# They're the Same Picture
> They're the Same Picture" is a two-panel image-macro meme originating from *The Office* (2011), where Pam compares identical images, popularized as a 2018 template for equating any two things.
"They're the Same Picture" is a two-panel exploitable meme from the TV series *The Office*, where the character Pam presents two identical images and declares them the same picture. The scene aired in May 2011, but the format didn't take off as an editable meme until June 2018 when a Reddit user swapped the photos to compare Fortnite to trash. It became one of the most versatile comparison templates online, used to equate two things as identical, whether as an insult or a compliment.
## Origin
The source scene comes from "Search Committee," the Season 7 finale of *The Office*, which aired on May 19, 2011[1]. In the episode, acting manager Creed Bratton (played by the real Creed Bratton) takes over after regional manager Deangelo Vickers falls into a coma[2]. Pam Beesly (played by Jenna Fischer) tries to keep Creed distracted so he doesn't wreck the office with his incompetence[2]. One of her tactics: she hands him two identical photos and asks him to find the differences between them. After leaving the room, she turns to the documentary camera and says, "They're the same picture"[1].
The unedited screenshots circulated online for years as a simple reaction image, posted when someone wanted to say they couldn't tell two things apart[3].
- **Platform:** NBC's *The Office* (source scene), Reddit (meme format)
- **Creator:** Unknown (first exploitable posted to r/MemeEconomy)
- **Date:** 2011 (scene aired), 2018 (meme format)
## Overview
The meme uses two screenshots from *The Office*. The first panel shows two side-by-side images (edited in by the meme creator) with the caption: "Corporate needs you to find the differences between this picture and this picture." The second panel shows Pam Beesly looking into the camera with a tight, knowing smile and the text: "They're the same picture"[2].
The joke works in two directions. The most common use insults something by placing it next to trash, feces, or anything universally disliked, with Pam's line delivering the punchline[1]. But it also works as a compliment, comparing a subject to something perfect or beloved[3]. The format is flexible enough to swap in text blocks, logos, screenshots, or any pair of images the creator wants to equate.
## How It Spread
The format's life as an exploitable meme began on June 22, 2018, when a user on Reddit's r/MemeEconomy posted an edited version replacing the two photos with the Fortnite cover art and an overflowing trash can[3]. The post pulled in over 26,000 upvotes[3].
Within days, the template spread across Reddit. On June 23, 2018, a post on r/garlicbreadmemes flipped the format into a compliment, comparing garlic bread to heaven and earning over 890 points[3]. The same day, a r/MemeEconomy post worked in a Loss reference[3]. On June 25, a wholesome edit appeared on r/MemeEconomy[3]. A r/bojackhorseman post used the template to joke about the show's protagonist hating himself, gaining over 1,400 upvotes[3].
From Reddit, the meme jumped to Instagram meme pages, Facebook groups, and humor sites across the web[1]. The format proved durable because it works for almost any comparison. Users Photoshopped other characters or public figures over Pam, placed text where the images should be, or stripped the format down even further[2]. As the template became universally recognizable, people started simply posting two images side by side with the text "they're the same picture," skipping the *Office* screenshots entirely[2].
The meme also spread as a reaction GIF of the original scene, used without editing in reply threads to call out two things that look suspiciously alike[1].
## How to Use
The standard format uses two panels:
1. **Panel one:** Place two images, logos, text blocks, or any pair of subjects into the spots where the photos would be. Add the caption "Corporate needs you to find the differences between this picture and this picture."
2. **Panel two:** Pam's face with "They're the same picture."
## Cultural Impact
"They're the Same Picture" is part of a long tradition of *The Office* generating meme formats. The show aired its finale in 2013 but kept producing new memes for years after, with this template breaking out a full seven years after the episode aired[2]. The "Search Committee" episode, written during the search for Michael Scott's replacement, became one of the show's most memeable moments despite being a relatively low-key scene[4].
The meme's longevity comes from its extreme versatility. Unlike memes tied to a specific punchline or cultural moment, "They're the Same Picture" works for any situation where someone wants to equate two things. This made it a go-to format during online debates, fandom arguments, and pop culture discourse, where it often popped up with new trends and controversies[2].
## Fun Facts
- The episode "Search Committee" was an hour-long season finale, one of *The Office*'s longer episodes[2].
- Ricky Gervais, creator of the original British *Office*, made a brief guest appearance in the same episode reprising his role as David Brent[4].
- The meme sat dormant as an unedited reaction image for roughly seven years before someone thought to make it an exploitable template[3].
- The first known exploitable was an anti-Fortnite joke, hitting during the peak of Fortnite backlash culture in mid-2018[3].
- The format works as both an insult and a compliment, which is unusual for comparison memes that typically lean one way[1].
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What is "They're the Same Picture"?
It's a two-panel meme from *The Office* where Pam Beesly presents two images and says they're the same picture. People edit in their own images to compare two things they consider identical[1].
### Where did "They're the Same Picture" come from?
The scene is from *The Office* Season 7 episode "Search Committee," which aired May 19, 2011. It became an editable meme format starting June 22, 2018, on Reddit's r/MemeEconomy[3].
### What does "They're the Same Picture" mean?
It means two things are essentially the same, even if they're not literally identical. The meme makes the comparison humorous by framing it as Pam's deadpan observation[2].
### How do you use "They're the Same Picture"?
Place two images or text blocks in the first panel with the "Corporate needs you to find the differences" caption, then show Pam saying "They're the same picture" in the second panel. Use it to equate two things, either as an insult or a compliment[1].
### Is "They're the Same Picture" still popular?
The format peaked in 2018-2019 but still sees regular use when comparison jokes come up. As of 2018 source reporting, it was spreading rapidly across Reddit, Instagram, and Facebook[1].
### Who are the characters in the meme?
Pam Beesly (played by Jenna Fischer) delivers the punchline. The prank is played on Creed Bratton (played by the real Creed Bratton), who is acting as interim manager[2].
### What episode of The Office is the meme from?
"Search Committee," the Season 7 finale (Episode 24), which first aired May 19, 2011[1].
### What was the first edited version of the meme?
The first known exploitable compared Fortnite to a trash can, posted to r/MemeEconomy on June 22, 2018, earning over 26,000 upvotes[3].
### Can the meme be used as a compliment?
Yes. Early examples compared garlic bread to heaven, and wholesome edits appeared within days of the format going viral[3].
### Why did the meme take so long to become popular?
The episode aired in 2011, but the screenshots circulated as a basic reaction image for years before someone edited in new images in 2018, turning it into a flexible exploitable format[3].
## References
1. [They’re the Same Picture – Meaning, Origin, Usage]()
2. [They're The Same Picture: A Favorite 'The Office' Meme]()
3. [They're The Same Picture - Know Your Meme]()
4. [The Office (American TV series)]()
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Source: https://meme.com/memes/theyre-the-same-picture
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