Check out my icon - STEVE WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME?

[annakovsky]

I can't believe Jenna Fischer and James Gunn are splitting. Between that and Owen Wilson's suicide attempt, I don't even know, man. (Last night I was getting a pedicure and reading the most recent People magazine cover article about said suicide attempt. The article concluded that depression probably played a role. STOP THE PRESSES.) I always feel like such an idiot when celebrity news genuinely gets me down, but geez, I'm not made of stone here.

In more cheerful celebrity news, Stephen Colbert is the subject of an excellent Vanity Fair article, with pictures that -- well, no Sunday School teacher should look like this, let's just say. Sweet mother of mercy.

This new promo for The Office has made me SO PSYCHED for next season, you guys (VERY SPOILERY). Here's some brief Office meta that I've been thinking about over the summer, re: the show and fandom.

1. Post-"The Job" fic has been such a wasteland, I have to say, especially compared to post-"Casino Night." I mean, it makes sense -- just the thought of trying to write first date fic makes me about fall asleep where I sit, but it's still kind of sad. All summer I've been trying to think about ways I could write Jim/Pam fic and make it interesting for myself, but I have come up with nothing -- I've already written established relationship fic, and I don't really want to write about them breaking up, so... yeah. The only thing I can think of to try to get some conflict in there without depressing the hell out of me is to have them either a) attacked by zombies, or b) meet up with Xander Harris or something. Haha.


2. You know, I rarely think that the show missteps, but I have to say, as the show has gone on, I think they made a mistake with the character of Jim, as compared to Tim in the UK version. Tim is not cool at all -- he's short and not that attractive and 30 years old but still living with his parents. You totally understand why Dawn stays with Lee -- even Tim's Nana wouldn't kick Lee out of bed, ha. Whereas Jim -- well, Jim is a hipster, who wasn't cool in high school but realized in his 20s that with the right haircut and a working knowledge of indie bands out of Montreal, he could fake it. (Hee, I once saw an older fan citing Jim's hair as evidence he didn't care about fashion, which was vaguely hilarious.) And Jim in season 2 is practically genetically engineered to be your perfect boyfriend, so Pam staying with Roy makes a lot less sense. Of course, Jim in season 3 turns into every whiney ex-boyfriend you've ever had (in May, my brother the mathematician told me, "Jim Halpert is no Bob Vance." Haha. He's not wrong. He also said that Jim's half the man Dwight is, which I think you could definitely make a case for) -- which, by the way, I really hope they spend some time in season 4 redeeming the character of Jim Halpert after he was such a douche to Karen and Pam all year. Uh - where was I? Oh yeah, so Jim being cool not only throws off the Jim/Pam dynamic, it also really throws off the Jim/Dwight dynamic. When you watch the UK version, Tim is almost always really on the verge of losing his temper with Gareth. He's often just about to freak out at Gareth for how annoying he's being -- whereas I don't think I've ever seen Jim really on the verge of yelling at Dwight or at Andy. Jim always seems kind of coolly detached. And after awhile of coolly detached pranks, well, Jim starts seeming kind of like an asshole, the cool kid tormenting the dorks for no good reason. (Possibly my favorite sequence from the entire show is in "Conflict Resolution" when they're listing all of Jim's pranks on Dwight, and Jim's face falls as he realizes that he's kind of a huge dick. Too bad that self-realization didn't last into season 3.) I think the dynamic's gotten worse as the show's sort of institutionalized the pranks as cold opens, and has gotten away from the normal-person-being-annoyed-by-drudgery-of-job-and-insanity-of-coworkers aspects of the show. Anyway, I hope in season 4 they try to correct that dynamic a little bit, because honestly, at this point my sympathy is more with Dwight than Jim a lot of the time.


3. I was watching deleted scenes from "Gay Witch Hunt" and other episodes last night, and I gotta tell you. Back in season 2, I took Michael's man crush on Ryan as being only sort of gay - that Michael was mostly straight but weird about Ryan. But in Gay Witch Hunt Michael is SO terrified of anyone thinking he's gay that ever since then I've pretty much read him as closeted. And whoo boy, there are a lot of Michael/Ryan deleted scenes. (Speaking of closeted, you know who would have an awkward, closeted gay encounter in, say, a public restroom? Michael Scott and "Stephen Colbert" the character.)


4. Speaking of the DVDs, dude, did you guys see all the Jim & Andy scenes cut from Product Recall? GOLDEN. Also, there's one point where Jim, like, rubs Andy's back. HELLO. Why hasn't anyone written THAT?
   

Comments

[fitofpique.livejournal.com]

The only thing I can think of to try to get some conflict in there without depressing the hell out of me is to have them either a) attacked by zombies, or b) meet up with Xander Harris or something.

I love you, Kovsky.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Heeeeeeeeeeee. <3 <3 <3 <3 Or c) all of the above? When in doubt, apocalypse, that's my motto.

[torchthisnow.livejournal.com]

That promo nearly made me wet myself. "Turns out I have grandkids. AND kids!" Oh, Creed. Never, never change. And KELLY KAPOOR FOR THE WIN. Of all the things to be excited about in this coming fall season, the thing I am most anticipating is the hope that Kelly goes all Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction on Ryan's ass.

Also, fully agree that Tim was always much more genuinely frustrated with Gareth. That's what made him so endearing. I love that moment in the pilot when he's stacking up the file boxes and he's just like "You know what, Gareth, I can't actually look at you right now or I'm going to cut my own throat." And he MEANS it. Whereas that same scene with Jim was a fence of pencils, which...really does nothing? Jim and Dwight ANNOY each other, but if the building was on fire for real and not just on cheese pita smoke, they would probably help each other to safety. Gareth and Tim would make a concerted effort to be sure the other one died in the fiery blaze.

I think you suspected Jim's dickness long before I did, though. It didn't even really occur to me until the Harry Potter book came out. (No, seriously, there's a story behind this.) One of my friends' brothers is a douchebag, and when the sixth book came out, he went on the internet, found out the ending, and then called everybody he knew who was spending the day reading it to yell "SNAPE KILLS DUMBLEDORE!" and then hung up the phone.

And it occured to me that Jim Halpert is totally the kind of guy who would find out the list of everybody who dies in Deathly Hallows and then ruin it for Dwight.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Dude, isn't the promo amazing? Karen is being SUPER AWESOME, and Kelly and Ryan's war to make each other look bad on camera is AMAZING. I love her little smile after she says that about him being a virgin - but also, BJ's delivery on "I think I dated a black girl" KILLED me. Oh, those crazy kids.

You're totally right - Jim and Dwight have this weird underlying affection. (Jim suggesting Dwight come with him to Stamford? My goodness.) And while Tim and Gareth have a little underlying sexual tension (Tim kissing him??) Tim would really like to kill him a LOT. And it totally is more endearing that Tim is at the end of his rope so much - Jim's pose of detached observer gets lame. And his pranks are really more out of boredom than exasperation, especially in season 3.

Haha, oh god, that story is awful. But you're right, Jim might totally do that to Dwight - yikes.

[grenadine.livejournal.com]

Michael is SO terrified of anyone thinking he's gay that ever since then I've pretty much read him as closeted.

Man, the one thing that would make poor Jan's life a bigger train wreck than it already is...

I agree with you about Jim, and they made Dwight into a fairly sympathetic character last season, too, which didn't help with that. (Although at the same time, I kind of think the pranks got a LOT less mean-spirited in season three, but that's pretty subjective, so.)

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Hee, oh God, Jan. I hadn't even thought about her in that context, but yes. Poor kid. I'm really interested to see where next season takes her.

Dwight has totally gotten more sympathetic (his creepy relationship with Angela - all his angst over their secrecy, and how he wants to come clean!). You might be right that the pranks got less mean-spirited in season 3, especially the ones on Dwight -- but I feel like at the same time, there was a lot less Dwight provocation, so any pranks felt less justified? I don't know, the sum of them over time is really starting to get to me.

[mozarts-friend.livejournal.com]

Okay, first? Your icon and that picture of Colbert do... funny things to my insides?

And your whole thing about Jim/Dwight, AMEN SISTA. Tim is such an endearing underdog kind of a character, from the way he loves Dawn so earnestly to how genuinely frustrated he gets with Gareth. Plus, his boss actually IS horrible, not just a big goof. With Jim more and more I feel like he's just picking on Dwight because he'd rather not deal with his own problems. It makes me a little worried for how things will be next season with Jim and Pam together again, because when Pam pranks Dwight on her own it is pretty innocent, but sometimes her and Jim together can be vicious (ex: Andy cellphone prank?). I really liked that Karen saw through that a little, like when she called Jim out about feeling bad about the pranks, and how in the Return deleted scenes she admits that she didn't find anything funny about Andy getting so upset that he punches a wall.

Wow, I am.. saying a lot of things and will stop now, haha.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

I KNOW RIGHT. Colbert, Carell, call me! I'm sure we can work something out about your wives!

I really love Tim - he's such a loser, and yet he's so much braver than Jim Halpert. Remember when Dawn's coming back from Florida and Tim's like, "No, I wouldn't ask her out again. That'd just be embarrassing. She knows how I feel - she'd have to ask me." And then he pauses and kind of starts to smile and says, "I might ask her." OH TIM.

With Jim more and more I feel like he's just picking on Dwight because he'd rather not deal with his own problems.

God, YES. And I feel like he's always thinking, sure, maybe my life sucks, but at least I'm not DWIGHT. Even though Dwight is like 11 times happier than Jim. (Did you see the deleted scene from, I think, the Coup where Karen's telling Jim not to be such a suckup, and is all, you're the assistant to the regional manager and Jim's like, "Assistant Regional Manager" and then stops and gets this LOOK. Haha, eat it, Jim.)

And YIS, I was going to use the Andy cellphone prank as an example, because I think they were talking about it in the Andy community the other day, but - well, Andy WAS being really annoying. But still, you're an adult, Jim, IGNORE IT. GOD.

how in the Return deleted scenes she admits that she didn't find anything funny about Andy getting so upset that he punches a wall.

Oh my God, I haven't seen that yet, but that sounds amazing. I love how it sort of hints that Karen might feel a little protective of Andy, though, the way Jim and Pam can get a little protective of Michael. OLD TIMES FTW. (Also, I love Karen. I am totally on her side with the whole non-pranking stuff.)

[frey-at-last.livejournal.com]

I totally agree with your Office comments, especially Jim-the-detached-cool-guy (who's-also-a-girlie-man). I really loved second season, and the Jim/Pam storyline, but I never had a thing for Jim himself and he had a tendency to get on my nerves. It was easy to take his position and excuse him for various things, because it was so easy to feel sorry for him, but I barely even liked him in s3. "Ass" is a good word.

And I think a combination of A) adding the Stamford people and B) making the premises of episodes an elaborate "prank" made him out to be even more of an ass, in some ways. I think they were a dysfunctional but "happy family" in the second season. They all hated each other, maybe, but it's not like making fun of Dwight or Michael in front of the others really counted. Michael ceases to be shocking and becomes endearing/irritating when there's no "outsider" to shock. In s2 that outsider was the audience, and Jim and Pam's joke with us/the camera was how crazy it all was - but in the 3rd season the new kids shook things up, and my reactions were 1) Protect Michael from the new people who don't understand him! and 2) Jim is a real jerk! Something about that outsider/insider contrast - because actually Jim (and Pam) were both much nicer to Michael and Dwight than they'd ever been before.

I don't even know if this comment makes sense anymore. Anyway! I also hope s4 is s2-esque, and I hope they'll do something to redeem Jim from being such a hipster.

UM, ALSO, I MUST MENTION, SVU IS COMING BACK. I'VE HEARD THINGS, THINGS ABOUT KATHY, HAVE YOU?

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

I loved season 2 - it's so incredibly tight, and the longing it builds up for the Jim/Pam relationship is really amazing. But it's totally true that since it's from Jim's POV, you do excuse him a lot more (like when he's a huge dick to Katy, for instance) - but it's really amazing how when it's suddenly not from his point of view, he's a huge ass. Jeez.

I am TOTALLY with you on feeling protective of Michael and Dwight - the times when I like Jim and Pam the most are when they're being kind to those guys, but yeah, most of the time it was getting pretty bad in s3. Especially right after the merger when there were a lot more new people.

DUDE. The new SVU promo! And the pictures! Those hotasses. BUT NO I HAVE NOT HEARD SPOILERS, PLIS TELL ME MORE!

[care-says.livejournal.com]

I really actively disliked Jim for all of last season. He went from wounded puppy-dog into vindictive ten-year-old. It was stupid and petty and not at all adult. WHAT A DOUCHE, JIM HALPERT, WHAT A DOUCHE.

In other news, I am not looking forward to Karen leaving. I mean, she is just SO AWESOME UGH. I'm psyched for the Ryan vs. Scranton dynamic and how Michael survived his Summer O' Jan, but really, not that psyched about Jim and Pam. Um, does that make me a horrible person?

Really though -- I tried writing fic and happy!Jim/Pam just doesn't provide enough fodder, jeez.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he really took it to a place. I kept waiting for it to get better, and it really never did - I mean, he was actively mean to Pam, and he was consciously using Karen as a rebound to get over Pam, and just... God.

I want Karen to stay foreeeeeeever! And be BFF with Pam, and all sarcastic and straightforward all over the place? PLEASE. I am totally psyched for Ryan being boss too, though, omg. And basically for all the secondary characters, but yeah, Jim and Pam, I don't even know. I hope they do what HIMYM did with Ted and Robin, and make them a background story. Happy relationships are just not that interesting.

Heh, and yeah, hence the fic problem. Also, I mean, as far as I can imagine, Jim and Pam's future involves staying in Scranton and having babies, and fic about that just makes me so SAD.

[elucidate-this.livejournal.com]

That promo makes me happy. It gives me hope that I will again feel the office love. Cause gotta say, after the end of last season? Definitely NOT feeling it.

I just haven't been able to get over the way Jim was kind of a dick all season and then a huge dick at the end. Cause leaving Karen in NY? Not cool. Not even a little cool. At least the promo clip indicates that he broke up with her first. I was a little worried that he just bailed and then I never would have been able to forgive him.

I hope they do some serious redemption of him. As it is I'm still hoping Pam dumps his ass and then dates Karen.

I have been feeling very fannishly disconnected this summer, mainly because everyone seemed so thrilled with the end of The Job and i was mostly just crabby. I haven't read anything beyond what you've written.

So here's hoping that next season will be great.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

The promo was completely awesome - I liked how everybody got to be in it, being hilarious. Yay show!

Yeah, I was sure that Jim had broken up with Karen in NYC, but doing it OUTDOORS? Oh, Halpert, not cool. Not that it's surprising, after the way he broke up with Katy. At least Karen got to be sarcastically angry about it, as she should be?

As it is I'm still hoping Pam dumps his ass and then dates Karen.

Man, this would pretty much make my YEAR. Fingers crossed for s4!

[ciachick711.livejournal.com]

I was kind of disappointed to see the return of the "Jim hair" in that promo. Not necessarily for the reasons you've listed, but I do think I would like to see Jim grow up a little. He was so wishy-washy last season, and I didn't understand why "throw myself in front of a train if this was my career" Jim suddenly wanted to work at corporate. I guess it's hard, because the writers want to show growth of the characters, but they have to keep them at Dunder Mifflin. But still, grow up, Jim. Pam did it. You can too.

I almost fainted dead away when I saw that picture of Colbert. Speaking of which, he is NOT going to be on Jimmy Kimmel, so I won't get to see him. You're on notice, Colbert.

Also, I want Dan in Real Life to be out now.

And P.P.S. Have you seen Amy on Rescue Me? She's so good at being manic.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

I didn't understand why "throw myself in front of a train if this was my career" Jim suddenly wanted to work at corporate.

I knoooooooow. It's like a weird tragedy, but Jim doesn't seem to realize it is? But for real, I would love it if season 4 was the growing up of Jim Halpert, the way that season 3 was for Pam. Right now, I don't really feel like Jim deserves her.

The Colbert pictures, as;kdg;lhasdg. But augh, he won't be on Jimmy Kimmel?? LAME.

I cannot wait for Dan in Real Life. Like a crazy person, a little. It better be awesome!

Amy on Rescue Me was AMAZING. I loved it when she went from manic to being really down, actually - she's just so convincing and awesome. Why isn't she in everything, all the time?

[lone-hobbit.livejournal.com]

I liked that article (although when people ask about or dramatize his "tragic past" it kind of makes me uncomfortable). I loved that end bit where he talks about changing personalities on the drive home from work. He's got like a billion people in his head, how fucked up must that be?

Eh, don't we all, I guess.

I also completely agree with #2 of your Office commentary and "Jim Halpert is no Bob Vance" is an excellent saying.

...apparently I really need to see these DVDs...

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I kind of hate when people play up the tragic past too - it's just. I don't know. Every time he gets asked about it in interviews, he gets this weird distant look on his face and starts, like, fiddling with something, and he's clearly just still really messed up about it and I wish people would leave him alone.

I loved that end bit where he talks about changing personalities on the drive home from work.

Man, I know, that was like my favorite part. I love that he drives himself home for that reason. But boy, yeah, he has a weird job.

The DVDs are SO GOOD. I haven't even watched half the stuff and it's already been way worth the cost.

[pennylane83.livejournal.com]

PREACH IT GIRL. Haha. (Um, don't hate me for saying things like that.) I totally agree with everything you've said. I mean, I suppose you could look at the whole Jim arc one way and say, "Wow, these writers are pretty ballsy for taking your perfect TV boyfriend and sticking a ferret wig on his head and making him pretty douchey." But on the flip side of that I will be REALLY interested to see how it pans out next season when he and Pam are together. Why have Jim go all the way to Stamford and back only to have it seem like nothing changed, when we know that EVERYTHING did?

I mean, at this point I hope Season 3 stars just Ryan and his beard.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Heeeeeeeeeeeee. <3 <3 <3 <3

I was totally pro Jim being a little more douchey in the first part of season 3 - I was like, it's pretty awesome they're making him more real. But then he just kept running with that until he kind of became a dude I almost hate? So that's not cool. (And haha, on one of the commentaries BJ was talking about John's wig, and how maybe a lot of viewers didn't notice it, and I was like, OH BEEJ. Of course we did.)

I really, really, really hope they deal with Jim's douchiness - or at least show him and Pam having to get to know each other again, and having to deal with the fact that they have all this crap to work through. (Though, ugh, that sounds like kind of unpleasant television, so I don't even know.)

Man, if season 4 was just bearded Ryan and cute haired Kelly sniping at each other, I would be happy.

[dudski.livejournal.com]

I have SO MANY conflicted feelings about the show coming back. All along, part of me has been wishing that The Job had been the series finale. The summer vacation promo has gotten me excited to see everyone else on the show, but I'm still not sure about Jim and Pam. They'll have to make me care about him again, and Pam...she's probably my favorite fictional character EVER, but something about her TH in the promo felt waaaay too much like fandom's FNB, who is just happy to has a man who'll buy her a house with an upstairs terrace and needs to be persuaded by Jim to apply to art school.

I want to just trust the writers, what with them all being AWESOME, but I can't stop worrying that it's going to turn into the Douchebag Halpert [and his sidekick, Doormat Beesly!] Variety Half-Hour.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know what you mean - I really, really don't know how they're going to pull off an interesting Jim/Pam after this. So... I hope they can.

(Dude, okay, I KNOW, right? On the TH in the promo. I almost hated Pam a little bit - and I LOVE Pam, she's my favorite! But, I don't know, that contrasted with Karen being dumped and crying, and... yeah. You totally hit the nail on the head with fandom's FNB, that's totally why I felt that way. You know, I still really ship Jim/Pam, and I was really pleased with The Job, but in some ways I almost wish that Pam had just gone off into the sunset on her own, fulfilled in and of herself, you know?)

The writers almost always pull this stuff off, though, so, fingers crossed?

[sophia-helix.livejournal.com]

Rewatching early S3 has mostly just made me angrier and angrier with Jim and more of a committed KaPam! shipper than ever. The moment in "Branch Closing" when Jim decides to go back to Scranton because it's easier and less scary than finding a new job, and then subtly (oh, so subtly!) convinces Karen to come with him so that he can be all "na na na Pam"? The SUCKIEST JIM of ALL THE JIMS.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Man, I know what you mean - I was totally psyched at The Job, but, well... yeah, KaPAM forever. I was just saying above that I kind of wish Pam had just gone off into the sunset by herself, without needed some dude to validate her, and, yeah.

(God, Jim was such a dick to Karen. It's not surprising, given how he treated Katy, but OH MY GOD.)

[cashewdani.livejournal.com]

I completely agree on Jim being kind of a dick for season 3 and a lot of his choices not really seeming to make sense with what we know about the characters. But I also kind of really think that for the longest time Jim told himself that if he just built up the nerve to tell Pam he loved her, that she would instantly accept him. Which in itself is kind of conceited and ridiculous. But still, I think after that happened he had no idea what to do with himself, almost as though he had planned his entire future without applying any of the actual facts about his life.

Even though season 3 made me kind of dislike Jim, I feel his response was very real. We may all want Jim to be the perfect boyfriend, but I think we probably would prefer him to be real. Meaning, sometimes a huge douche.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I think you're totally right - I'm sure it took Jim a huge amount of balls to be able to say that to Pam, and he was clearly really crushed it didn't work. (Haha, months later he's all, "She shot me down. Twice, actually." As if attempts 1a and 1b count as two separate occasions. Oh, Halpert, you're no Tim Canterbury.)

I totally think Jim was really realistic and even understandable - it's just too bad it wasn't sympathetic. :P

[alittlesting.livejournal.com]

Last night I was getting a pedicure and reading the most recent People magazine cover article about said suicide attempt. The article concluded that depression probably played a role. STOP THE PRESSES.

Haha, People. Not always the most reliable or credible. Take this from an AOL story (ttp://news.aol.com/entertainment/television/story/ar/_a/office-actress-fischer-husband-separate/20070906070009990001) on the James/Jenna breakup:

His publicist said he was 37. People magazine, which broke the news of the separation, said he was 41.

Haaaa, AOL writers.

Also? I'd have more to say on your S3 Jim-as-a-total-asshat musings, but all I can come up with right now is WORD. S3 as a whole was...heartbreaking in comparison to the perfection of S2. I was even hesitant to buy the DVDs, but the blooper reel and other extras were totally worth it, I think.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

HEE. When AOL zings you, you are in trouble indeed, People.

Watching the DVDs, season 3 is totally really funny and enjoyable - it's just compared to season 2, which is so tight and amazing, nothing can really live up. OH WELL. At least there's tons of extras. :P

[poshcat.livejournal.com]

I was broken up by all the bad news, too. In fact, I had based one of the characters in my WIP on Owen Wilson, and his suicide attempt freaked me out so much I had to change him to Edward Norton. Heh, true story. KATE IS NOT WORTH IT, OWEN. BE STRONG.

I loved that Office promo so much. I wasn't sure I wanted to be spoiled, but how can one resist after an entire summer without anything? He got them a Transformers place setting OMG!! If you ever decide to get married, that's what I'm getting you. Did you see the outtakes from last season? Rainn coming out of character and cracking up over every little thing made him very endearing. Uber-endearing, if you will. In other news, I fear Jim and Pam getting together will be, gasp!, boring. I don't care about them at all, really, and still ship Pam and Toby. Did you know that Phyllis was a dancer and cheerleader in RL? I love Phyllis. Actually, I love all the characters on this show more than many of my RL relatives. Not naming any names.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Oh man, really? Hee, that's awful. But honestly, Owen Wilson shouldn't commit suicide! He's always so... jolly! I don't even know. The world is upside down.

I wasn't sure about being spoiled either, but omg, wasn't the promo great??? Ryan and Kelly in particular KILLED me - those are some kids that know how to use the camera to their advantage. And the bloopers! Seriously, Rainn Wilson is adorable, and I have such a crush on Paul Lieberstein/Toby.

Yeah, I'm really scared that Jim and Pam together are going to be dulllllll. Oh well. (I totally ship Pam/Toby too - Toby's just so adorable. Don't worry, Toby, I will go out with you!)

Yes! Isn't Phyllis's dancer past so awesome? Everyone on that show, I swear. I wish I could be best friends with all of them. (And how psyched am I that you're into it?? SO PSYCHED.)

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I actually agree with a lot of what you're saying too. Do I contradict myself? Well, then, I contradict myself! I am large, I contain multitudes, etc! Haha.

Sometimes he was a wanker and I appreciated that because, um, nobody is as lovely as Jim is in the first two seasons.

Yeah, I actually was relieved in some ways -- I mean, if nothing else, how am I ever supposed to have a relationship with a normal human being when there's this specter of Jim Halpert being perfect all over everywhere? Heee.

And you're totally right that there's an underlying affection with Jim and Dwight, and that Dwight never seems to get his feelings hurt, so that does mitigate a lot of it. (Andy, on the other hand....) And it's probably good that the show has shown both sides of it - that Dwight does sort of deserve it, but that Jim is also a little bullyish. I do love how complex everything on the show is.

I know, I'm so psyched for the new canon! Fic writing has been so hard this summer, it'll be nice when we actually have some stuff to work with.

[cmonkatiekatie.livejournal.com]

Awww, I get all my sad celeb news from my flist. :(

Also, thanks for putting into words my ever escalating adoration of Dwight as compared to my plateaued obsession with Jim. I still love the guy, but. yeah. Less interesting I guess?

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

There so much sad news! :-(

Heeeee, you're welcome? I mean, it's good I'm not in love with Jim Halpert anymore, as that was an embarrassing phase in my life, but yeah. :P

[shimmeree.livejournal.com]

NO! You got me with the Michael Scott/Stephen Colbert and now I WANT TO READ IT!

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

Heeeee, well, you never know!! Something might come of it some day!

[snoopypez.livejournal.com]

(Speaking of closeted, you know who would have an awkward, closeted gay encounter in, say, a public restroom? Michael Scott and "Stephen Colbert" the character.)

WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME???

..ahem. ;P

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

:P :P :P

But RIGHT? Would they not??

[cincodemaygirl.livejournal.com]

Man, that's kind of weirdly depressing about their breakup. Generally I really could not care less about celebrities' personal lives, but I've been a huge fan of James Gunn's since The Specials, and they just seemed like such a cool couple. Bummer.

p.s. Everything you said about Jim--YEAH. DAMMIT.

[annakovsky.livejournal.com]

I know, and Jenna and James just seemed so NORMAL - I say that as though normal people don't get divorced all the time, but it still makes me really sad. :-( :-(

Stupid Jim Halpert! I hope he gets better this year.

[leucocrystal]

1. I've been totally spoiled for Office fic, mainly because of you and kyrafic. You guys seriously set the standard for me, and it's hard to compromise that. Still, though I do a lot of fic reading in my other fandoms, I tend to sort of... steer clear of most Office fic, generally. Maybe because it often seems a bit too... trite for my taste? God, I sound like such a snob! I dunno, it just seems to be a hard show to work with, writing-wise, and authors seem to lose their way either fulfilling what they'd want to see as opposed to what would actually happen in that show-verse. Or... something. I'm not even making sense anymore.

2. I totally just wasted the past 15 minutes reading all the comments in regard to your point here, and... I'm sorry to say I agree, mostly. Which sucks, because... JIM! I don't want to agree, but I do. That said, I also agree with some of the points I read downthread (upthread?) about the underlying affection between Jim and Dwight, which helps take some (some) of the assiness out of the pranks. But I also agree that Jim's sort of... laid-back, Devil-may-care attitude doesn't carry over well to the omniscient point-of-view, does it? And that makes me sad, I have to say. I want to love Jim, but he treated Karen like crap, and sort of retreated into the corner to lick his wounds in a pretty unfriendly way once Pam rejected him, so... it's harder, now. I think mainly I just hope for now, like everyone else, that S4 is more S2-like in quality, and that we see Jim redeemed, and Jim and Pam really figuring out how to relate to one another, now that they're both pretty different (especially Pam). Sigh.

[baggers.livejournal.com]

"Jim Halpert is no Bob Vance"

This needs to be on an icon, stat.