Derek Shepherd, Tim Riggins, Lucas Scott — a few names that come to mind when you think of modern TV heartthrobs. They have a few things in common: they’re gorgeous, rugged, and brooding. And it works. Their good looks and ability to always say the perfect words have amassed them gigantic female fan bases.
But one name that doesn’t always appear on the list of smokin’ hot TV heartthrobs is Jim Halpert, salesman of 9 years at Dunder Mifflin, Scranton. He’s the most average of them all yet somehow manages to become many peoples' favorite, and that should tell us something about ourselves. We might think we want the fantasy of a beautiful, constantly smooth guy, but when it comes down to it what we love is a guy who’s real: a guy who makes us laugh, is faithful in the small things, has a smile that melts hearts, works hard, and is honest.
Sure, that description doesn’t sound overly glamorous but you can’t deny it makes for the one of the greatest love stories ever. His facial expressions communicate in a split second what screenwriters use a couple hours to convey. And personally, I’ll pass up the elaborate story line for the feels I get from his genuine grins. Don’t pretend like you’ve never hit the rewind button to make sure you soaked in the entirety of his cuteness. Here are a few things that make Jim so special:
He chose having fun over looking 100%.
This face.
He knows pranks are good for the soul.
He’s no good at hiding it.
Look at this and try not to smile. Just try.
He's enamored with his baby girl.
He turned a less-than-ideal desk mate into the highlight of his days at Dunder Mifflin.
Pranks and nonsense aside, he genuinely cared about his friends.
He fell in love with Pam Beesly. Not a supermodel, not the most successful employee in the office, but the one with the biggest heart.
He’s patient.
(Sorry, that was an understatement. He endured an engagement, turned down promotions, and exhausted every excuse in the book to talk to Pam over the course of years.)
So here's to Jim Halpert and every other guy who cares more about loving life than being dreamy. The world would be a terrible place without you. You remind us it's okay to not be perfect. You make the most of things. You make life fun. And you give us hope that epic love stories still happen and aren't too far out of reach.
