Date: March 04, 2017 06:00 pm Title: Chapter 9: The Convict
So I was planning on posting all my old Questions To Ponder answers here and then I didn't! But I will try to now. Also, SB, if you see this, I decided to Ribbon the S3 PD an JP so that hopefully new fans will notice them and read and maybe respond!
1. What are the strengths and weaknesses of Jim and Pam's reconnection? Will it last?
I think SB already addressed the strengths and weaknesses of the reconnection. Humor has always been Jim and Pam's strongest link, and Jim orchestrated the prank in a way that said "we can't go back, but we can start over." The weakness is that it's still a very superficial connection that hasn't addressed any of the things that tore them apart in the first place. They need to deal with the past before they can forge any lasting relationship (platonic or romantic)
2. Can we classify either of Jim's pranks as flirting?
Jim's motivations ran much deeper than just flirting, but that "gotcha" look was a bit flirtatious.
3. Will Jim prank Pam again? If so, what kind of motives would another prank entail?
I think he will. He loves his pranks, and Pam is an excellent partner in crime, but I'm not sure if he's quite ready to have the two of them pranking others like in the old days. Jim wants and maybe even needs to reconnect with Pam, but he not ready to deal with their past or their true emotions, and pranking serves as a (temporary) solution to those problems.
4. Does Karen have a clue about JAM yet? What lead you to your conclusion?
Definitely not, I doubt she'd had been so smiley at the copier if she knew Jim's unrequited love was 6 feet away. As SB said, Karen doesn't suspect anything when she wants in on the prank thanks to Jim's casual demeanor, and a couple little white lies.
5. Is Jim doing the right thing by seeing Karen? Is Jim being fair to Karen?
It certainly isn't wrong to see Karen but I don't think he started the relationship for all the right reasons. Returning to Scranton and being faced with seeing Pam was a motivating factor (if not *the* motivating factor) for Jim to start dating Karen, he is essentially using her as a shield.
Is Jim being fair to Karen? I think he's trying to be, he does seem to want to date her, and wants to take it slow, but on the other hand Karen's in an unfair position and Jim is really the one that put her there.
6. In conjunction with The Pam Dichotomy, this question must be asked! Is it appropriate for Jim to give Pam a Christmas gift? If so, what should he give her?
Appropriate or not, I just don't see it happening. If it does . . well, we'll have alot ot talk about, won't we?
Date: September 10, 2016 04:42 pm Title: Chapter 8: The Merger
So in case it wasn't obvious that I'm the biggest Office nerd around, I actually copied and kept my answers from the original JP and PD in season 3. Here were my long answers for this episode!
1. Is Jim's distant behavior understandable? (Are you mad at him?) Completely, He uprooted his life to get away from the situation in Scranton and now he's been thrown back into it. That doesn't mean I'm not a little frustrated because I think it's preventing him from seeing the changes Pam made (more on that under #5)
2. Did Jim do the right thing by telling Pam he was seeing someone? It's good he told her before she found out from someone else, but he shouldn't have expected her to react differently. Jim of all people knows that Pam's very guarded about her feelings, she goes out of her way to avoid conflict, and she's pretty difficult to talk to once she's on the defensive. Pam was on the defensive the second he said "hey." She didn't stop, she didn't smile, she didn't walk towards him. If Jim wasn't behind his own emotional wall, he would seen Pam was behind one as well. I don't think either of them were in the right head to have that conversation.
3. Should Jim have just asked Pam how she felt instead of relying on innuendo? Should he have told her how he felt? What prevented him from doing so? Being more direct wouldn't have made much of a difference. They were both trying to hide their feelings but figure out the other's feelings at the same time, no wonder there were so many miscues! I have a feeling Jim asking about Pam's feelings for him would have resulted in the same answer ("we're friends, we'll always be friends") As for how he feels, he doesn't even know.
4. Should Jim tell Karen about Pam? He should say something, because in that office Karen will find out. But it's going to be tricky, Jim's not going to say "I was in love with Pam for 3 years" but if he just says he had a crush and he's over it, it won't take too much observation on Karen's part to figure out it was much more than a crush, and he's definitely not over it.
5. What will it take to alleviate the communication barriers between Jim and Pam? No matter what, it's going to take time. But empathy too. Pam wanted things to be back to normal right away, she doesn't realize how hard it is for Jim to be back. Of course, Jim's interactions with Pam always seem to remind him of his hurt and rejection and he couldn't see that she was going out on a limb in running and hugging him and also asking him to coffee. No, it's no Casino Night confession and kiss, but it's still pretty bold for Pam.
6. What will it take for Jim to take down his wall? Is his wall restricted to Pam or will Karen be up against it as well? He's going to have to see that Pam understands how hurt he was (and go through a bit of it herself) and that she does return his feelings. But he'll have to give a little too. Every time he talks to or thinks about Pam, he seems to say to himself "but she rejected me, twice." The longer he automatically returns to those thoughts, the longer the walls will say up. Karen will be up against the wall as well, if she isn't already. He doesn't want to invest any more of his emotions into someone unless he sure of it. Karen likes him a lot more than he likes her right now, she's the one giving him gum, rubbing his back, calling him after work. I can see them running into trouble if the relationship progresses to a point where Jim has to make a real emotional commitment.
Author's Response: How spectacularly nerd-awesome! Your answer to Question 2 is my favorite - it's so spot-on and really shows how disconnected Jim and Pam had become ... and how painful it was for both of them to feel that broken connection.
Date: July 03, 2016 11:40 pm Title: Chapter 2: The Convention
First off, thanks so much for coming here and posting these! 10 years later and I'm still of 2 minds whether this is the first Jim's heard of Pam's cancelled wedding or not. I really could go either way. Between being in a fantasy football league with Kevin and having Michael just freely calling him in GWH to ask about "gaydar", I feel like surely Jim must have received some hint of wedding news. And his shocked and hurt expression could be contributed to the news that Pam's dating. Eitherway this does very much feel like a 3rd rejection from her, and without that chance phone call in "Initiation" I agree with this analysis that this may have been it for Jim in regards to Pam. (thankfully it went a different direction!)
Author's Response: This episode is one in which I wish I could have a do-over! I've thought about it a lot over the years. Leaning towards my original analysis - Jim may have had limited contact with the Scranton branch, but I don't know if Kevin would have brought up Pam's canceled wedding. Michael might have, though! Turning away from my original perspective, I've come to the conclusion that Jim would have had a much stronger emotional reaction to Pam's canceled wedding if he had first heard about it at the Convention. I think you're right - Jim's expression is more in response to Pam having a date.