here's where i get off my ass and talk about it
so clearly spoilers will follow, spoilers of this episode 308 The Merger and for all of season three and upcoming episodes. consider yourself warned.
Did I like this episode?
yes. It wasn't the episode i imagined but i liked it. i know some people have been waiting for this episode since last season when we learned that jim was leaving scranton. I'm not ashamed to mention i was one of those people. I mean we knew he was coming back and after the emotional rollcoaster that was casino night, for him at least, we knew it was going to be interesting.
However jim ignoring pam was NOT where i thought this episode was going. Jim acting awkward with all scrantonites was definately not what i imagined. Except of course the jim/dwight, i think that was spot on. personally that dynamic was one that i missed, will it be the same jim/dwight/pam dynamic as in previous seasons? i hope so.
that was definately one of my favorite aspects of their relationship. I mean hallowe'en putting his resume online, setting up the dwight/micheal fight, casino night with jim "telekinetically" moving the coat rack. I mean when it comes to jim pranking dwight pam was always involved one way or another. they were a team and i loved it.
but let me get back to jim and his pam awkwardness. i did state casino night was an emotional rollercoaster for him. i mean that first scene when he comes in and says "hi my name is jim." i think that was classic jim/pam behaviour. and he was happy to see her. although you could say awkwardness is typical jim/pam behaviour. however during jim's reentrance into scranton i think pam hugging him is not typical pam behaviour. i mean kelly yes, micheal yes, but pam no. especially considering the fact that the last time (we know) they saw each other was casino night. one would think she would sit behind her reception desk and jim would be the one to come over and talk to her. prop his elbows up on the desk and lean over a little. this is because it has been jim who has consistantly been the one putting himself out there. well he put himself out there on casino night, twice.
i saw pam being the one to put herself out there (for jim) as good. of course in order to really put perspective on this let's talk about karen for a bit.
i like karen. i was hesitant at first because she had been shaped as jim's new love interest and that's all i had heard, until episode one where she acted like a bitch to jim. well kind of, she made it seem like she's his love interest, wtf? i'm glad she's a more solid character and i would be thrilled if her and pam became friends. just because, also karen complementing the sweater was love. because i liked it too and her mom made it for her which is adorable and amazing. i'm happy karen arrived before jim because then it was pam and karen interacting together without any pressure. and jim was probably sitting in his car for like half an hour before going up. i know the big question is what do i think of jim and karen as a couple? especially considering i am big on the jim/pam front. i don't mind, i know this is going to be pam seeing how jim's felt but do we know how serious the jim/karen relationship is going to be? i mean i know rashida is only signed for thirteen or so episodes so it makes me curious. so in short i don't mind the relationship because i think it's going to be like the roy/pam, jim/katy situation. or like it to a degree maybe but i don't know. i know we're supposed to be seeing pam be independent and i think we have been seeing that. she moved out, she's taking art classes, she went on a date, changing her style a little (and i loved her hair in this episode -a little softer)and i don't know if this is independent (maybe to a degree) but her pranking dwight alone. i mean the running around the building was awesome.
i hope the dwight pranking will come back, i know next week jim coaches andy to ask pam out. wtf? that was my initial reaction but i hope she's in on it. or she'll just look up and jim will catch her eye and she'll get it because with them it's in what they don't say and the little looks and gestures i mean they were doing this to dwight for how long its guarenteed they have their own little code when playing jokes.
i liked that they sat together in the conference room.
the lunch room thing, i saw it as pam again putting herself out there. asking him out for coffee, remember in the pilot it was jim who asked her to go out for drinks. i understand that jim was unpacking and she asked if he still was and was generally understanding. micheal basically killed it and made it more awkward than it already had been. with the parking lot thing i don't know if it was jim blowing her off or what but her face when he was walking away with karen was so many degrees of emotion and heartbreak. i mean people bitch about poor jim but what about poor pam i mean last year with roy and now this. i say poor pam.
and finally the revisited parking lot jim/pam scene. i mean mirror casino night much. i am glad he said it was awkward, i'm glad he picked up on that but poor pam saying no everything was fine and that it was just a hectic day. and then jim with the "well i'm kind of seeing someone now." he wanted to gauge her reaction and her reaction was a pam reaction. she was trying to make things better by saying they're friends, i think because she understands knows she screwed up casino night and every other time she didn't try to call him or contact him. but i think she knows she feels like shit for screwing up. right now she sees that jim is acting awkward and kind of unsure and generally avoiding her and all she wants is for things to go back to when they were friends and i think as much as she wants him in a relationship she would rather just have him be her friend and talk to her. i mean
they were best friends. that's what i think of pam's line and i think she was being defensive because after being ignored all day what would you do melt at his feet? i would be pissed and short and snippy. but pam handled it with a little grace and was cool about it. i think the stuttered oh ok-okay from jim gave away he was definately looking for a different reaction and then finalized by the look/head shake he gives himself/his car.
the whole jim/ryan desk situation you know jim wanted his old desk back. however this new one is directly across from dwight!! and i am hoping there is going to be some jim/ryan/dwight happening i think that would be hilarious. and you know when jim and pam are on the same page again he'll be turned around all the time.
i heard there's a jim/pam/karen things happening for the christmas episode, or something involving the three of them and it's going to be an hour long!!! i mean that is exciting.
so i didn't actually think all the jim/pam/karen would be that long i might post about the rest of the episode later but i don't want to right now and i have