The Office Theory Explains The Show's Most Controversial Jim And Pam Storyline

Jim (John Krasinski) and Pam (Jenna Fischer) have a rollercoaster ride throughout "The Office." While the Halperts go through plenty of ups and downs, there is one storyline that definitively divided fans: the Brian-the-boom-mic-guy (Chris Diamantopoulos) interlude in Season 9. The insertion of the heroic documentary film crew member as a protector and emotional lifeline for Pam (during a low point in her marriage with Jim, no less) didn't sit well with fans of the PB&J romance. All ends well with Scranton's favorite white-collar couple, but the mere threat of upending their fairy-tale story sent fans into a tizzy.

However, Redditor u/Primetime22 presented one theory that challenges the entire Brian side plot. It claims the romantic overtones are completely blown out of proportion, Brian is actually a pretty stand-up guy, and it's the film crew that is to blame for the negative portrayal in the documentary. The hypothesis that Brian isn't a threat to Pam's marriage allows many fans to breathe a sigh of relief, as is obvious from the prolific comments from other Redditors getting behind the idea. 

Jim and Pam's romance is a hallmark fixture of the "Office" experience. During the first few seasons of the show, audiences follow their earliest days flirting over Pam's reception desk. By Season 4, the couple is together. They're married and have their first kid two seasons later, and by Season 8, they're the proud parents of a girl and a boy. From there, things start to cool off (both in their marriage and in the show's viewership). By Season 9, Jim embarks on a highly distracting pursuit of a new company, and Pam begins to interact with Brian on-screen. The question is, what does u/Primetime22 see that indicates the latter is simply platonic?

The "Brian is actually a stand-up guy and a platonic friend to both Pam and Jim" theory isn't just popular. It's thorough. It begins by stating the obvious: Brian's interference with Pam and Jim's relationship appears to create a love triangle, leading to excessive fan hatred of the boom mic operator — similar to Karen Filippelli (Rashida Jones) in Season 3.

From there, it dives into a blow-by-blow analysis of why fans hate the guy so much. This begins with the Season 9 episode "Customer Loyalty," where Pam reaches out to Brian for comfort after arguing with Jim. In the next episode, Brian reveals that he was lightly disciplined for interfering with the documentary subjects. After that, Brian makes several more appearances as the season speeds toward the finale of "The Office." He's shown smiling at Pam and even saves her from an attack by a warehouse worker.

We also discover that Brian recently separated from his wife, Alyssa. Pam eventually goes to Brian's apartment out of desperation due to her deteriorating relationship with Jim. This is where she finds out how thorough the documentary footage is, at which point she storms out, and we never see Brian again.

Having established why the audience hates Brian so much, u/Primetime22 points out that most of the romantic overtones between Brian and Pam are assumptions. When looked at closely, there's no evidence that points to Brian actually threatening to create a love triangle with Pam and Jim. On the contrary, Jim repeatedly makes statements clearly in defense of Brian. When Jim is offended that Pam went to Brian, for instance, he doesn't appear to accuse the action as one of potential infidelity. He seems offended that Pam didn't trust him.

By the finale, Jim and Pam seem at peace not just with one another but with what they've seen in the documentary. The theory also points out that, overall, there are no dramatic, romantic gestures or declarations from Brian or Pam. Instead, the theorist offers an alternative reading of the situation: Brian is the victim of a character assassination. "We know from the extreme and unfair way that Brian was let go that the documentary crew likely does not like him," they posit. "They have some vendetta against him for showing up on camera, and they get their revenge on him by making him a villain in the final product. They carefully splice in footage to make it look like he's in love with Pam, and for all we know they omit scenes of him making peace with his friends."

From there, the theory goes further into ungrounded speculation, but it's worth consideration. The user suggests that Brian's wife, Alyssa, could even be an important crewmember of the documentary, adding, "Brian's firing and separation come very close to one another, it's more than likely that the two are connected."

The theory is welcome food for thought for discomfited "Office" fans as they work their way through Season 9.