The popular mockumentary sitcom known as The Office ran on NBC for nine seasons, so naturally, the characters developed a lot throughout the series. One character who saw a lot of big changes was Pam. When we first meet Pam, she is a quiet and sweet secretary for Dunder Mifflin Paper Company who has been engaged to a warehouse worker, Roy, for a long time. However, this all changes when the camera crew starts filming, and Pam continues to develop throughout the series.
It’s time to head back to Scranton and take a look at one of The Office‘s leading ladies; here are ten ways Pam changed during the show.
She Became A Saleswoman
Pam might have started the show by making copies and taking phone calls, but that’s not where she ends up.
After briefly leaving Dunder Mifflin, she gets rehired but not as a receptionist. Rather, she’s brought on as a saleswoman. Sure, Pam’s not the best as sales, but her determination to try is admirable. By the end of the show, she’s claimed the role of office administrator.
She Stood Up For Herself
Pam gets walked all over by a lot of people at the beginning of The Office. Her fiance Roy sets unrealistic expectations for her, Michael makes demeaning remarks about the way looks, and Angela treats Pam like she’s inferior. Pam doesn’t put up with this poor treatment forever.
Pam trades in her insecure persona for a more assertive one. After she stops putting up with mistreatment, she begins to be bolder even in the little things. In “Cocktails” (S3E18), for example, she corrects the bartender when he gets her order wrong at Poor Richard’s. The old Pam admits that she would have taken it and moved on.
She Made Bolder Fashion Choices
Pam’s more confident personality shift is also reflected in the outfits she wears.
Season 1 Pam wears muted pinks and blues, often buttoning her collar high and wearing her hair pulled back. As the seasons progressed, she curls her hair, cuts it shorter, and lets it hang around the sides of her face. She also tries out blazers, brighter colors, and overall flashier ensembles.
She Did Things That Scared Her
The new-and-improved Pam was daring. While her younger self would have been terrified to make big life changes or say what she was thinking, the matured Pam takes life as it comes at her.
In “Beach Games” (S3E23), Pam decides to walk across the hot coals even when no one else would. Feeling energized, she runs back to Jim and tells him how she actually feels about their relationship. This vigor is demonstrated by Pam again in Season 5 when she joins Michael Scott Paper Company.
She Cared Less About What Others Thought
Though Pam is understandably nervous about joining Michael Scott’s independent business venture, she decides to take a leap of faith. The old Pam wouldn’t have sacrificed her secure job for a chance to building something out of nothing, fearful of her co-workers’ judgment.
Back when Pam was still dating Roy, she valued his opinion over her own. In “Boys and Girls” (S2E15), Jan encourages Pam to complete a graphic design training program offered by the company, but she blows off the idea at the advice of Roy. Thankfully, she doesn’t do what other people require of her forever and eventually makes choices for herself.
She Followed Her Painting Dreams
Pam likes to create art, but it’s not until later seasons that she really starts to go after this dream. She starts taking art classes, displays her work at an art show, and even attends the Pratt Institute school in Brooklyn.
While Pam never becomes a famous artist or does much with her creative passions after failing her graphic design courses, at least she gave it a try. Additionally, giving art a shot helped her discover what mattered to her the most…
She Figured Out What She Wanted
Pam is indecisive at the beginning of the series. Sure, she’s engaged to Roy, but also, she flirts with Jim. While Pam says she’s happy with her life, her actions prove differently. Thankfully, she sorts out her conflicted feelings.
Pam ends up choosing Jim, and while she still experiences times of doubt in later seasons, she always ends up at the right decision.
She Got Married
Speaking of Jim, Pam ties the knot with him in Season 6. While she is stuck in a longterm engagement with Roy at first, she eventually sheds this relationship, which leads her to a man who loves her as much as she loves him.
While Pam and Jim’s relationship has its hiccups (particularly in Season 9), it’s filled with far more bright spots.
She Became More Like Jim
Naturally, individuals become more like their significant other the longer they are in a relationship together. While it’s debatable whether this was good or bad for Pam, it’s undeniable that she adopts many elements of Jim’s personality.
Pam becomes a prankster like Jim and frequently to sabotage Dwight for fun. She also develops a cooler, more laid back persona both when she’s around and away from her lover.
She Experienced Motherhood
Lastly, Pam ends up becoming the mother of two children, Cece and Phillip.
She and Jim discover that they’re expecting their first child in the Season 5 finale, “Company Picnic.” Pam gets injured during a volleyball game and goes to the doctor, only to discover she’s pregnant while there. Though being a mom isn’t always easy, Pam adores her family.
