The fantastic array of characters on The Office is part of the undying appeal of the series. The show first aired in 2005 and went on to develop interesting storylines that had viewers hooked until its very last episode in 2013. The main characters all helped keep the narratives moving forward, with viewers watching their personal lives unfold and their lives at work. A few characters appeared only once on the show, adding more comedy and drama to the plot, while, on the other hand, some characters were noticeably absent in one episode after appearing on the show consistently.
Jim started on The Office in the first episode, working at his desk as a salesman, which was only feet away from Pam’s desk. The two were evidently made for each other, but it wasn’t until Season 4 that they officially became a couple. The build-up to their wedding was exciting and involved all of the popular characters from the show. Even their wedding had a scene of their colleagues dancing down the aisle. However, after all the celebrations and merriment had finished, the following episode broke a long-running trend.
Jim and Pam Were on Their Honeymoon
They may have been one of the most loved couples on The Office, but for the episode that came after their wedding “Mafia,” Jim and Pam were absent. The 105 episodes that came before all included Jim, but the trend broke when it came to the couple vacationing on their honeymoon in Puerto Rico. The pair weren’t completely left out, though, as their voices were heard, and they were still pretty heavily involved. The episode kicks off with Michael believing that he has been dealing with the mafia. He met an insurance salesman in the office called Angelo Grotti. Andy and Dwight convince Michael that he must be part of the mafia, partly because his surname sounds so similar to John Gotti, who was head of the Gambino family. Oscar, being the rational, sensible co-worker, tries to tell Michael that Angelo was not part of the mafia, highlighting that Dwight and Andy aren’t the people he should be looking to for guidance, especially when Pam and Jim are away. Oscar calls them, but Pam gently reminds him that they are on their honeymoon and really shouldn’t be disturbed unless something is of the utmost importance. Paying no attention to Oscar, Michael calls a lunch meeting with Angel, Andy and Dwight in tow for backup. Angelo’s innocent pitches make Michael think he is being threatened, thus encouraging him to sign a deal, even though he can’t actually afford the policy. So, he decided to call Jim. Jim pranked Michael by pretending that his phone kept cutting out. Michael then asks Oscar for advice, who tells him to just cancel the agreement, which Michael is far too frightened to do.
Dwight and Andy choose to convince Michael that he has to stand up to Angelo. They tell him that he was only pretending to be part of the mafia to get Michael to sign the deal (but they did still believe he was a gangster). Having found some confidence, Michael calls up Angelo and manages to cancel the policy. Andy and Dwight admit to lying to Michael but congratulate him on standing up to someone so powerful. Michael is so caught up with the praise and his bravery that he isn’t annoyed at them. Instead, he boasts to everyone else in the office about what happened. Meanwhile, Kevin was using Jim’s office to pass wind, as well as for work. Jim’s credit card company called his office number to note some unusual activity on his card. Kevin pretends to be Jim and cancels the car but tries to stop them when he realizes that the payments were from Puerto Rico. Kevin thinks he swerves getting in trouble for what he did by calling Pam and telling her that they do not suspect that he was the reason for Jim’s credit card getting canceled.
The Episode Received Mixed Reviews
Unfortunately, “Mafia” didn’t rank so highly among the best episodes of The Office. Some fans felt like it was a big comedown after the episodes of Jim and Pam’s wedding. It did make sense for the couple to not be physically in “Mafia,” but it perhaps could’ve gone in a different direction. The plot didn’t move any character arcs forward, nor was it necessary for the overarching storyline of Dunder Mifflin. The narrative was typical of Dwight, Andy and Michael, honing in on the characteristics that make them individually so funny. The three of them are known to over-dramatize a lot, making situations far bigger than they needed to be. Steve Carell is at his comedic best in such episodes because Michael is so ridiculous. The actor is able to convey that Michael cannot be convinced of the right thing to do and often follows the wrong people. Andy’s personality is quite similar to Michael’s, and Dwight regularly has the most outlandish ideas. So, it’s no surprise that an insurance meeting could go so awry.
Even though it didn’t move the season forward as such, it’s not uncommon for even the best long-running series to include episodes that are just there for the comedy and to bridge a gap. Plus, it was a great way to still make sure that Pam and Jim were part of the plot, even if they couldn’t be on-screen. Jim and Pam are a core part of the show, with their relationship being a central focus for much of it. It certainly is noticeable when they’re not there, as audiences watched their relationship blossom from before they even got together. As such, fans look forward to seeing what’s next in store for them. It’s a shame to not see favorite characters in various episodes, but, by the nature of sitcoms and the fact that The Office is meant to be a realistic mockumentary, it’s not always possible to have everyone together.
Jim Was Missing From Two Other Episodes
After “Mafia,” Jim wasn’t around for two other episodes. First was “The Banker.” The episode depicts an investment banker, Eric Ward, visiting Scranton’s Dunder Mifflin to check for any issues. Michael, Dwight, Andy and Pam all try to pull together to impress him. Michael puts various things in place around the office to make it look better, including a more cheerful worker to replace Stanley and making Dwight pretend to be the HR rep so that Eric won’t find out from Toby about the things that had gone wrong. However, Toby does have a chance to speak with him, running through liabilities. The viewers are then shown a series of flashbacks where things have gone very wrong around the office. They are also shown a number of flashbacks that illustrate the team coming together and being close with each other. In the episode, Jim is only shown in the flashbacks, but he doesn’t have any lines and isn’t part of the present moment.
In “The Ultimatum,” Jim is only in the cold open. He walks in to the office after hours looking for his phone. There, he sees Dwight and a few others dressed the same as him, which turns out to be their neighborhood watch group called “Knights of the night.” Dwight gets uncomfortable with Jim being around, believing that he will end up mocking their meeting. Dwight continues to read the minutes of a meeting, where Jim is still able to hear. Dwight gets embarrassed and shuts the conference room door, where viewers see a smiling Jim. The rest of the episode follows Michael, hoping that Holly and A.J. will no longer be together after Holly decides that she wants him to propose, or they’re finished. Although he didn’t propose, a heartbroken Michael finds out that they’re still seeing each other. By the end of the episode, the cameras catch Holly on the phone to A.J., telling him that they needed to take a break. Jim wasn’t needed for the story line of this particular episode, because the focus fell on Holly and Michael, as it was pushing their relationship along. Being a core part of The Office meant that Jim was involved in a lot of storylines and episodes. It was a shame for the character not to appear in “Mafia,” breaking the 106-episode trend, but it’s plain to see why.
