Much debate has been had around whether Jim and Pam’s first kiss was in The Office’s episode “The Dundies” or “Casino Night,” with the context of the latter making it the couple’s real first kiss. Part of why Jim and Pam have been established as one of the greatest modern TV couples is their compelling will-they-won’t-they dynamic in The Office’s first three seasons. Pam begins the series engaged to Roy, while Jim spends The Office season 1 quietly pining over her and hoping she’ll leave her long-time boyfriend. While it isn’t until The Office’s season 3 finale that the pair finally go on a date, their romantic subplot was intensified by two key kisses in season 2.In The Office’s season 2 premiere, “The Dundies,” Pam gets exceedingly drunk at Chili’s when believing she’ll win the “Longest Engagement” award at the office event. However, Michael surprisingly gives her the “Whitest Shoes” award instead. Gleeful that she wasn’t embarrassed by her prolonged engagement again, the heavily-intoxicated Pam takes her Dundie and gives Jim an unexpected peck on the lips. Since Pam remains engaged to Roy, the moment is largely forgotten. Then, in The Office’s season 2 finale, “Casino Night,” Jim finally confesses his love to Pam, which is followed by an impassioned kiss at his desk. While their lips did technically touch in "The Dundies," "Casino Night" is their real first kiss.
Jim & Pam’s Casino Night Kiss Was Mutually Romantic
The biggest difference between the two kisses is that the one in “Casino Night” was instigated with romantic intentions, and was mutually performed. Jim had just told Pam that he loved her, and decided that before he left Dunder Mifflin Scranton for Stamford, he would give her a romantic kiss and hope it might influence her to leave Roy. After Jim walked over to his desk and immediately kissed her, Pam still kissed him back before admitting she was still going to marry Roy. This was the first genuine physical expression of their romantic feelings for one another, which wasn’t the case for their peck in The Office’s “The Dundies” episode.
In “The Dundies,” Pam was simply drunk and over-affectionate; she probably would have kissed Ryan if he had been standing there instead of Jim. Pam didn’t kiss him romantically, and Jim didn’t even have time to react to the kiss by the time she walked away. If going by the technical definition of kiss, which is “to touch (someone or something) with the lips especially as a mark of affection or greeting” according to Miriam-Webster, then the first time they kissed was at The Office's Dundies ceremony. However, “The Dundies” wasn’t the first mutual or romantic kiss that impacted Jim and Pam as a couple; this moment would be saved for “Casino Night.”
Jenna Fischer & John Krasinski Both Agree On Pam & Jim’s First Kiss
To make the argument for “Casino Night” even stronger, actors Jenna Fischer and John Krasinski have both cited this episode as their characters' first kiss. John Krasinski told IMDb that his first on-screen kiss was in “Casino Night,” with Jenna Fischer mimicking this sentiment in her book The Actor’s Life. Even The Office’s official Twitter account defended this moment, stating actor John Krasinski’s first on-screen kiss was with Jenna Fischer in “Casino Night.”
By definition, the first time that Pam and Jim kissed was in “The Dundies,” but the first time they had a real kiss that was charged with emotion and passion – and would be remembered by both parties the next day – was in “Casino Night.” In The Office’s season 4 finale, Jim seals the argument by saying his first kiss with Pam was at the office, thus canonically making “Casino Night” their first real smooch. While technicalities will continue to keep the argument over Pam and Jim’s first kiss alive, The Office itself states that the duo’s first romantic kiss occurred inside the office of Dunder Mifflin Scranton.