Unpacking one of Jim and Pam’s greatest ‘Office’ episodes

In early seasons of The Office much of Jim and Pam’s relationship was unspoken. They had a great friendship, shared office gossip, and planned elaborate pranks on co-workers. But their romantic feelings for each other were reduced to subtle flirts, meaningful glances, and excruciatingly long silences.

The non-verbal moments in their relationship gradually built up and toppled over in the show’s Season 2 finale, “Casino Night,” but two episodes before Pam jinxed Jim and he had to remain silent for the majority of the workday.

Though Jim couldn’t actually speak to Pam in Season 2, Episode 20, “Drug Testing,” it was one of their greatest and most telling interactions yet. And on the latest episode of the , former co-stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey unpacked the simple — yet creatively ambitious — jinx plot line, and gushed over what an amazing episode it was for John Krasinski as an actor.

Fans will recall that Jim found himself jinxed after doing his Stanley impression for Pam and Oscar in the kitchen. Stanley overheard the impression, was not amused, and when he left the room Jim and Pam simultaneously mimicked his reaction.

Pam recognized and seized the perfect jinx opportunity, and exclaimed, “Jinx, buy me a Coke!” Jim, obeying the “unflinchingly rigid” rules of Jinx, made his way to the vending machine to fulfill his duty. Unfortunately for him, the vending machine was conveniently sold out of Coke, which meant he had a long, silent day ahead of him.

Those wondering how this brilliant plot came to be have John Krasinski’s talent to thank. The writers were well aware of the fact that Krasinski was a skilled impressionist and had been trying to work it into the show somehow.

“Guys, John Krasinski’s impressions were known and legendary,” Fischer said. “We were like 20 episodes in by now and [when we were] hanging out in between scenes or killing time and goofing off John would do these impressions and we loved them,” Kinsey explained.

Fischer went on to say that “John could be one of those Saturday Night Live people who do impressions” and that the writers knew he did “an amazing mimic.” Krasinski has apparently perfected impressions of other Office cast members in addition to Stanley.

Another huge reason he shined in the episode was because during his span of silence he was only able to communicate with facial expressions. Jim Halpert has obviously mastered smirking into the camera, but this episode really brought Krasinski’s non-verbal acting to a whole other level. Looks like John Krasinski in “Drug Testing” walked so that John Krasinski in A Quiet Place could run.

When Jim got stuck listening to Kelly in the break room, for example, Fischer said his faces to Pam “need to be a meme.” And when Pam encouraged a jinxed Jim to share a story with the office about his “relative that got caught up in the world of drugs,” Krasinski truly raised the bar.

“John Krasinski is so good in this scene. His silent performance,” Fischer said. “He’s so good,” Kinsey agreed. “He’s a brilliant actor with no words. He’s great with words. Without words he’s amazing.”

“By the way, I think he made a whole movie based on that,” Fischer joked. “It’s called A Quiet Place… and A Quiet Place II.”

During a later scene in the kitchen, a silent Jim and a very chatty Pam cycle through a Rolodex of emotions and Krasinski elevates the romantic jinx tension between them even higher.

“It starts flirty and then it ends real sad,” Fischer told Kinsey. “His heart is on his sleeve right now,” Kinsey said of Jim, who was just reminded by Pam that he can tell her anything. “Oh my gosh, John Krasinski, your face. And then Jenna, you’re brilliant. You guys just crushed it in this scene,” Kinsey said.

The kitchen scene was clearly too much for even Pam to take, because she ended up going to the store and purchasing a can of Coke so that Jim could buy it from her and break the jinx. The scene when Jim’s jinx is finally broken is so quietly sweet, and it turns out that some of it was improvised.

“A lot of you asked about the Coke scooch,” Kinsey said before revealing that Pam’s three perfect little taps on the Coke can were not scripted. “I’ll never forget Greg Daniels goes, ‘OH! I love that! Oh I love the little taps on the soda! We’re using that one!'” Fischer said. And Jim and Pam saying “hi” and “hey” to each other post-Coke transaction wasn’t scripted either.

Though other noteworthy plot lines took place during this episode — like an entire Dwight-led investigation into who dropped half a joint in the Dunder Mifflin parking lot — the final scene finds Jim and Pam finally talking in the break room. Romantic order is restored in the office as the two are seen sharing the sacred can of Coke.

In Jim’s final talking head he reflects on Dwight’s relationship with Michael, but veers into more personal territory when he asks, “What is he [Dwight] getting out of this relationship?” Jim is, of course, questioning his own relationship with Pam, which reminds viewers that although Jim stayed true to his comedic persona by successfully sticking to the bit for a whole day, he also spent an entire workday in silence solely to impress Pam.

“He’s clearly in love with her, because what grown man would do that?” Kinsey laughed. 

Be sure to listen to the full episode of Office Ladies for an entire episode recap and to find out who really dropped the joint in the parking lot. You can stream episodes of and follow along with the podcast every week on , , or .