‘The Office’: Jenna Fischer Revealed the Heartbreaking Way the Show Delayed the Jim and Pam Romance
While Jim and Pam seemed destined to be together on The Office, there were definitely moments in the first few seasons that created “will they/won’t they” tension. Jenna Fischer explained how there were circumstances that would give viewers hope that the two characters would come together, but “a moment where someone gets their feelings hurt” would change their dynamic.
Jenna Fischer shared the way a sweet Jim and Pam moment was followed by hurt feelings
During a January 2020 episode of the Office Ladies podcast, Fischer and Angela Kinsey discussed The Office Season 2 episode “Halloween,” which features an adorable moment of connection between Jim and Pam.
The two characters, while seated at their desks, give a celebratory high five from a distance — and execute it perfectly. Fischer said it was “difficult,” but also said, “We kind of did it perfectly the first time.”’
“That speaks to our chemistry, I believe,” she added.
Jim and Pam had that cute connection but, Fischer noted, it was followed by Pam suggesting later that Jim should apply for another job that pays better. “So shortly after this momentous air high five, very sadly, Pam tells Jim he should go for the job at Cumberland Mills,” she explained.
“But the job is in Maryland and he is so hurt,” Fischer said of Pam’s heartbreaking comment.
There was a ‘pushed together, pulled apart’ element to Jim and Pam’s story
Kinsey pointed out how there were these moments between Jim and Pam often, and “they constantly are being pushed together, pulled apart.”
Fischer confirmed that it was often done to create conflict. “Yeah, it’s true,” she said. “But sometimes just through a comment. We’re seeing in this second season in each episode there seems to be a really sweet moment with Jim and Pam and then a moment where someone gets their feelings hurt a little bit.”
The actor added, “But then at the end, Jim admits that if it weren’t for Pam, he would take the job at Cumberland Mills because the pay is twice as much, it’s a better job.”
There were a lot of discussions about the evolution of Jim and Pam’s relationship on ‘The Office’
During the July 28, 2020 episode of An Oral History of The Office, Fischer shed a little more light on how there was a lot of attention given to the details when it came to Jim and Pam.
“There was often one Jim/Pam moment per episode and it was either where they’re going to connect in some super special swoony way or they’re going to misstep in some way where one of them gets their feelings hurt,” Fischer explained. “And there was this very fine line that we had to walk all the time.”
Sometimes they would shoot a scene “over and over and over again” to get that balance just right between the characters.
“All of these little ways, how much were they allowed to literally touch one another, look in each other’s eyes, swoon at each other,” she said. “I mean, we would spend hours debating and shooting alternates of these Jim/Pam scenes.”
Host Brian Baumgartner shared how frustrating it could be to capture “these magical Jim and Pam moments” that “felt organic and effortless on screen.”
“Nothing, throughout the entire history of the show brought production to a screeching halt like a big Jim-Pam moment and I say that with love and also with utter frustration,” he said.
