Alright- so I was watching The Office today... it was the last few episodes of the series- they had a marathon on Comedy Central which I think they have every Sunday... which is awesome... but anyway this was my first time watching the episodes since hearing the theory that Jim Halpert cheated on his wife Pamela Halpert and that the documentary crew helped him cover it up.
While I did think this theory was very interesting when I first read it and I actually really believed it... after watching the episodes in question today... I just don't think it's true... so before I get into why I'm "Debunking" it... I'm going to start out with why I believed it.
WHY I BELIEVED THIS THEORY:
1. Jim is a likable guy- Jim is the type of guy that can be friends with anyone- so it's really not hard to believe that he would make friends with the documentary crew members so that he could manipulate them into covering up the affair.
2. Jim and Pam Were Away From Each Other A Lot Throughout The Series- In the last season the Jim and Pam problems start when Jim takes another job in Philadelphia and is away from Pam for a very long time working on a company called Athlead with Daryl. In other storylines from Jim and Pam, Jim took a job in Stanford; Pam was away in New York to go to Art School; Jim was on a sales trip with a young co-worker that hits on him; Pam went away on trips with Michael and she worked at the Michael Scott Paper Company. There were plenty of opportunities where Jim could have met someone else and continued to see them throughout the series. Pam also likely never would have questioned it because they worked together and lived together... so she does literally see him most of
the time.
WHY I AM DEBUNKING THIS THEORY:
1.The Documentary Crew Would Have Included It In The Documentary-
It would have made for really reality good tv if they had exposed this man that appeared to be the sweetest man ever and the most thoughtful and loving husband and father as a cheater on national TV. They would make everyone love this couple and root for them... only to expose that it's all a lie at the end... people watch reality tv for this. Now- we don't actually see the documentary... so they could just not be showing us as an audience this affair... but I don't think so. I think the crowd when they do the panel would have a lot more questions and a meaner tone directed at Jim for sure.
And the documentary crew exposed several other affairs in the documentary. Angela's several affairs with Dwight, The Senator's affair with Oscar... they wouldn't cover this up just for Jim. There's no way!
2. There Are No Secrets at Dunder Mifflin
There is NO WAY no one in The Office would find out... and literally NO ONE in Dunder Mifflin can keep a secret. Except for Kevin, who kept Oscar's affair with The Senator a secret... and I'm sure Stanley wouldn't have said anything knowing his various affairs... but I think Daryl would probably know... and I think he would tell Jim to do the right thing and come clean to Pam.
3. Brian, The Cameraman That Gets Too Close To Pam, Probably Wouldn't Have Agreed To Keeping It A Secret
Brian is someone on the crew of the documentary that gets a fired because he gets a little too close to Pam... he seemed to have a crush on Pam and he was respectful to Pam and the fact that she was a married lady... but I don't really think that he would keep a secret like that knowing that it could help his chances with Pam... he also seemed to have a conscience so I think if he found out about it he wouldn't have agreed to covering it up.
4. Jim's Enemies Would Have Exposed Him
Jim made a few enemies throughout the show. Dwight, Ryan, Roy, possibly Toby, maybe even Karen Fillipelli... one of those people could have easily found out and exposed Jim's secret. Dwight and Ryan were trying to ruin Jim Halpert... they could have probably checked first for Jim having an affair. Toby also had a crush on Pam and didn't seem too close to Jim to the point where he wouldn't expose the fact that he is cheating on Pam. Roy would have probably been very angry if he found out that Jim had been cheating on Pam- considering that he took Pam away from her... I'm sure if Daryl found out- Roy would have found out and told Pam. So... one of these people surely would have known and told someone about it.
5. I Just Don't Think That This Theory Adds Anything To The Story
I find the end of The Office very compelling. In the beginning we see this fairy tale romance of Jim and Pam and then at the end we see the spark kind of die down in their marriage and they have to work on their relationship. They have problems communicating and it's very real and very sad...and I think that is enough story to make the show as great as it can possibly be. It doesn't really add anything if Jim is having an affair... it just seems like an unnecessary subplot... and I just prefer watching the episodes thinking "There's no way."
But that's the point of a theory isn't it... maybe the theory of Jim cheating adds something to the story for you and then hey: that's the story! It is kind of whatever you interpret it as and I just don't see it... so I'm going to say I'm debunking it... ish.
I think I might do some more of these... I'll probably also do "Proven-ish" if I think something can be proven... I love fan theories and I love a lot of tv and movies... so I might do that! I might try to make this a little more "pop culture observations"... not quite sure what direction I want to have this blog in!
Bye!
-Shannon
While I did think this theory was very interesting when I first read it and I actually really believed it... after watching the episodes in question today... I just don't think it's true... so before I get into why I'm "Debunking" it... I'm going to start out with why I believed it.
WHY I BELIEVED THIS THEORY:
1. Jim is a likable guy- Jim is the type of guy that can be friends with anyone- so it's really not hard to believe that he would make friends with the documentary crew members so that he could manipulate them into covering up the affair.
2. Jim and Pam Were Away From Each Other A Lot Throughout The Series- In the last season the Jim and Pam problems start when Jim takes another job in Philadelphia and is away from Pam for a very long time working on a company called Athlead with Daryl. In other storylines from Jim and Pam, Jim took a job in Stanford; Pam was away in New York to go to Art School; Jim was on a sales trip with a young co-worker that hits on him; Pam went away on trips with Michael and she worked at the Michael Scott Paper Company. There were plenty of opportunities where Jim could have met someone else and continued to see them throughout the series. Pam also likely never would have questioned it because they worked together and lived together... so she does literally see him most of
the time.
WHY I AM DEBUNKING THIS THEORY:
1.The Documentary Crew Would Have Included It In The Documentary-
It would have made for really reality good tv if they had exposed this man that appeared to be the sweetest man ever and the most thoughtful and loving husband and father as a cheater on national TV. They would make everyone love this couple and root for them... only to expose that it's all a lie at the end... people watch reality tv for this. Now- we don't actually see the documentary... so they could just not be showing us as an audience this affair... but I don't think so. I think the crowd when they do the panel would have a lot more questions and a meaner tone directed at Jim for sure.
And the documentary crew exposed several other affairs in the documentary. Angela's several affairs with Dwight, The Senator's affair with Oscar... they wouldn't cover this up just for Jim. There's no way!
2. There Are No Secrets at Dunder Mifflin
There is NO WAY no one in The Office would find out... and literally NO ONE in Dunder Mifflin can keep a secret. Except for Kevin, who kept Oscar's affair with The Senator a secret... and I'm sure Stanley wouldn't have said anything knowing his various affairs... but I think Daryl would probably know... and I think he would tell Jim to do the right thing and come clean to Pam.
3. Brian, The Cameraman That Gets Too Close To Pam, Probably Wouldn't Have Agreed To Keeping It A Secret
Brian is someone on the crew of the documentary that gets a fired because he gets a little too close to Pam... he seemed to have a crush on Pam and he was respectful to Pam and the fact that she was a married lady... but I don't really think that he would keep a secret like that knowing that it could help his chances with Pam... he also seemed to have a conscience so I think if he found out about it he wouldn't have agreed to covering it up.
4. Jim's Enemies Would Have Exposed Him
Jim made a few enemies throughout the show. Dwight, Ryan, Roy, possibly Toby, maybe even Karen Fillipelli... one of those people could have easily found out and exposed Jim's secret. Dwight and Ryan were trying to ruin Jim Halpert... they could have probably checked first for Jim having an affair. Toby also had a crush on Pam and didn't seem too close to Jim to the point where he wouldn't expose the fact that he is cheating on Pam. Roy would have probably been very angry if he found out that Jim had been cheating on Pam- considering that he took Pam away from her... I'm sure if Daryl found out- Roy would have found out and told Pam. So... one of these people surely would have known and told someone about it.
5. I Just Don't Think That This Theory Adds Anything To The Story
I find the end of The Office very compelling. In the beginning we see this fairy tale romance of Jim and Pam and then at the end we see the spark kind of die down in their marriage and they have to work on their relationship. They have problems communicating and it's very real and very sad...and I think that is enough story to make the show as great as it can possibly be. It doesn't really add anything if Jim is having an affair... it just seems like an unnecessary subplot... and I just prefer watching the episodes thinking "There's no way."
But that's the point of a theory isn't it... maybe the theory of Jim cheating adds something to the story for you and then hey: that's the story! It is kind of whatever you interpret it as and I just don't see it... so I'm going to say I'm debunking it... ish.
I think I might do some more of these... I'll probably also do "Proven-ish" if I think something can be proven... I love fan theories and I love a lot of tv and movies... so I might do that! I might try to make this a little more "pop culture observations"... not quite sure what direction I want to have this blog in!
Bye!
-Shannon
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