【Pachinko Angel】

Merriam-Webster defines "kiss" as "to touch with the lips,Pachinko Angel especially as a mark of affection or greeting."

By the very definitionof the word, Jim Halpert and Pam Beesly's first kiss occurred in Season 2, Episode 1 of The Office, titled, "The Dundies." As Dwight would scream if making this argument, "FACT."

While in a Chili's celebrating Michael Scott's annual employee awards ceremony, the Dundies, Pam has a few too many drinks (and "second drinks") and proceeds to touch her lips to Jim's lips as a mark of affection. In other words, THEY KISS. For the first time, might I reiterate! See for yourself.

Despite this crystal clear smooch, a debate about when Jim and Pam's first kiss was recently sparked amongst The Officefans.Some people — who are correct — swear that the Dundies kiss counts as Jim and Pam's first, while others argue the two share their first kiss 21 episodes later, during the Season 2 finale, "Casino Night."

To the people who believe Jim and Pam's first kiss didn't happen until "Casino Night" — a group that apparently includes Jenna Fischer (Pam) and John Krasinksi (Jim) — I get where you're coming from. Really, I do. But you're simply incorrect and you're about to get schooled.

Let me start by saying that Jim and Pam's kiss in "Casino Night" is and will always be one of the most magical kisses in television history. The first time I saw it I was left breathless. The second time, I screamed out loud. And the fifteen or so times I've seen it since then have all prompted some sort of physical reaction. It really is that good, but sadlythat doesn't make it their first.

The "Casino Night" kiss takes place in the office after hours, seconds after Jim walks in on Pam talking to her mom on the phone. Pam's telling her mom about the life-changing moment that just occurred with Jim in the parking lot, when he said, "I'm in love with you. I'm really sorry if that's weird for you to hear, but I needed you to hear it. Probably not good timing but... I just needed you to know. Once."

Anyway, seconds before the episode rolls credits, Jim walks straight up to Pam and they do this. SWOON.

Now that both kiss scenes are set, let's get back to the drama.

On Wednesday, the official Twitter account for The Officetweeted a "fun fact" and said John Krasinski's first onscreen kiss was with Jenna Fischer during "Casino Night." In a past interview with IMDB, Krasinski also specifically identified "Casino Night" as his first onscreen kiss, which really makes it seemtrue, and yet I just provided indisputable visual proof that it's absolutely not!

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

In Fischer's book, The Actor's Life,she reportedly writes that "Casino Night" was her first onscreen kiss as well, but when the recent debate sparked on Twitter, she appeared to be Team Dundies Kiss. Hmm... pick a side, Jenna!

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The case for "Casino Night"

One solid argument the "Casino Night" kiss group has is that in Season 4, Episode 22 ("Goodbye Toby") Jim references his "first kiss" with Pam in Michael's office. Michael is smitten with Toby's replacement, Holly Flax, and wants to speed their relationship along, but Jim reminds him that things worked out so well with him and Pam because they took it slow.

"The first meal we ever had was in the break room, actually... The first time we kissed even was right outside," Jim said, clearly referencing "Casino Night."

At the time of Pam's Dundies kiss with Jim, fans will recall she was so drunk that she wound up getting banned from Chili's "for life." She was also very much engaged to Roy at the time. Jim was definitely aware of the kiss, but it's possible that Pam was so drunk she didn't remember it the following day, and Jim felt it would be best to keep the moment to himself. If that's the case, Pam would genuinely think the "Casino Night" kiss was their first, so maybe Jim's pretending it is, too.

The case for "The Dundies"

In addition to being a drunk cheat kiss, "The Dundies" smooch also happened in front of all of Jim and Pam's co-workers (and a sign that read, "EAT MORE CHILI"). It wasn't a particularly romantic, breathtaking, or world-stopping kiss. But it wasa kiss, and an important part of their history that deserves to be acknowledged.

It's crucial to remember the events that set the Dundies kiss in motion: Roy left Pam at the chain restaurant earlier that night because he's a moron, and his decision to leave rightfully upset her. She was upset and already dreading the thought of Michael giving her the embarrassing "Longest Engagement" award for another year in a row, so when she received the "Whitest Sneakers" award instead she was so overcome with relief and joy that she kissed Jim.

It's possible she knew Jim had something to do with Michael switching her award and was thankful, but even if she didn't, the kiss definitely meant something. I get whyno one ever brought it up, but part of me thinks it's kind of weird that everyone saw it and acted like it didn't happen, Jim included. In Pam's Dundies acceptance speech, she also says the iconic line, "I feel God in this Chili's tonight," which means that even Godwas witness to Jim and Pam's first kiss.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The kiss conclusion

Of the two kisses, my favorite, and the one I so desperately wish was the first, happened in "Casino Night." But the kiss that aired on NBC first and chronologically took place in the series first happened in "The Dundies."

It's likely that Jim told Michael his first kiss with Pam happened in "Casino Night" because for him, that's the first time Pam kissed him sober and it was the more meaningful of the two. I deeply respect the decision, but if Jim and Pam's kids grow up and watch their parents fall in love in this weird documentary about Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, I'm confident they'll challenge the assertion and argue that technically, the first kiss took place in 2005 at the eighth annual Dundie Awards.

As for why Krasinski and Fischer both named "Casino Night" as their first on-screen kisses, the only two explanations I can think of are that they genuinely forgot about "The Dundies," or that perhaps they shot "Casino Night" first. On Fischer's podcast, Office Ladies, she and former co-star Angela Kinsey revealed that the episodes in Season 1 were shot out of order, so I guess it's possible the same happened in Season 2?

Now that we've looked at the kisses from all angles it's clear that "The Dundies" kiss was Jim and Pam's first. But it in the spirit of compromise, I'll declare the "Casino Night" kiss Jim and Pam's first realkiss. Are we all happy? Good!