptionist.
"The Office" is an amazing and funny show and always will be. The Jam storyline does not feel like it would be played out the same way if it had been made in 2019.
