I hate to imagine a world where Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly’s relationship wasn’t end game, but apparently that world did exist in the minds of the show’s writers. How dare they.
The only reason they stayed together, apparently, is thanks to the angel John Krasinski. Of course.
In the book the Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s (a very long and, tbh, debatable, title), author Andy Greene said that that show’s creator, Greg Daniels wanted to break up the iconic duo at the end of season 9. What was the cause of the break up? A cheating scandal.
Nope. Absolutely not. I will not stand for it.
Imagine that, after five years of a legendary relationship (and pretty much four seasons beforehand of tension and pining) that Pam and Jim broke up? Over a cheating scandal? Puh-lease.
Own Ellickson, one of The Office writers, reveals the top secret alternative ending in the book.
The plan was for the relationship to be on the rocks when Jim accepted a job in Philadelphia in season 9. A new character Brian was introduced and was a comfort to Pam while Jim was gone. Ellickson said he planned to have Pam and Brian “hooking up a little bit”.
Are they in high school? “Hooking up a little bit”? What does that even mean?
“Ultimately, I don’t think it was about actually going there. They never did anything. It was just to introduce worry in the audience,” he said.
But they didn’t move forward with the plan because Krasinski said it would be too painful for the show’s fans, Brent Forrester (another show writer) claimed in the book.
“John Krasinski said to me, ‘Brent, this final season is for the ultra fans of the show. They’re the only ones really still left watching, right? This is for them. Jim and Pam splitting up is too painful for them to sustain all the way to the reunion. We have to get them back together immediately’.”
Yes, John. Thank you, John.
So, now that we know how catastrophically different The Office could’ve been, I feel that fans can really appreciate Jim and Pam’s relationship for what it was. But far out can you imagine the collective heartbreak that could’ve been? Bloody hell.
Image Sources: GIPHY (The Office), Twitter (@sickskilldemon)
