The butterfly charm on Pam’s necklace spreads it wings much the same Pam continues to fly as FNB.  Her confidence in herself and her abilities is overwhelming throughout Local Ad.  Not only is she offering her artistic skills for Michael’s commercial, but she is also taking great pride in herself and her artwork.  It can happily be said that Pam is settling for nothing less than perfect.   Furthermore, Pam is not letting anyone or anything stand in her way, not even Jim.  Interestingly, her dedication to her animation project in this episode overrides being with Jim.  Although, this seems quite arbitrary in terms of importance, it could be a signal of a future issue between Jim and Pam.  It’s already apparent that Pam doesn’t need Jim in the same way she needed him in Seasons 1, 2, or 3.  She is independent and confident, which cancels out the two primary reasons Pam needed Jim in previous seasons.  Season 4 is whole new ballgame as Pam can stand on her own two feet.  

Eventually, Pam is going to have to figure out just where Jim fits into her new independent life.  She’s had no problem integrating him into her life, but her need for him hasn’t been reevaluated.  It can’t be forgotten that Pam was ready to let Jim go in The Job.  It’s clear she loves him and wants him in her life, but there needs to be an understanding that both she and Jim have changed in various ways.  That means there are new needs on both sides that need to be discovered and fulfilled.  Pam is just beginning to learn that there is a multitude of things she does not know about Jim.  As JAM continues to explore their relationship, new details are bound to surface and adjustments will need to be made.  

In terms of the relationship itself, a slight shift in leadership is quite noticeable.  Although, Pam retains the lead, she has relinquished some of that lead to Jim.  It is debatable on whether Jim is ready for this shift, but it’s clear that his actions in Money left a big impression on Pam.  It’s highly possible she read his kiss as meaning he is ready to take the majority lead.   However, in reality Jim remains emotionally vulnerable and continues to harbor fear.  Her sometimes indifferent behavior towards Jim is indicative of her belief that Jim no longer needs her to offer constant reassurance or perpetual nurturing support.  As in all new relationships a balance must be found.  JAM is just teetering back and forth on the seesaw until equilibrium is achieved.

Conference Room:

Michael’s antics are in full swing as he tries to fire up fellow Dunder Mifflin employees. Corporate is planning to make a commercial for Dunder Mifflin and Michael is looking for creative ideas for the ad.  Pam is bored which is apparent while she picks at her nails.  Meanwhile, Andy breaks out into song with the jingle for Kit Kat, but can’t remember the key words, “Kit Kat.”  Andy is beyond frustrated that he can’t remember the product for the jingle.  Jim is totally amused by Andy’s memory gap and immediately hollers, “Nobody tell him.”  Pam is amused as well, but not at the same level as Jim.  She is still noticeably bored, as she watches Jim interact with Andy. She thinks it’s funny, but not necessary.  Pam doesn’t mind a good prank, but usually the target deserves to be pranked.  In this instance, Andy isn’t annoying Jim or anyone else.  However, she doesn’t let the cat out of the bag.  She doesn’t mind playing along with Jim, but her interest in his little prank doesn’t extend past a little smile.  Andy rattles off guesses but the best he can do is “football cream.”  He “Grrrrs” loudly as his frustration builds.  

Michael soon redirects the meeting by asking, “Okay, it's football cream. It's football cream. Alright! So, anybody else?”  Pam instantly perks up and offers her skills, “I'm taking a computer animation class so I could try to do a logo.”  Her face is lit up as she confidently presents her artistic abilities.  FNB is not afraid to jump right in and contribute her talents.  As suspected in the premiere episode, Fun Run, Pam is continuing her education in the field of art.  Even more interesting, it links back to Boys and Girls in that she’s doing a form a graphic design with by taking computer animation class.  In terms of body language this scene offers some interesting insight.  Pam is turned away from Jim and doesn’t look at him once while she throws her hat into the ring.  In previous seasons, she would have looked to him for support and reassurance.  This is a possibly a sign that she no longer needs Jim to believe in her as she already believes in herself.  His support is appreciated and even expected to a certain extent, but she is more than able to supply it for herself.   

Michael’s response is positive, but it carries a sting, “Look at that. Even the receptionist is getting in on the creativity. Very good, very good.”  Her smile falls from her face as she looks away.  Pam doesn’t like Michael’s reference of calling her “the receptionist.”  She isn’t ashamed of her job, but she knows she is more than just a receptionist.  After a year of soul searching Pam has discovered that her job title does not define her or her ambitions.  Her expression is even a little defiant as Michael’s comment sinks in further.  Her very disdain for Michael’s definition of her is enough to remind herself that she is striving for something better.  She refuses to let anyone tell her what she can and can’t do based solely on her job title and current lot in life.  

Besides, Michael is an idiot.  He’s not going to get her down.  This helps to explain Pam’s motivation and dedication to creating the animated logo later in the episode.  Part of her is determined to prove him wrong.  Again, she doesn’t look at Jim during this exchange.  Pam is strong enough to handle this little sting on her own.  She doesn’t necessarily need him to make it all better.  FNB has it covered.

Jim’s Interruption:

Pam is hard at work animating on her computer as Jim walks up, “Hey.”  She doesn’t even look up at him as she dismissively says, “No talk, I’m animating.”  Her brows are knotted in concentration as she stares at her computer screen.  Jim refuses to be brushed off as he leans in front of her and takes control of her mouse, “Why don't we take a quick ten second break from that so I can show you what's going on here.”  Pam is visibly annoyed as her knotted brow shifts from concentration to slight aggravation.   She looks up at him wears a slight smirk, clearly irritated with Jim invading her space with his nonsense.  In prior seasons, this wouldn’t have bothered her as she had nothing but solitaire to keep her busy behind her desk.  His distractions were welcome relief from the bottomless pit of boredom and hopelessness that surrounded Pam. Things are now different in that Pam no longer needs the distraction.  She is focused on something important to her and Jim is taking her away from that, from her point of view.  

Her irritation is slow to dissipate as Jim’s explains, “Okay, this is Dwight's Second Life. He's on it all the time. So much so that his little guy here has created his own world. It's called Second Second Life, for those people who want to be removed even further from reality.” Her expression soon shifts to sympathy as she feels bad for Dwight, “Are you serious.”  Jim replies, “yeah,” quickly with his own sense of empathy.  Dwight’s pain has been difficult to watch and Pam’s heart goes out to him, “Oh my God, he's really in pain.”  From here, Pam’s demeanor towards Jim completely changes.  His reasons for interrupting her were valid and she allows herself to fall into the distraction of Jim at her desk.  

As the game plays out on her screen, Pam notices another avatar and asks, “Who's that?”  Jim softly answers, “Oh, it's just my avatar guy. Whatever.” in a attempt to divert her attention. However, Pam is already hot on his trail and can’t contain her curiosity.  She giggles as she continues to explore the avatar, “He looks a lot like you.”  She smiles widely, extremely amused by Jim’s little representation of himself.  Pam can’t help but ask, “How much time did you spend on that?” She thinks it great, but she knows he did it at work.  If anyone is capable of wasting time at work, it’s Jim.  Her tone is serious as she is genuinely curious about what Jim has created.  

In a sense, she is seeing a side of Jim she never knew existed.  She picks up on little details almost immediately, “... you're a sports writer in Philadelphia?”  Her voice is filled with a little bit of excitement.  Pam knows Jim hates his job and she’s intrigued to see Jim express an interest in something other than pranking.  She can see his potential to be more than he allows himself to be.  She’s known Jim for years, but he has managed to surprise her again (let’s not forget last week’s kiss!), by showing her something new about himself.  She may know him like the back of her hand, but there’s also much about him she doesn’t know.  Of course, she can’t help but comment on his physique by adding, “Nice build.”  In another nod to FNB, she isn’t afraid to admit her attraction to him on a physical level.  She wasn’t self conscious in the least.  Old Pam would’ve kept that little tidbit to herself and turned red.

Upon inspecting avatar further she comments, “You have a guitar slung on your back. I did not know you played guitar.”  Her curiosity begins to include a little disbelief at her lack of knowledge in this regard.  How could she not know this about him?  However, her own wonderment is again overridden by her excitement of seeing another new aspect of Jim.  She smiles up at him widely, just dying to know more about this interesting guy hiding inside of a bored paper salesman.   Pam has never thought of Jim as boring, but she knows he is bored in general.  It’s astonishing to her to know there is so much more hiding inside of him.   Jim is noticeably embarrassed and uncomfortable as he tries to wiggle out of her observations, “I... why don't we go back to this animation.”  Pam can’t help but play on is discomfort by showing enthusiasm, “No no no, I want to see more of Philly Jim.”  Her tone is playful as she laughs and smiles while prodding him to tell her more about this mysterious person she knows nothing about.  

Jim is still reluctant and he heads back over to her mouse, likely switching the screen back to her animation, “No, show me how this . . . .”  Pam is undaunted as she pleads in a still playful tone, “I want Philly Jim.” This statement is laced with undertones.  Pam may be joking around, but in some respects she speaks the truth.  Pam loves Old Jim and is thrilled that most of him has returned. That being said, Pam realizes that things can’t be as they were before.  She doesn’t need Jim in the same way.  She’s a new person with different needs.  Even Jim has changed even though his former persona dominates his behavior.  Jim expresses further reluctance by insisting, “Ah, show me how this works.”  She can see she’s not going to get anywhere as she relents, “Oh, Boy.“  She still wears a smile, but she’s let down that Jim won’t share anymore.   

Pam wants to see Jim break out of his rut, knowing full well his is capable of much more than selling paper.  She knows he’s not happy with his job and would like to see him find something that suits him better.  This attitude extends beyond Jim and into Pam herself in that she is a new person with goals and she needs someone to move on with her.  Pam knows she is capable of more than being a receptionist, while Jim is stuck selling paper, with no apparent idea on what else he’d like to do with his life.   

It’s another sign of incongruent personal growth.  It’s not overwhelmingly affecting JAM, but the undercurrents are being felt.  Now that Pam has seen Jim in a different light, she may take on a new role and offer support for any spark of interest Jim has in order to encourage him to explore a new route in his life.  It’s a complete role reversal from Season 2, where Jim was always there to support Pam’s ambitions in art.  Now, it’s Pam’s turn to help Jim find where he is supposed to fit into his own life.   

End of the Day: 

Pam continues to work feverishly on her animated logo until the end of the day.  Jim approaches her desk ready to go home for the day, “I hope you're not killing yourself on this, because I'm sure it's good enough for Michael's ad that will probably be seen by no one.”  His concern for her welfare is apparent, but it’s clear Jim is ready to leave his boring job.  In a stunning display of FNB, Pam responds, “Maybe, but it's not good enough for me yet.”  Her motivation for completing the logo may have partially been motivated by sticking it to Michael, but Pam’s personal pride is the guiding force in her work.  It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks, not even Jim.  It has to be good enough for her.  Jim simply responds, “Okay. Do you want me to stay?,” still anxious to get out of the office and back home.  Pam turns to him and firmly tells him, “No no, you can go home. I'm good,” completely forgetting that she is Jim’s ride home, (as learned in Jim’s subsequent talking head).  

Pam is so immersed in her ambitions, Jim is getting pushed off the to the side.  Her last statement carries some interesting double meaning.  Pam has been telling Jim to come “home” ever since he returned to Scranton.  Only this time, she’s telling him to go “home” without her.  Pam may want Jim in her life, but once again she is proving she is perfectly capable without him.  She doesn’t need his support or his opinion as she works on her animation.  Her phrase, “I’m good” describes Pam perfectly. She has truly found her niche and it’s tricky figuring out just where Jim fits into her world.  The concern in this scene is primarily rooted in Pam so easily forgetting to give Jim a ride home.  She is very immersed in her ambitions and her own life, forgetting that Jim is also part of her life.  It’s as if for a moment she forgot just how lucky she is to have him in her life.  

After last week’s kiss, Pam assumes Jim doesn’t need as much assurance from her, when in fact he does. She saw a man who was “all in” and could handle her leaving him on his own with little or no explanation.  This assumption won’t have any immediate effects, but Pam will need to pick up on Jim’s uncertainties and fears.  They haven’t disappeared and she needs to continue to address his needs in that department.  She has an incorrect read on him, which indicates nonverbal communication continues to be a work in progress despite the huge gains in the opening episodes of the season. 

Breakfast:

After spending the night passed out on her keyboard, Pam awakens to the sound of her phone ringing.  Jim is on the other end, “Good morning.” Still dazed she looks over at Jim at his desk and then notices his sweet gesture sitting on her desk. A small breakfast stares back her and it means everything to her.  She smiles appreciatively with a warm smile that is as much to herself as it is for Jim.   Part of her can’t believe he did this, while the rest of her knows it’s just like him. It’s here where she reminds herself that she’s got a really wonderful man in her life.  She may not need Jim’s support or opinion, but she still needs him to take care of her.  Whether she’s stuck in an endless engagement with the wrong guy or  when she doesn’t know when to stop working, Jim is always there to take care of her.  She still needs that, FNB or not.  It’s a good little lesson not to take Jim for granted. Even with his faults, he loves her and would do anything for her.  With his dry sense of humor he explains, “Yeah I'm sorry, I looked away for a second and Creed snatched your hash browns.”  With a weary, yet heartfelt  voice she says, “Thank you,” and means every word.  

Poor Richards: 

Along with her co-workers Pam watches gleefully as the ad for Dunder Mifflin plays on the television screen.  Michael’s ad was rejected by corporate, but it’s still fun to see herself and everyone else waving into the camera in a flashy ad.  She may hate her job, but she is connected to her co-workers.  They are people she cares about, no matter how annoying or odd they may be.  Aside from that, it’s just plain exciting to see herself on TV, (isn’t it always?).  

Jim later stands up and announces, “Hey everybody! Just want to welcome you all to the premiere of the real Dunder Mifflin commercial, the Michael Scott director's cut. Hope you like it.”  As the ad plays, Pam continues to smile, but it’s different from before.  There is pride in her eyes as she looks at the ad she had a part in making.  It’s ridiculous, but it’s something she and her co-workers accomplished together.  

At the end of the ad, her animation fills the screen, (it was good!) and Pam smiles again.  She is proud of her work as dignity fills her eyes.   However, she looks to Jim for his response.  She may not needs Jim’s approval but she wants it.  She is greeted with a huge smile and an obviously proud Jim.  His applause is geared towards her as is amazement at her work.  His smile meant everything to her.  Jim rubs her back in congratulations and Pam’s leans towards him with a smile.  She never got this kind of support from Roy, which serves as another reminder that she needs Jim more than FNB would like to admit.

Jim continues to offer his support by plugging her work to anyone who will listen including the waiter, “Animation? All her by the way.”

 - - -

Questions to Ponder:

1) Does Pam have a solid idea of where Jim fits in her life?

2) Is Pam slacking off when it comes to giving Jim everything he needs?  Why or Why not?