Karen Filippelli (fictional character)

Karen is introduced in "Gay Witch Hunt" seen as a sales representative at the Stamford branch of Dunder Mifflin. After Jim Halpert's first conference meeting, Karen explains to the documentary crew her thoughts about Jim. She says "Jim's nice enough, I don't know how well he's fitting in here."[1] During the first seven episodes of the third season, she gets closer to Jim. This includes playing Call of Duty with him in the third episode,[2] attempting to find Herr's Chips in the fourth episode,[3] and driving him home after he gets drunk with Andy Bernard in the sixth episode.[4] In the seventh episode, "Branch Closing," it is announced that the Scranton Branch will be closing. However, it is later revealed that the Stamford branch is closing instead.[5] All the Stamford employees, besides Josh Porter, move to the Scranton Branch, but most quit on their first day due to Michael Scotts's crazy antics. After Martin Nash and Hannah Smoterich-Barr quit, Karen, Jim and Andy are the only transfers left.[6]

In "The Convict," it is revealed that Karen and Jim have begun dating. This creates a love-triangle between Jim, Karen, and Pam Beesly. Jim and Pam's friendship is buffered by Karen, causing tension between Pam and Karen. Even so, the two become friends during "A Benihana Christmas" when they form "The Committee to Form Parties" and host a separate Christmas party from Angela Martin's.[7] In the next episode, Karen tells the documentary crew that she had mentioned the idea of living on Jim's street and how Jim thought it was too soon. In the end, Pam pushes Jim to change his mind. and he does.[8] During "Women's Appreciation," Michael takes the women in the office to the Steam-town Mall. While there, she and Pam disagree on advice to give Michael.[9] Their friendship ends when Pam reveals her feelings for Jim during the office's beach day after she does a coal walk.[10] In the season finale, Karen and Jim travel to New York and both interview to be the new VP of Northeastern Sales at Dunder Mifflin. Ryan Howard ends up with the job and Jim breaks up with her. Jim tells the documentary crew that the next day, her desk was cleared off and she never returned to the Scranton Branch.[11]

While talking to Kelly Kapoor in the season four episode "Dunder Mifflin Infinity," Ryan tells her that Karen had asked him out earlier that year via email.[12] In the episode "Branch Wars," Michael and Dwight Schrute trick Jim into traveling to the Utica branch as revenge for Karen's attempt of hiring Stanley Hudson. It is also revealed that she has been promoted to the regional manager of that branch. Though Jim stays in the car, she sees him and then finds out that Michael and Dwight have broken her branch's industrial copier. When the three of them are brought into her office, Jim makes an attempt at small talk but she sends him out.[13]

In the season five episode "Lecture Circuit: Part 1," Michael is asked by David Wallace to travel around to the other branches and share secrets on running the most successful branch. Michael takes Pam along as an assistant and driver (she agreed so she could get time and a half pay for three days) and the episode shows their lecture at the Utica branch. When they arrive, Karen is married to a dermatologist named Dan and eight months pregnant. Though Karen has partially forgiven Michael for what happened in branch wars, his lecture quickly goes south as he begins to insult the Utica employees. She ends the lecture short and calls him and Pam into his office once again. Though she reprimands Michael for bringing a chainsaw into her branch, she and Pam act friendly towards each other. Pam later reveals that she feels better for getting closure with Karen.[14]

Karen's final appearance is a cameo role in the season seven episode "Threat Level Midnight" where she is seen acting in Michael's home movie he filmed while she was still working at his branch. She plays bachelorette #2 and has one speaking line. However, the film crew still finds her and interviews her about it. She quickly dismisses them asking "Why are you singling my line out, like a million years later?" The interview takes place outside a restaurant where her husband, Dan, can be seen in the background.[15]