Tim and Dawn and Jim and Pam: The Office Season Finale

It's 9:30 PM on thursday, and as usual, I just barely remember that the American version of one of my favorite (one of the world's favorite for that matter) BBC comedies, is about to begin. So I tune my TV to NBC. The episode begins, the episode continues, then...within the last few minutes of the show, Jim Halpert(NBC counterpart to BBC's Tim Canterbury) confesses to his co-worker, and close friend Pam Beasley(aka Dawn Tinsley) that he is in fact, in love with her. Any avid fan, or conscious human being could figure out that Pam is engaged to be married, as was Dawn on the BBC series, so this poses quite a problem for Jim, as it has been since the show began.

A curveball was already thrown, with the spontaneous announcement of the wedding date, and the option of transfering to another office, which sent Jim spiraling down a road of confusion and depression, very similar to that of Tim's state of mind when Dawn went to the United States with her fiance. Though, Dawn was never actually scheduled to be married, because of the show's intended short run. It's almost as if the American version is taking plot ideas that would have been used, had there been another series of the BBC show. Anyway, the relationship between the salesman and the secretary is a major part of both shows, considering the fact that the American characters are bascially clones of the respective British counterparts.

I admit, I was definitely caught off guard by Jim's confession, which was most likely brought on by his potential transfer to another office. I remember the tension between Tim and Dawn, the chemistry, the "if I could only tell you" feeling that lingered throughout each episode. It is just as strong between Jim and Pam, and with the presentation of Pam's fiance, once again, you feel for Jim. Jim is is the good guy, the one everyone would love to be friends with, the one you want to see Pam with, but it can't happen considering her engagement. Tim's admittance was much more private, but still had the same emotion, because of his decision to cover up his mic and lock himself in a room, to tell Dawn his true feelings, a perfect usage of the Documentary style that makes the show what it is.

The moment Jim opens up to Pam, you can feel the butterflies, because as a viewer, you have been waiting for this moment as long as the character's have. You feel as if you are going to burst, and then you do, not the second he says "I love you," but just moments afterward when she mentions the "f" word..."friends"...

I look at the clock, there's still at least five minutes left, but it feels like the episode's over. After the closure of Michael and Dwight's story, what else could happen? She told him that she can't do it, that it will never work, everything that he already knows. What else could there be?

Pam is in the office, alone, it's dark. She's on the phone with someone, explaining very emotionally, what had just happened to her. Someone else enters...Jim...She ends her phone conversation...they embrace...he kisses her, and she kisses back! but then she pushes away...awkward silence and cut to black!

That moment hit me like the moment Tim and Dawn shared their kiss within the last few moments of the office Christmas party. Dawn had already left to go home with her fiance, and she hadn't opened Tim's present. So she does on the way home, and it's a paints set. Dawn had always wanted to be an illustrator not a secrectary, Tim knew that, and respected it, and that was her moment of realization. She returned to the party, and instantly found Tim and they kissed a large hot knife cut a big slice out of the gigantic stick of butter that was the tension of their forbidden relationship.

It's stupid I know...getting all emotional about characters on a television show, but these are barely just characters. These are people that you pretty much live with for a half an hour once a week, people that you get to know personally, especially because of the format of the show. It's just something that anyone could experience, and if you haven't it's like experiencing it for yourself. It's just a shame that it ended on such a twisted note, that we'll have to wait til next year to resolve.