The calendar might say 2026, but watching NBC on a Monday night feels a little like 2005.
The time warp is courtesy of “St. Denis Medical,” a mockumentary-style comedy that’d be easy to describe to non-viewers as “‘The Office,’ if it took place in a hospital.” Both NBC shows have their quirky ensembles and talking-head interviews — and “St. Denis” now seems to have its own Jim-and-Pam romance, in the form of smitten nurses Matt (Mekki Leeper) and Serena (Kahyun Kim).
Matt and Serena’s blossoming romance was especially reminiscent of Jim and Pam’s in the March 30 episode, which ended with the pair’s long-awaited first kiss. The milestone took place at night in the St. Denis parking lot, much like Jim’s momentous confession of love to Pam took place in Dunder Mifflin’s parking lot in the Season 2 episode “Casino Night.” (Their first kiss followed a few scenes later, albeit indoors.)
“I watched that [‘Casino Night’] scene over and over again,” Kim tells TVLine. “It’s so funny being on the other side now and trying to dissect it. Like, what did they do? How did they do it? But with romantic storylines, what’s important is the story behind it. Yes, the kiss itself is also important, but it’s really their dynamic. Jim and Pam, they’re very similar from the get-go. Serena and Matt are just so different, and then they come together.”
She’d like to formally settle any debate about the two pairings, too: “I mean, I think we’re cuter. I’ll say it!”
Leeper isn’t ready to take quite so firm a stance — “I don’t know that I’m going to sit here and say we’re cuter than the most iconic sitcom couple ever made,” he laughs — but he’s also acutely aware of the Jim-and-Pam comparisons, and he’s grateful for them.
“The pressure is there, and we’re doing it at NBC, so of course that’s brought up to us,” Leeper adds. “And part of the reason we get to do this at all is because they made that show. More than anything, it’s just like, hey, it’s really nice that there are fans of this that are watching, and you just want to do a good job as Matt and Serena for everyone who watches.”
