Soup and a sandwich. Brandy and cigars. Kids and puppies.

Pam Beesly and Jim Halpert.

Some things just go better together. Am I right? A good 90% of The Office fans support Pam and Jim as a couple, and in no way did I just make that number up. It’s a fact. Rather than sharing seasons upon seasons of sexual tension that went nowhere, the pair’s relationship developed along with the show, culminating in the two finally dating (and talking marriage). They’re so cute together!

But they’ve had their dark periods, like any couple. When Jim was transferred to the Stamford office, there was no Pam. Only Karen.

Karen, the empowered career woman who always wore pantsuits instead of skirts. Karen, who loved playing first-person shooters and flirted openly with Jim, unlike her dowdier Scranton counterpart. Filling Pam’s shoes wasn’t easy, so Karen brought her own. She was unique, original, and the great partner for Jim.

And now, she might get her own spinoff.

In general, I don’t approve of spinoffs. They’re almost always a pale imitation of the original, with few redeeming qualities and an unpleasant aftertaste of plagiarism. But an Office spinoff does have potential, and it’s been talked about since early last year. But there was no talk of who might star, until now.

At the moment, it’s just a delicious rumor. Rashida Jones, who brought Karen to life, has supposedly been approached to star in this spinoff. According to E! Online, one source confirms this absolutely, while the other says “as far as I know,” she hasn’t been approached. But the concept is still young; there is plenty of time to settle all this. She’s certainly the obvious choice of now-defunct character to bring back in a new series, so here’s hoping she says “yes.”

And as for an Office spinoff in general - judging by the quality and popularity of their “webisodes,” I think The Office creative team certainly has the ability to pull this off. Will they put in the necessary effort? Only time will tell.

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