Karen Filippelli
Encyclopedia
Karen Filippelli is a fictional character
from the U.S.
television series The Office. She is played by Rashida Jones
. She is loosely based on the character of Rachel (surname not given) from the original UK version of the show, in that she transferred during the merger of the two branches, and became romantically involved with Jim Halpert
, as Rachel did with Jim's counterpart, Tim Canterbury
. However, Karen plays a much greater role in the US series than Rachel did in the British one, while she regularly appears in the third season of the show. When Karen takes over as Regional Manager of the Utica branch, Karen becomes an enemy to Michael and Dwight as she wants to out-do them.
Jones also currently portrays a similar role as Ann Perkins
in Parks and Recreation
, a series also developed by the creators of The Office.
branch. In her first appearance, she was a sales representative for the company, first at the Stamford
branch and later at the Scranton
branch after the merger.
branch of the Dunder Mifflin paper and office-supply company. She originally worked at the company's branch in Stamford, Connecticut
, but transferred to the Scranton branch after her boss, Josh Porter, left in order to take an upper-management job at Staples
. She is now the Regional Manager of the Utica branch of Dunder Mifflin.
Karen's ethnicity is deliberately made ambiguous and turned into a sort of running joke. The Italian
ancestry implied by her last name is confirmed in "The Merger." But prior to that in the same episode, Dwight suggests that she may be Filipino
due to the sound and spelling of her name. Michael then states that she's very exotic looking and asks if her father was a GI, implying that her mother would be of some foreign nationality. She appears offended but doesn't answer or elaborate. In addition, she has spoken a little French
("Grief Counseling") and Chinese (deleted scene from "Gay Witch Hunt
"), but how she picked up those languages, and her degree of fluency, remains unknown.
In her free time, Karen enjoys playing first person shooter PC games (which were popular at the now-defunct Stamford branch). Her Call of Duty
screen name is "KarenTheJimSlayer". She prefers wearing pantsuits at the office rather than skirts, leading Michael Scott to quip that she should buy a dress if she doesn't already own one for the occasion of "Phyllis's Wedding". Her favorite chips are Herr's salt and vinegar. She drives a silver Isuzu Rodeo.
Like Jan Levenson, Karen is portrayed as an ambitious career woman — having gunned for the assistant regional manager position at the Stamford branch and now serving as the regional manager of the Utica branch — though considerably more personable than Jan.
Along with Pam Beesly
, Karen is often objectified by several men in the Scranton Branch. When Phyllis Lapin
is subjected to indecent exposure in the office parking lot, Michael wonders aloud, "Didn't he see Pam? Or Karen from behind?"
". It is implied in a deleted scene that she was a likely candidate for Assistant Regional Manager before Jim arrived and got the job, causing her to feel somewhat threatened by him; she refers to him as a "major kiss-ass." She is initially annoyed by Jim's
trademark mugging at the camera but later develops a crush on him. While playing Call of Duty
in "The Coup", she whispers to the camera about how "cute" it is when his character is stuck in a corner, due to Jim's ineptitude at the game.
The two share some flirtatious moments, such as when she later creates a small explosion of paper clips when Jim pretends to throw a grenade at her. Jim also helps her find some Herr's Salt and Vinegar potato chips, which she mentions are her favorite. In "Diwali
", she gives Jim a much-needed ride home when Jim gets drunk at work with Andy and is unable to ride his bike
. It is also shown she drives a Honda Passport.
In "Branch Closing
", Karen is saddened when it seems that Jim is pushing her to move to New York City
instead of Scranton—much like Jim's reaction to Pam
in the episode "Halloween"—indicating he does not really care where she ends up. Later, Jim indirectly apologizes for his "gaffe", and Karen seems to accept this. At the end of "Branch Closing", she admits to the documentary crew that she likes Jim, although at the time she does not think he likes her. This is significant, as it highlights for the first time one of the major differences between Karen and Pam; Karen is much bolder in her attempts to get what she wants (at that point in time).
During her first day at Scranton, in "The Merger
", Karen becomes somewhat offended when the first thing that Michael Scott
says to her is, "You're exotic-looking; was your dad a G.I.
?" In turn, she inadvertently offends Phyllis by mistaking her perfume for a malodorous air freshener and not knowing Phyllis' fiancé, Bob Vance. She later makes amends by correctly identifying Vance as the owner of Vance Refrigeration.
Karen manages to immediately hit it off with Pam by complimenting her on the sweater that Pam's mother had knitted for her. Later in the same episode, Jim tells Pam he was "seeing someone" (implying Karen). It was later confirmed in "The Convict
" that Jim and Karen are dating. Phyllis commented to Karen in the episode "Traveling Salesmen
" that she thinks Karen is good for Jim. Dwight remarked during a sales call to Jim that he finds Karen to be "pretty" and that she "appears intelligent".
In "A Benihana Christmas
", after Pam admits she has been "cold" to Karen, the two leave the party planning committee to form their own party, becoming friends in the process.
In "Back from Vacation
", Karen thinks of getting an apartment
two blocks away from Jim's. They get into a slight argument over this. Pam helps to mend their fight by advising Jim to "go easy" on Karen. Jim is later seen giving some paperwork to Karen that is presumably leasing information for the vacant apartment.
In "Traveling Salesman
", Karen learns of Jim's feelings for Pam from Phyllis during a successful sales call. When Jim initially denies Karen's accusation, she mentions that she moved from Connecticut (presumably for Jim), which prompts him to confess the old "crush" he once had for Pam. He admits that he told Pam before he transferred to Stamford and that she did not reciprocate. Karen seems relieved when Jim adds that he is glad she took the Scranton position.
In "The Return
", Karen declines to play a prank on Andy with Jim, because of the additional work that Dwight's departure has created for her. Jim ends up conducting the prank with Pam, which irritates Karen. She eventually confronts Jim about it, and asks him if he still has feelings for Pam, which he quietly affirms. This revelation seems to be taking a drastic toll on the two, as it is revealed in "Ben Franklin
" that Karen is doing everything she can to keep the relationship afloat, while Jim is becoming increasingly uninterested. Karen did gain a small victory in the episode when Pam claimed (albeit awkwardly) that her feelings for Jim are non-existent. However, she seems to still be somewhat insecure about Pam; in a deleted scene from "Business School
", she was seen attempting to tear down a flyer for Pam's art show but relents when Oscar walks in the room.
In "Phyllis's Wedding", Jim implies that he hypothetically would go out with Pam if she appeared to be interested. But after witnessing Pam leaving the party with Roy, he states a non hypothetical: That he's glad he's with Karen, who meanwhile bounces around the stage singing The Police's "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
".
When Jim is invited as an assistant manager to a cocktail party
at the house of David Wallace, Dunder Mifflin's CFO
, in Mount Vernon, New York
, Karen accompanies him and uses the occasion to prank her boyfriend. Throughout the evening, she frequently mentions to Jim that she had previously dated some of the male guests at the party, including one who was separated from his wife at the time. Although Jim tries to retain his composure, he appears to be distraught by the notion after she points out one alleged suitor after another. When Karen mentions she had a relationship with Wallace himself, Jim loses his patience and asks "Have you dated every guy here?", at which Karen smiles and indicates she was merely joking. She also mentions that Jim should not be concerned, as he was "kinda her first." When Jim shows surprise by this admission, Karen mentions, once again, how easy it is to fool him.
In "The Negotiation
", Karen tries to convince Jim to go out on a date with her instead of staying home to watch a Phillies
game as he planned, when Jim is suddenly attacked by Roy. Later, Kevin tactlessly asks her how she feels about her boyfriend being assaulted over another woman, and she is obviously displeased. Karen remarks that when she learned about Pam and Jim's kiss, her response was to talk with him about their feelings while Roy's response was much more violent. Karen confesses that she does not know which reaction Jim "hated more". When Jim is lamenting to her that Dwight will not accept any of Jim's gratitude or gifts for defending him from Roy's attack, Karen's response is that Jim needs to focus on work so they can go on a trip, and Jim is left to resolve his Dwight conundrum on his own.
In "Safety Training
", as the workers place bets on various things Karen mentions to the camera she does not know her co-workers as much as she thought she did, and she is "getting cleaned out". She also has a look of discomfort when Jim wins a bet about Pam's jellybeans, and Kevin claims it is not fair since Jim has spent "hours and hours" at reception. However, Pam and Karen share a pleasant moment when she places a strategic bet that Pam deems as being a smart move.
In "Women's Appreciation
", Jim reveals that he is taking Karen out for their six-month celebration; Karen is seen buying sexy underwear from Victoria's Secret
and Phyllis comments that Jim will love it, as Pam looks on sadly. It is revealed by Jim that Ryan asked Karen on a date a few months earlier, and Karen tactfully turned him down.
In "Beach Games
", Jim chooses Karen for his team, which he names "Voldemort", to anger Dwight. During a lull in the games, Jim and Karen set up interviews for a position at corporate. Karen has an upset and almost disbelieving look on her face when Pam addresses the entire office to talk about herself and Jim.
In "The Job
", Karen becomes increasingly adversarial towards Pam; such as purposely asking Pam to make copies of her and Jim's job performance scores. Karen and Jim go to New York City
a day ahead of their interview to enjoy the city. Karen makes it clear that if Jim gets the job, she would move to New York City to be with him, and that she expects the same from Jim should she get the job. She leaves the Corporate office after her interview to meet her friends for lunch, and she is not seen again in the episode.
After being dumped by Jim, Karen explains to Jim that they will still have to learn to cooperate as co-workers. However, the next morning, Jim discovers that Karen's desk is empty, and that she has left Scranton for good.
Ryan mentions in "Dunder Mifflin Infinity
" that Karen sent an e-mail months earlier asking him to go out with her, but that he turned her down because of his commitment to his relationship with Kelly Kapoor
, though it is implied that this is a lie.
In "Branch Wars
," it is revealed that Karen has become the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin's Utica branch. She offers Stanley
a pay raise if he transfers to her branch and he accepts. Michael believes that Karen is doing this to get back at Jim for dumping her (Karen makes it clear that Stanley came to her first). Karen is not impressed with Michael's idiotic offer for her to take Toby instead of Stanley (because Toby is not a salesperson) and scoffs at his plan to poach Utica's top salesperson in retaliation. In an attempt to get back at her, Michael, Dwight and a reluctant Jim travel to the Utica branch dressed in warehouse worker uniforms and fake moustaches. While leaving Jim in the car, Michael and Dwight go off to steal a copier. Michael tries to persuade Jim to have sex with Karen in order to distract her while they escape, telling him to "climb on top of her and think about Stanley," but Jim is left to be discovered by an irritated but highly amused Karen. The three are discovered and brought to Karen's office. She chastises them and later scolds Jim privately for acting immaturely for taking part in the prank. She tells him that he should have called her before coming to Utica, to which Jim responds by telling her that it wasn't his intention to see her, since he is now happy with Pam. Karen responds with withering sarcasm just how much she loves hearing about Jim and Pam's relationship, and facetiously asking to hear all about it. Jim meekly says he thinks he should leave Utica to beat the traffic rush back to Scranton, and Karen snaps that he should do just that.
". When Michael arrives in Utica to give a lecture on how/why Scranton is doing better than the other branches, it is revealed that Karen is eight months pregnant
and has married a dermatologist named Dan. Karen explains how she and Dan met at a bar. Karen also shows Pam and Michael a picture of her and Dan, which Pam feels has brought her closure. She also ends Michael's inappropriate meeting, telling him she'll just distill his "thoughts" into an e-mail and send it to her team. Karen seems to have made peace with Pam and congratulates her on being engaged to Jim. In the aftermath of Dunder Mifflin's bankruptcy and collapse, it has not been made clear what Karen's status is, nor the fate of the Utica branch; however, between the news that Holly Flax is still working for the office in Nashua and the fact that Utica hasn't been singled out as a closed branch (the way Buffalo was in the Season 5 finale), it can be inferred that Karen remains employed and in charge in Utica.
", and is seen as an actor in Michael's film of the same name. She also appears very briefly in an interview sequence, where she complains about being 'singled out' by the documentary crew to comment on her one-line bit part from a film shot several years ago.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television series The Office. She is played by Rashida Jones
Rashida Jones
Rashida Leah Jones is an American film and television actress, comic book author, screenwriter and occasional singer. She played Louisa Fenn on Boston Public and Karen Filippelli on The Office as well as roles in the films I Love You, Man and The Social Network...
. She is loosely based on the character of Rachel (surname not given) from the original UK version of the show, in that she transferred during the merger of the two branches, and became romantically involved with Jim Halpert
Jim Halpert
James Duncan "Jim" Halpert is a fictional character in the United States version of the television sitcom The Office, played by John Krasinski. The character is based on Tim Canterbury from the original version of The Office...
, as Rachel did with Jim's counterpart, Tim Canterbury
Tim Canterbury
Tim Canterbury is a main character in the BBC sitcom The Office, played by Martin Freeman. He is a 30-year-old sales representative for paper merchants Wernham Hogg and lives with his parents. He spent one year at a university before dropping out, and one day hopes to return to get a psychology...
. However, Karen plays a much greater role in the US series than Rachel did in the British one, while she regularly appears in the third season of the show. When Karen takes over as Regional Manager of the Utica branch, Karen becomes an enemy to Michael and Dwight as she wants to out-do them.
Jones also currently portrays a similar role as Ann Perkins
Ann Perkins
Ann Meredith Perkins is a fictional character in the NBC comedy Parks and Recreation. She is a nurse and best friend of Leslie Knope. She is portrayed by Rashida Jones.-Season one:...
in Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Recreation is an American comedy television series on NBC that focuses on Leslie Knope , a mid-level bureaucrat in the parks department of Pawnee, a fictional town in Indiana. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, the series debuted on April 9, 2009; it has run for three seasons and...
, a series also developed by the creators of The Office.
Overview
Karen Filippelli is the regional manager of fictitious paper distributor Dunder Mifflin's UticaUtica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
branch. In her first appearance, she was a sales representative for the company, first at the Stamford
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
branch and later at the Scranton
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
branch after the merger.
Biography
Karen was a sales representative at the Scranton, PennsylvaniaScranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
branch of the Dunder Mifflin paper and office-supply company. She originally worked at the company's branch in Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford, Connecticut
Stamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, but transferred to the Scranton branch after her boss, Josh Porter, left in order to take an upper-management job at Staples
Staples, Inc.
Staples Inc. is a large office supply chain store, with over 2,000 stores worldwide in 26 countries. Based in Framingham, Massachusetts, United States, the company has retail stores, serving customers under its original name in Austria, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Norway,...
. She is now the Regional Manager of the Utica branch of Dunder Mifflin.
Karen's ethnicity is deliberately made ambiguous and turned into a sort of running joke. The Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
ancestry implied by her last name is confirmed in "The Merger." But prior to that in the same episode, Dwight suggests that she may be Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
due to the sound and spelling of her name. Michael then states that she's very exotic looking and asks if her father was a GI, implying that her mother would be of some foreign nationality. She appears offended but doesn't answer or elaborate. In addition, she has spoken a little French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
("Grief Counseling") and Chinese (deleted scene from "Gay Witch Hunt
Gay Witch Hunt
"Gay Witch Hunt" is the third season premiere of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's twenty-ninth episode overall. Written by executive producer and show runner Greg Daniels and directed by Ken Kwapis, the episode first aired in the United States on September 21, 2006...
"), but how she picked up those languages, and her degree of fluency, remains unknown.
In her free time, Karen enjoys playing first person shooter PC games (which were popular at the now-defunct Stamford branch). Her Call of Duty
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision in 2003. It is the first game in a series with the same name. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. The game is based on the Quake III: Team Arena engine...
screen name is "KarenTheJimSlayer". She prefers wearing pantsuits at the office rather than skirts, leading Michael Scott to quip that she should buy a dress if she doesn't already own one for the occasion of "Phyllis's Wedding". Her favorite chips are Herr's salt and vinegar. She drives a silver Isuzu Rodeo.
Like Jan Levenson, Karen is portrayed as an ambitious career woman — having gunned for the assistant regional manager position at the Stamford branch and now serving as the regional manager of the Utica branch — though considerably more personable than Jan.
Along with Pam Beesly
Pam Beesly
Pamela Morgan "Pam" Halpert is a fictional character on the U.S. television sitcom The Office, played by Jenna Fischer. Her counterpart in the original UK series of The Office is Dawn Tinsley....
, Karen is often objectified by several men in the Scranton Branch. When Phyllis Lapin
Phyllis Lapin
Phyllis Margaret Vance is a fictional character from the US television series The Office. She is played by Phyllis Smith.-Biography:...
is subjected to indecent exposure in the office parking lot, Michael wonders aloud, "Didn't he see Pam? Or Karen from behind?"
Season 3
Karen first appears in the Season 3 premiere, "Gay Witch HuntGay Witch Hunt
"Gay Witch Hunt" is the third season premiere of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's twenty-ninth episode overall. Written by executive producer and show runner Greg Daniels and directed by Ken Kwapis, the episode first aired in the United States on September 21, 2006...
". It is implied in a deleted scene that she was a likely candidate for Assistant Regional Manager before Jim arrived and got the job, causing her to feel somewhat threatened by him; she refers to him as a "major kiss-ass." She is initially annoyed by Jim's
Jim Halpert
James Duncan "Jim" Halpert is a fictional character in the United States version of the television sitcom The Office, played by John Krasinski. The character is based on Tim Canterbury from the original version of The Office...
trademark mugging at the camera but later develops a crush on him. While playing Call of Duty
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision in 2003. It is the first game in a series with the same name. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. The game is based on the Quake III: Team Arena engine...
in "The Coup", she whispers to the camera about how "cute" it is when his character is stuck in a corner, due to Jim's ineptitude at the game.
The two share some flirtatious moments, such as when she later creates a small explosion of paper clips when Jim pretends to throw a grenade at her. Jim also helps her find some Herr's Salt and Vinegar potato chips, which she mentions are her favorite. In "Diwali
Diwali (The Office)
"Diwali" is the sixth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series The Office—the show's 34th overall. Written by Mindy Kaling, who also acts in the show as Kelly Kapoor, and directed by Miguel Arteta, the episode first aired on November 2, 2006 on NBC, twelve days after the...
", she gives Jim a much-needed ride home when Jim gets drunk at work with Andy and is unable to ride his bike
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
. It is also shown she drives a Honda Passport.
In "Branch Closing
Branch Closing
"Branch Closing" is the seventh episode of the third season of The Office . It was first aired on November 9, 2006 on NBC. It was written by Michael Schur and directed by Tucker Gates. It is the first episode to have a "Producer's Cut" on NBC.com, with deleted scenes edited into the full episode...
", Karen is saddened when it seems that Jim is pushing her to move to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
instead of Scranton—much like Jim's reaction to Pam
Pam Beesly
Pamela Morgan "Pam" Halpert is a fictional character on the U.S. television sitcom The Office, played by Jenna Fischer. Her counterpart in the original UK series of The Office is Dawn Tinsley....
in the episode "Halloween"—indicating he does not really care where she ends up. Later, Jim indirectly apologizes for his "gaffe", and Karen seems to accept this. At the end of "Branch Closing", she admits to the documentary crew that she likes Jim, although at the time she does not think he likes her. This is significant, as it highlights for the first time one of the major differences between Karen and Pam; Karen is much bolder in her attempts to get what she wants (at that point in time).
During her first day at Scranton, in "The Merger
The Merger (The Office)
"The Merger" is the eighth episode of the third season of The Office . It aired on November 16, 2006, as a special 40-minute episode on NBC.In this episode, the Scranton and Stamford branches are merged...
", Karen becomes somewhat offended when the first thing that Michael Scott
Michael Scott (The Office)
Michael Gary Scott is a fictional character on NBC's The Office, portrayed by Steve Carell, and based on David Brent from the original British version. Michael, the central character of the series, was the manager of the Scranton branch of paper and printer distribution company Dunder Mifflin Inc...
says to her is, "You're exotic-looking; was your dad a G.I.
GI (term)
G.I. is a noun used to describe members of the United States armed forces or items of their equipment. The term is now used as an initialism of "Government Issue" , but originally referred to galvanized iron....
?" In turn, she inadvertently offends Phyllis by mistaking her perfume for a malodorous air freshener and not knowing Phyllis' fiancé, Bob Vance. She later makes amends by correctly identifying Vance as the owner of Vance Refrigeration.
Karen manages to immediately hit it off with Pam by complimenting her on the sweater that Pam's mother had knitted for her. Later in the same episode, Jim tells Pam he was "seeing someone" (implying Karen). It was later confirmed in "The Convict
The Convict
"The Convict" is ninth episode of the third season of The Office . It aired on November 30, 2006 on NBC. It was written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant specifically for the U.S. series...
" that Jim and Karen are dating. Phyllis commented to Karen in the episode "Traveling Salesmen
Traveling Salesmen (The Office)
"Traveling Salesmen" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of the US version of The Office. It aired January 11, 2007. It was written by Michael Schur, Lee Eisenberg, and Gene Stupnitsky and directed by Greg Daniels. This is the first episode to use an abbreviated title sequence, presumably...
" that she thinks Karen is good for Jim. Dwight remarked during a sales call to Jim that he finds Karen to be "pretty" and that she "appears intelligent".
In "A Benihana Christmas
A Benihana Christmas
"A Benihana Christmas" is the tenth and eleventh episode of the third season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the thirty-eighth episode overall. It was written by Jennifer Celotta and directed by Harold Ramis...
", after Pam admits she has been "cold" to Karen, the two leave the party planning committee to form their own party, becoming friends in the process.
In "Back from Vacation
Back from Vacation
"Back from Vacation" is the twelfth episode of the third season of the US version of The Office. It aired on January 4, 2007 on NBC and was the first episode to air after the winter hiatus. It was written by Justin Spitzer and directed by Julian Farino....
", Karen thinks of getting an apartment
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
two blocks away from Jim's. They get into a slight argument over this. Pam helps to mend their fight by advising Jim to "go easy" on Karen. Jim is later seen giving some paperwork to Karen that is presumably leasing information for the vacant apartment.
In "Traveling Salesman
Traveling Salesmen (The Office)
"Traveling Salesmen" is the thirteenth episode of the third season of the US version of The Office. It aired January 11, 2007. It was written by Michael Schur, Lee Eisenberg, and Gene Stupnitsky and directed by Greg Daniels. This is the first episode to use an abbreviated title sequence, presumably...
", Karen learns of Jim's feelings for Pam from Phyllis during a successful sales call. When Jim initially denies Karen's accusation, she mentions that she moved from Connecticut (presumably for Jim), which prompts him to confess the old "crush" he once had for Pam. He admits that he told Pam before he transferred to Stamford and that she did not reciprocate. Karen seems relieved when Jim adds that he is glad she took the Scranton position.
In "The Return
The Return (The Office)
"The Return" is the fourteenth episode of the third season of the US version of The Office. It aired on January 18, 2007 on NBC and marked the return to work of Oscar Martinez, who had been on vacation since the first episode of the season....
", Karen declines to play a prank on Andy with Jim, because of the additional work that Dwight's departure has created for her. Jim ends up conducting the prank with Pam, which irritates Karen. She eventually confronts Jim about it, and asks him if he still has feelings for Pam, which he quietly affirms. This revelation seems to be taking a drastic toll on the two, as it is revealed in "Ben Franklin
Ben Franklin (The Office)
"Ben Franklin" is the fifteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's forty-third episode overall. Written by Mindy Kaling, who also acts in the show as Kelly Kapoor, and directed by Randall Einhorn, the episode first aired in the United...
" that Karen is doing everything she can to keep the relationship afloat, while Jim is becoming increasingly uninterested. Karen did gain a small victory in the episode when Pam claimed (albeit awkwardly) that her feelings for Jim are non-existent. However, she seems to still be somewhat insecure about Pam; in a deleted scene from "Business School
Business School (The Office)
"Business School" is the seventeenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's forty-fifth episode overall...
", she was seen attempting to tear down a flyer for Pam's art show but relents when Oscar walks in the room.
In "Phyllis's Wedding", Jim implies that he hypothetically would go out with Pam if she appeared to be interested. But after witnessing Pam leaving the party with Roy, he states a non hypothetical: That he's glad he's with Karen, who meanwhile bounces around the stage singing The Police's "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic
"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" is a song by British rock group The Police from their album Ghost in the Machine. It was also a hit single that reached the top of the charts in the United Kingdom in November 1981 and hit number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart that same...
".
When Jim is invited as an assistant manager to a cocktail party
Cocktails (The Office)
"Cocktails" is the seventeenth episode of the third season of the US version of The Office. It aired on February 22, 2007 on NBC. It is written by Paul Lieberstein and directed by Alias and Lost creator J. J. Abrams....
at the house of David Wallace, Dunder Mifflin's CFO
Chief financial officer
The chief financial officer or Chief financial and operating officer is a corporate officer primarily responsible for managing the financial risks of the corporation. This officer is also responsible for financial planning and record-keeping, as well as financial reporting to higher management...
, in Mount Vernon, New York
Mount Vernon, New York
Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It lies on the border of the New York City borough of The Bronx.-Overview:...
, Karen accompanies him and uses the occasion to prank her boyfriend. Throughout the evening, she frequently mentions to Jim that she had previously dated some of the male guests at the party, including one who was separated from his wife at the time. Although Jim tries to retain his composure, he appears to be distraught by the notion after she points out one alleged suitor after another. When Karen mentions she had a relationship with Wallace himself, Jim loses his patience and asks "Have you dated every guy here?", at which Karen smiles and indicates she was merely joking. She also mentions that Jim should not be concerned, as he was "kinda her first." When Jim shows surprise by this admission, Karen mentions, once again, how easy it is to fool him.
In "The Negotiation
The Negotiation
"The Negotiation" is the nineteenth episode of the third season of the U.S. version of The Office, aired on April 5, 2007 on NBC...
", Karen tries to convince Jim to go out on a date with her instead of staying home to watch a Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
game as he planned, when Jim is suddenly attacked by Roy. Later, Kevin tactlessly asks her how she feels about her boyfriend being assaulted over another woman, and she is obviously displeased. Karen remarks that when she learned about Pam and Jim's kiss, her response was to talk with him about their feelings while Roy's response was much more violent. Karen confesses that she does not know which reaction Jim "hated more". When Jim is lamenting to her that Dwight will not accept any of Jim's gratitude or gifts for defending him from Roy's attack, Karen's response is that Jim needs to focus on work so they can go on a trip, and Jim is left to resolve his Dwight conundrum on his own.
In "Safety Training
Safety Training
"Safety Training" is the nineteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series The Office. Written by B. J. Novak, who also acts in the show as sales representative Ryan Howard, and directed by Caddyshack and National Lampoon's Vacation director Harold Ramis, the episode...
", as the workers place bets on various things Karen mentions to the camera she does not know her co-workers as much as she thought she did, and she is "getting cleaned out". She also has a look of discomfort when Jim wins a bet about Pam's jellybeans, and Kevin claims it is not fair since Jim has spent "hours and hours" at reception. However, Pam and Karen share a pleasant moment when she places a strategic bet that Pam deems as being a smart move.
In "Women's Appreciation
Women's Appreciation
"Women's Appreciation" is the twenty-second episode of the third season of the US version of The Office, and the third supersized episode of the season...
", Jim reveals that he is taking Karen out for their six-month celebration; Karen is seen buying sexy underwear from Victoria's Secret
Victoria's Secret
Victoria's Secret is an American retailer of women's wear, lingerie and beauty products. It is the largest segment of publicly-traded Limited Brands with sales of over US$5 billion and an operating income of $1 billion in 2006...
and Phyllis comments that Jim will love it, as Pam looks on sadly. It is revealed by Jim that Ryan asked Karen on a date a few months earlier, and Karen tactfully turned him down.
In "Beach Games
Beach Games
"Beach Games" is the twenty-third episode of the third season of the US version of The Office, and is the 51st episode aired of the show. It was written by Jennifer Celotta and Greg Daniels and directed by film director Harold Ramis, who previously directed the episodes "A Benihana Christmas" and...
", Jim chooses Karen for his team, which he names "Voldemort", to anger Dwight. During a lull in the games, Jim and Karen set up interviews for a position at corporate. Karen has an upset and almost disbelieving look on her face when Pam addresses the entire office to talk about herself and Jim.
In "The Job
The Job (The Office)
"The Job" is the third season finale of the U.S. version of The Office, and the show's 52nd and 53rd episode overall. It aired in the United States on April 19, 2007 on NBC. It is the season's second hour-long episode...
", Karen becomes increasingly adversarial towards Pam; such as purposely asking Pam to make copies of her and Jim's job performance scores. Karen and Jim go to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
a day ahead of their interview to enjoy the city. Karen makes it clear that if Jim gets the job, she would move to New York City to be with him, and that she expects the same from Jim should she get the job. She leaves the Corporate office after her interview to meet her friends for lunch, and she is not seen again in the episode.
Season 4
According to a preview clip on NBC's The Office website, Jim had dumped Karen and left her "crying by a fountain in New York City" following the events of Season 3.After being dumped by Jim, Karen explains to Jim that they will still have to learn to cooperate as co-workers. However, the next morning, Jim discovers that Karen's desk is empty, and that she has left Scranton for good.
Ryan mentions in "Dunder Mifflin Infinity
Dunder Mifflin Infinity
"Dunder Mifflin Infinity" is the third episode of the fourth season of the American comedy television series The Office, and the show's fifty-sixth episode overall. The episode was written by Michael Schur, who also acts in the show, and directed by Craig Zisk...
" that Karen sent an e-mail months earlier asking him to go out with her, but that he turned her down because of his commitment to his relationship with Kelly Kapoor
Kelly Kapoor
Kelly Rajnigandha Kapoor , is a fictional character from the US television series, The Office. She is played by Mindy Kaling, who is also a writer and producer for the show....
, though it is implied that this is a lie.
In "Branch Wars
Branch Wars
"Branch Wars" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of the American comedy television series The Office—the show's sixty-third episode overall. Written by Mindy Kaling and directed by Joss Whedon, the episode originally aired in the United States on November 1, 2007 on NBC...
," it is revealed that Karen has become the Regional Manager of Dunder Mifflin's Utica branch. She offers Stanley
Stanley Hudson
Stanley James Hudson is a fictional character from the US television series The Office. He is played by Leslie David Baker. Stanley's counterpart in the UK series is Malcolm.-Overview:...
a pay raise if he transfers to her branch and he accepts. Michael believes that Karen is doing this to get back at Jim for dumping her (Karen makes it clear that Stanley came to her first). Karen is not impressed with Michael's idiotic offer for her to take Toby instead of Stanley (because Toby is not a salesperson) and scoffs at his plan to poach Utica's top salesperson in retaliation. In an attempt to get back at her, Michael, Dwight and a reluctant Jim travel to the Utica branch dressed in warehouse worker uniforms and fake moustaches. While leaving Jim in the car, Michael and Dwight go off to steal a copier. Michael tries to persuade Jim to have sex with Karen in order to distract her while they escape, telling him to "climb on top of her and think about Stanley," but Jim is left to be discovered by an irritated but highly amused Karen. The three are discovered and brought to Karen's office. She chastises them and later scolds Jim privately for acting immaturely for taking part in the prank. She tells him that he should have called her before coming to Utica, to which Jim responds by telling her that it wasn't his intention to see her, since he is now happy with Pam. Karen responds with withering sarcasm just how much she loves hearing about Jim and Pam's relationship, and facetiously asking to hear all about it. Jim meekly says he thinks he should leave Utica to beat the traffic rush back to Scranton, and Karen snaps that he should do just that.
Season 5
Karen returns in the Season 5 episode "Lecture CircuitLecture Circuit
"Lecture Circuit" is a two-part episode of the American comedy television series The Office. They constituted the sixteenth and seventeenth episodes of the fifth season, and the 88th and 89th overall episodes of the series...
". When Michael arrives in Utica to give a lecture on how/why Scranton is doing better than the other branches, it is revealed that Karen is eight months pregnant
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
and has married a dermatologist named Dan. Karen explains how she and Dan met at a bar. Karen also shows Pam and Michael a picture of her and Dan, which Pam feels has brought her closure. She also ends Michael's inappropriate meeting, telling him she'll just distill his "thoughts" into an e-mail and send it to her team. Karen seems to have made peace with Pam and congratulates her on being engaged to Jim. In the aftermath of Dunder Mifflin's bankruptcy and collapse, it has not been made clear what Karen's status is, nor the fate of the Utica branch; however, between the news that Holly Flax is still working for the office in Nashua and the fact that Utica hasn't been singled out as a closed branch (the way Buffalo was in the Season 5 finale), it can be inferred that Karen remains employed and in charge in Utica.
Season 7
Karen (along with Roy, Jan, Todd Packer, Helene, and David) appears in the episode "Threat Level MidnightThreat Level Midnight
-Production:This episode was written by executive producer B. J. Novak, who also portrays Ryan Howard on the show. It was directed by Tucker Gates, his fourth directing credit of the series...
", and is seen as an actor in Michael's film of the same name. She also appears very briefly in an interview sequence, where she complains about being 'singled out' by the documentary crew to comment on her one-line bit part from a film shot several years ago.