Buzz
While many consider the romance between Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) and Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) to be one of the best love stories in television history, others question Jim’s true character. The fan theory suggesting that he might actually be the series' villain pops up quite often on the internet.
Critics argue that some of Jim’s romantic gestures could be seen as manipulative—such as pursuing Pam while she was engaged to Roy, or buying his parents' house without discussing it with her first. He’s also been widely criticized for mistreating his previous girlfriends and, in the later seasons, for neglecting his family in favor of his career.
However, the criticism of Jim doesn’t stop with his relationships. MovieWeb even labeled him as “The Office’s elitist bully.” He avoids working hard because he believes he’s above his role, focusing instead on tormenting Dwight—who often retaliates against Jim’s provocations. Some of Jim’s pranks even cross into HR territory, like when he replaces Dwight’s clothes with a tear-away outfit and rips it off in public.
If John Krasinski wasn’t already aware of the criticism surrounding his character, he certainly is now. As Boston.com reports, Jimmy Fallon referenced MovieWeb’s headline—“Is Jim Really the Villain?”—during Krasinski’s appearance on The Tonight Show earlier this week. Although Fallon didn’t dive into the details of the theory, Krasinski’s dismissive reaction made it clear that he wasn’t buying into it.
Well, they’ve figured me out because I played [Jim] like a supervillain,” he quipped. You can check out the exchange below.
Do you consider yourself a TV expert? Here’s your opportunity to prove it. Grab a copy of our new book, The Curious Viewer Ultimate TV Trivia & Quiz Book, packed with hundreds of obscure facts about your favorite TV shows and loads of fun quizzes inspired by the most binge-worthy series.
