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The Office has no shortage of eclectic characters with the sitcom boasting a cast of some of the most weird and complex employees at the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company. While most of the characters are loved by fans, one character received plenty of hate and it is none other than Melora Hardin’s Jan Levinson who played a major recurring role in the series.
Melora Hardin played Jan Levinson in The Office (Credit: NBC).Despite the fan hate her character receives, Hardin has argued that there is another side to the character that most fans miss to notice. Instead, the actress explained why Hardin is simply not the one-note control freak fans believe her to be and is a much more complex character. Here is what Hardin had to say in defense of Jan in The Office.
Melora Hardin believes fans are wrong for hating Jan in The Office
Actress Melora Hardin is best known for essaying the role of Jan Levinson in the hit sitcom The Office. She is the Vice President of Northeast Sales at Dunder Mifflin. Jan later starts a dysfunctional relationship with Michael Scott played by Steve Carell.
Melora Hardin defended Jan in The Office (Credit: NBC).Jan’s relationship with Michael, especially her controlling nature and treatment of him as an immature man-child resulted in most fans hating the character. However, Hardin argued that Jan was more complex than fans understood.
I just loved her, I always loved her. And I really hate when people walk up to me and say ‘Jan’s such a b****.’ I’m like ‘Clearly, you weren’t watching very closely.’ Because she’s so much more than that…She has her moments, for sure.
Hardin made the above statement in an interview with Today, where she admitted that she loved playing the multi-dimensional character.
From Hardin’s words, it is evident that the actress disagrees with fans hating Jan and her choices. As a result, Hardin seemed to argue that despite her flaws, especially in handling her relationship with Michael the character was only human and received unwarranted hate from fans for simply pursuing her ambitions.
Jan’s choices in The Office remain questionable despite Melora Hardin’s defense
Despite Hardin highlighting the character’s complexity, a majority of the disdain for Jan stems from her treatment of Michael in the season 5 episode Baby Shower. Fans have discussed on Reddit how Jan not only splits up with Michael but also asks him not to date Holly.
Jan’s mistreatment of Michael in The Office remains disliked (Credit: NBC).Jan’s controlling nature and her fallout with Michael culminate in the former opting for artificial insemination in her bid to raise a child. However, Jan still wants Michael to be the baby’s father but excludes him from the actual birth, which leaves him deflated.
Hardin’s defense of Jan seems to stem from the idea that she is an ambitious corporate woman who has little time to start a family. As a result, her controlling nature around Michael can be explained since she sees him as a potential partner in raising a child. However, Jan’s excluding Michael from the baby’s birth is already hurtful. Asking him not to date Holly makes her actions questionable since it represents her continued mistreatment of Michael.
The Office is streaming on Peacock.
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