Was Jim Halpert the Real Villain of ‘The Office‘?

Almost 10 years after it went off the air, did the seemingly sweet show actually have a sour taste?

(The U.S. version of) The Office enjoyed broad mainstream appeal during its nine-season run. But, almost 10 years after it went off the air, did the seemingly sweet show actually have a sour taste?

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Who Was the Real Baddie in The Office?

Many consider Michael Scott (Steve Carell), regional manager of paper-distribution company Dunder Mifflin, to be the main antagonist of the mockumentary sitcom. Others point to temp-turned-executive-turned-fraudster-turned-temp-again Ryan Howard (BJ Novak). There’s also a case to be made that the bad guy is anti-social weirdo Dwight Schrute (Rainn Wilson).

Then again, Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) can fit the bill as the show’s antagonist, especially when some of his pranks on Dwight do more harm than planned.

“Jim is both a villain when it comes to Michael and a villain when it comes to Dwight,” MovieWeb posited in June of this year. “However, it is specifically in respect to Dwight that reveals Jim to be the show’s villain. Even Jim’s interactions with his will-they-or-won’t they love interest Pam have some disturbing malice lurking beneath the surface.”

Sweet and Sour (with an Aftertaste Too)

The Office aired from March 2005 to May 2013. After it ended, the show famously found a second generation of fans. That phenomenon could be attributed to its cringe-humor; it was often soft yet edgy at the same time.

Because the show lacked a laugh track or studio audience, its tone can often be perceived subjectively. The best example is the Season 4 episode Dinner Party, in which Michael’s tumultuous romantic relationship with his former boss Jan Levinson (Melora Hardin) takes a hilarious but violent turn in front of Dunder Mifflin employees.

Another example is Michael’s offensive impression of an Indian person is met with a slap in the face from Kelly.

On the other hand, The Office was sometimes disarmingly sweet. For proof, look no further than the sincere and virtually sarcasm-free episode Goodbye, Michael from Season 7.

With those dueling traits in mind, the show played to both the bitter and the sweet.

Likewise, Jim often comes across as a handsome prankster — but also, sometimes, like a jerk. His romantic advances toward receptionist Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) are sometimes devastatingly heartfelt, except when they’re not, such as him professing his love for her around the time she gets married to another character on the show.

Perhaps most tellingly, The Office concluded with what was unfathomable at the beginning of the series. The Emmy Award-winning, two-part episode Finale focuses on Dwight and Angela Martin (Angela Kinsey) getting married at a wedding attended by Dunder-Mifflin employees.

So, can the series be viewed from two conflicting positions?

That’s what she said.

What do you think?

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