I don’t know if you’ve actually seen this episode, but Pam invites the entire office to her art show that she’s been gearing up for for a really long time. Nobody shows up except for Oscar and his partner (and they critique her work, calling her “lacking in courage” among other things, not realizing she is standing right behind them) and then Michael. And Michael is the only one who tells her she is great just for putting herself out there, and the only one who places value on what she’s done, and he points out all the little details she got right and notices absolutely every bit of hard work she put into it. And then treats Pam like the artist she is by not just paying her for her art, but displaying it where literally everyone can see it.
It’s one of my favorite episodes.
So, my dad is the boss at his job, and when I was growing up watching the office, I always imagine my goofy ass dad acting like Michael Scott at work (not the case but w/e). My dad was and has always been pretty emotionally distant, and so this episode hit home so hard. Because Pam’s reaction to finally being validated and having someone tell her they’re proud of her (someone who rarely shows these tender moments with such poignancy no less) was so relatable and heart-warming.
