1 [Report This]Date: February 22, 2021 11:46 am Title: Jan
Again diving into one of the more complex characters. Early Jan does come across as mostly composed and does her best to reign Micheal in. However soon out comes crazy Jan and that's especially what I see in the first section. The insecurities that led to her being fired from Dunder-Mifflin and her hostility towards Pam are out there. Looking at Jim just gives her a opening to indulge in those feelings.
The second section is mostly the calm and mostly collected Jan we see at the start of the show. Able to see the potential in people.
However I think she's still not really seeing the whole picture there at the end. She thinks he's allergic, but those candles are just bad. You wrote her warped sense of self and perceptions really well.
Author's Response: Thanks very much! And yes, haha - I think this is definitely pretty full-on Jan crazy mode here, rather than the early Jan who I think probably wouldn’t have much to say about Jim other than his potential, because she didn’t get involved in anyone’s personal life lol. I’m really glad you liked this one, thanks for reviewing :)
1 [Report This]Date: February 22, 2021 10:46 am Title: Jan
Wow. Kudos on leaning all the way into writing from the POV of post-breakdown Jan. A very challenging character (who I will confess I hate a lot of the writing choices for even if they did produce some terrific episodes). I think you struck the right note in writing her self-absorption, with just the tiniest hit of canny - she is aware that David would've picked Jim over Ryan and that Jim is staying late to hang out with Pam, but can't get beyond the idea that it all has to do with HER somehow.
You did well her keeping her derangement at a comic level, and it feels in line with her mental state as of Dinner Party. Really well done.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! And yeah: I agree on some of the writing choices for Jan. It felt like they sort of had to wildly ruin her character just to get her together with Michael. I’ve put it down to a mini breakdown that she hopefully recovers from...but, it is also the much funnier Jan to write about. I’d like to think that this chapter is not very long after Dinner Party and she calms down later. Thanks again for reviewing!
1 [Report This]Date: February 22, 2021 10:38 am Title: Jan
This chapter was really funny! 😂
Jan was nuts. Leave it to Michael to lie so the other person was in the wrong. Jan and Michael were a match made in Hell.
In my last review about Jim being rude to Pam,
it was mostly about the around situation with Roy.
I can understand that Jim would be upset, but he put the all the blame on Pam without owning up to the fact that he started the problem with her in the first place on Casino Night. Also he pulled that prank on her with Andy to be petty, and shoved his relationship with Karen in Pam’s face.
Jim was very passive aggressive in season 3.
Also I sent you a message yesterday about when Jim bought Pam’s engagement ring. Did you by chance get it?
Author's Response: Thanks so much! It was fun writing this one, and yes haha agreed on Michael and Jan. And yeah - Jim was pretty passive agressive in season 3, his behaviour wasn’t great. I have also now seen your message (really sorry I missed it!), and hopefully sent a reply :) Thanks again!
Date: February 21, 2021 10:08 pm Title: Phyllis
Phyllis has always struck me as a complex character. She has moments of being like the sweet aunt of the family, but has vindictive moments too. It see that here. She loves that Jim appreciates a gift and recognizes physical skill. But basically stealing Pam's wedding wasn't really the best, though in that regard I'm not sure it was intentionally hurtful. What I read was that Jim was somewhat caught off guard by her wondering about the color of the flowers and said the color almost to himself and Phyllis just happened to hear it.
Anyway. Nice look into her character. Like I said she's complex and you got into that really well.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! That's really great to hear :) And yeah, I agree on Phyllis - I quite like that they didn't write her to be a saint though, i.e. she is quite sweet, but she's also not above pettiness. I also agree that I don't think the wedding stealing was intentionally hurtful or vindinctive (from Phyllis on the show, or from Jim here) - and yeah, in my head Jim sort of couldn't resist but also wasn't really thinking about the consequences.
1 [Report This]Date: February 21, 2021 02:43 pm Title: Phyllis
I always enjoyed the Phyllis-Jim connection and I'm glad you took the opportunity to explore it in depth here. This feels like the right level of sweetness for that friendship, and you chose the callbacks well - these feel like things where Jim would've noticed Phyllis' feelings getting hurt.
I also thought you did well to balance this with a little bit of a sour moment for Phyllis and tying it to something of a sour period for Jim. Phyllis' stealing Pam's wedding plans is such a big moment for someone who up to that point mostly looked like a sweet motherly figure around the office, and it's interesting that in the midst of this we have Jim in full trying-to-get-over-Pam mode helping her out somewhat. Leaves you wondering if this is just Jim not being able to get that wedding planning out of his head, or if this is a little petty vengeance on his part, knowingly helping Phyllis make use of Pam's work.
Author's Response:
Thanks so much! And yeah, I’m a big fan of the Phyllis-Jim friendship. I really love that Christmas episode where he lets Phyllis be Santa, and won’t put up with Michael trying to take that away from her.
So when I was writing the last one, my thinking was less that this was something actively malicious from Jim (or even from Phyllis, actually) - and more just a bit thoughtless. And not helped by him having the wedding planning in his head as you say, and probably still being a bit bitter/consumed by it. But I don’t think he would have done it with the idea of deliberately hurting Pam.
Date: February 21, 2021 09:24 am Title: Phyllis
I agreed with Pam, that it was tacky when Phyllis copied Pam’s wedding. Then again I always thought Phyllis was a bitch towards Pam anyway.
Phyllis had the tendency to seem a bit insecure around the other women in the office, which she showed in her nasty comments about them.
The only time I love it was when she called Angela out in front of the office about being with Dwight.
Author's Response: Thanks! And yes haha, I do think Phyllis wasn’t always great with Pam, but I agree some of that may have been insecurity. Also, I think some people in the office treated her so badly that I always quite enjoyed when she stood up for herself, lol. But I always loved her friendship with Jim. Agreed on her calling out Angela being a great moment!
Date: February 21, 2021 05:19 am Title: Phyllis
Awww, I like this chapter. Mainly because I have mixed feelings about Phyllis (I can't get rid of suspicion that behind an image of 'good aunty' hides quite a sly and calculating woman), and you painted her as a person I'd like her to be.
Her friendship with Jim was endearing, and I'm glad it was mutual. The basketball game was such a lovely touch! And the wedding preparations... oh, that was lovely too, but at the same time, it stung...
Thank you!
Author's Response: Thank you! And haha, for what it’s worth - I always saw Phyllis as fundamentally quite sweet and simple, but not above moments of pettiness (which I think is the same for Jim and Pam sometimes), rather than being sly or calculating. And I feel like Michael and Angela treat her so badly sometimes that I enjoyed her moments of sass on the show. So I may be slightly biased when I write about her, lol...but yes, I also love her friendship with Jim!
Date: February 20, 2021 09:47 pm Title: Angela
Very Angela to turn it around into things she does know about Jim. I do like that a lot of this is in comparison to Dwight. Seems very fitting for her. Also considering this feels like it's set in the post-doc timeframe, the fact that she's calmed down a bit from her early seasons frumpy judgmental self rings true too. Of course it's Angela so there's still some judgment, but it feels tamed down. Especially when she considers thing like how Jim was a good best man. Well done.
Author's Response: Thanks very much! And yes haha, it occurred to me that Angela and Jim don’t interact a huge amount in the show, so it made sense to me that most of her views on him would be comparisons to Dwight. And I did want a slightly more tamed down Angela lol, as I’m not sure she would have had a single nice thing to say about Jim otherwise...
1 [Report This]Date: February 20, 2021 06:39 pm Title: Angela
I didn't expect a chapter written in Angela's voice to tickle me as much as this did. Very Angela. And very cute. Scarn! Almost as cute as Pamela Beagsley.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! That’s lovely to hear :) and yes haha, I wanted them to have some kind of tribute towards Michael with their dog. Thanks for taking the time to review, I really appreciate it!
Date: February 20, 2021 11:44 am Title: Angela
You captured Angela as the uptight hypocrite that she was.
Author's Response: Thanks so much!! That is great to hear haha :)
1 [Report This]Date: February 20, 2021 11:34 am Title: Angela
It makes all the sense in the world that Angela knew a little about Jim, and in every single point about him, she mentioned Dwight. I'd like to think that it's her display of loyalty to him (which is cute).
Which is NOT cute is the whole 'Pam-the-office-mattress' thing. I mean, seriously??? Did Angela look into the mirror before calling Pam like that??? There are moments in the show that made me sad or uncomfortable, but this is the one that made me furious.
*Feel an urge to give Pam a title of a saint even though she's definitely not one of them*
Anyway... I adore how you chose to underline all that Angela thought about Jim, that he was a dog person. That's genius!
Looking forward to the next one, and thank you :)
Author's Response: Thanks so much! And yes haha, Angela’s hypocrisy on the office mattress point is...something. Pam definitely deserved a sainthood for putting up with it lol. And yeah, I thought the dog thing would pretty much sum up Angela’s views on Jim (I just love that scene on the show where Pam tells her she’s a dog person, and Angela’s reaction). Thank you again for reviewing!
1 [Report This]Date: February 20, 2021 11:09 am Title: Angela
Appreciate you taking this one on - Angela is not an easy POV to write from.
Her rejecting the fundamental premise seems very in line with her character, as is the fact that almost everything nice she has to say about him is back-handed or half-hearted. Her praise seems very much in line with what Angela values in men, too... you can see why this woman would be drawn to Dwight. You really made me want to read more about what happened at Dwight and Angela's wedding.
And the climax being that Jim is a dog person is perfect.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! Yeah, I found this one quite tricky - also because although I think Angela has softened towards Pam a fair amount, I’m less clear on her feelings about Jim as they don’t interact as much. But yes haha, I thought Jim liking dogs might encapsulate everything Angela thinks about him. And I feel like I wanted to see Jim and Michael do a speech at a wedding that they didn’t get catastrophically wrong!
1 [Report This]Date: February 20, 2021 10:19 am Title: Angela
Oh Angela! this is so funny!I like to imagine that Jam fam goes to visit them during the holidays to introduce the kids to Schrute Christmas!
Author's Response: Thanks so much! And aw yes haha, that would be so perfect :)
1 [Report This]Date: February 20, 2021 08:50 am Title: Katy
I completely adore the dog named Scarn. It's perfect.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! :)
1 [Report This]Date: February 19, 2021 11:10 am Title: Meredith
You absolutely NAILED Meredith's voice from the very start.
His ass.
opportunities to bone
Go figure.
the meat market
hoo boy
wrestled around with him on those dojo mats any time
For damn sure
Kid could use it
She might have mentioned the odd name Jim Halpert signed on her pelvic cast thinking John Krasinski was one of Jim's pranks. I think she would have been delighted he had pranked her.
Good onya
Author's Response: Thank you so much! That’s so great to hear :) writing from Meredith’s voice was a lot of fun. And hahaha yes that’s so true on the cast!
1 [Report This]Date: February 19, 2021 10:25 am Title: Meredith
This seems very on point for Meredith. I don't think I've ever read her POV on the encounter in The Fight before, and it rings very true for her that whatever Pam thought she was seeing, mainly her reaction would've been jealousy of Pam's position.
Author's Response: Thanks! And yeah, it occurred to me that Meredith was an interesting choice to have turn around and catch them, because I think of all the people in the office she’d probably have judged them the least (/cared the least).
1 [Report This]Date: February 19, 2021 10:13 am Title: Katy
Jim really did treat Katy terribly and hating Legally Blonde has always made me question his taste in movies and always seemed kinda sexist imo. I hope Pam made him watch it later and appreciate it! Looking forward to the rest!
Author's Response:
Thank you! And yes: I felt bad for Katy, I think she deserved better. Also agreed on Legally Blonde! I would also like to think Pam changed his mind haha. Thanks so much for taking the time to review!
Date: February 19, 2021 06:19 am Title: Meredith
This fits perfectly. Meredith first and formost looking at his ass rings very true. Second her thoughts on monogamy in regards to Jim is also very on point. That's the Meredith who has Jim sign her pelvic cast right there. And there at the end a bit of the heart that Meredith does have. In her own way she does care about her son so seeing Jim in that role I'm sure was a good feeling for her. Can't wait for the next instalment.
Author's Response:
Thanks very much! And yes lol, Meredith’s appreciation of Jim (/men in general) on the show cracked me up - but I do also like the very small glimpses of her heart. Thanks for reviewing!
1 [Report This]Date: February 19, 2021 05:00 am Title: Meredith
I giggled reading this :)
And Meredith has a point — it's a shame that Jim wasn't leaning at reception anymore. I guess not only Meredith would appreciate the view...
Thank you!
Author's Response:
Thank you! And yes haha, it occurred to me that he’s standing there with his back to the rest if the office every single time he goes up to talk to Pam...
1 [Report This]Date: February 18, 2021 05:29 pm Title: Katy
Straight in with a home run. Even though they didn’t really flesh out Katy’s character that well, you’ve done a great job in our getting to know her a bit. The characterisation makes a lot of sense, Nicely done!
Author's Response: Ah, thanks so much! And yes haha, I quite liked Katy and felt like she deserved more. (And better than Jim, tbh). Thanks for reviewing! :)
Date: February 18, 2021 10:27 am Title: Katy
Nice way to portray Katy here. Going a bit past what we saw the show really worked well. It feels that while they were good together, they weren't great together. Now of course WE know why, but you get the sense Katy didn't until she saw the doc. Sometimes I've read Katy as being bitter towards Jim, espcially after how harsh he was when he broke up with her. I liked that given the time that seems to have passed she seems to have gotten over that. Granted it also seems she's got a good thing going with her husband so I'm sure that's a big part of it. Great job as always.
Author's Response: Thanks so much! And yeah, I think Katy would've been fully entitled to be quite bitter about Jim in the aftermath...but I also think she's quite a sweet person, and I don't think the relationship was serious enough for her to be that cut up about it for too long. So I did want to do it once some time had passed, and she had the benefit of seeing the doc lol. Thanks very much for reviewing! :)
1 [Report This]Date: February 18, 2021 10:10 am Title: Katy
This is interesting, and as someone who is pretty fascinated with the impact of the documentary airing I like the fact that this is mostly about Katy's sense of how she and her relationship with Jim are portrayed. I wonder what this chapter would've looked like before it aired and she still had no idea about Pam... would she have thought much about Jim at all?
Author's Response:
Thanks! And yes - I am also fascinated by that, especially with side characters like Katy who were only briefly involved. (Plus it gave me slightly more to write about, because I think you’re right: I doubt she’d have had many thoughts about Jim otherwise. Apart from, he was that jerk who dumped her on a boat that one time). But I could totally see Katy getting quite into a popular show about her hometown, especially about people she’d met.
1 [Report This]Date: February 18, 2021 03:13 am Title: Katy
Nice start to a new story.
I’m with Dernhelm about JAM being in bed with other people, and I’m not looking forward to the Karen chapter.
However, unlike Karen, I actually feel kind of bad for Katy because they did make her seem stupid
and shallow.
Katy was right in that Jim held her, and Karen,
at an arm’s length because she wasn’t the girl he wanted. Also, even though, Jim was my second favorite on the show, he was bit of a dork.
I’m glad that Katy found her own happiness.
I know that this story is what the women in the office think of Jim, but I think it would be interesting to see a Roy chapter, because we never really got to see Jim and Pam from Roy’s POV.
Author's Response:
Thanks so much! And yes haha, I said this to Dernhelm but I will say that I think sex might've been a bigger part of Jim/Katy's relationship as I'm not sure they would've had loads to talk about...I'll try not to make the Karen chapter too bad though lol. I also felt really bad for Katy! And yeah, I love Jim's dorkiness. Thanks so much for reviewing, I really appreciate it :)
1 [Report This]Date: February 18, 2021 01:56 am Title: Katy
Yay! I'm so excited that you continue this series!
And the first story is lovely. I'll be honest, the first thing on the list felt a little like a punch in the gut for me (but that's my own problem — I don't like very much imagining JAM in a bed with other people). But the second and third one — delightful! Katy is nice and deserves better than she had with Jim (and I'm so glad she got it!)
I'm looking forward to the other chapters! (And sliiiightly dreading Karen's...)
Author's Response: Thanks so much! And haha, I'm with you on the not wanting to imagine JAM with other people: but I sort of felt like sex might have played a fair role in Jim and Katy's relationship, as I'm not sure they had a lot in common otherwise...I definitely agree that she deserved better though, I think she was quite a sweet person. I will try not to make Karen's too painful, lol. Thanks for reviewing! :)