Jan and Michael present a blackly humorous contrast to the show’s central romance between the office mates Jim and Pam, which itself echoes the tantalizing will-they-or-won’t-they zigzag consecrated on “Cheers” and “Friends.” Jim and Pam are so right for each other, fans wanted to see them together. Jan and Michael are so wrong for each other, rubberneckers can’t look away.
