Random Things Prove Ben Wyatt Is A Better Husband Than Jim Halpert (13 items)

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  (#1) Leslie's Happiness Is Ben's #1 Job

  When their relationship threatens Leslie's job, Ben quits so she can continue. When a new position would take him from Pawnee, Ben turns it down so they can stay together. A successful romantic partnership requires making someone else's happiness a priority, and Ben does just that.

  Jim definitely wants to make Pam happy, but he does take that job in Philadelphia. Considering all the problems it causes in their marriage, it wasn't the most selfless decision.
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  (#2) Ben Doesn't Bring Baggage To His Relationship

  You would think being impeached after two months as a teenage mayor might lead to a life of bitterness and misery. But that's not how Ben operates. He's a man who still has remarkable optimism for his wife's political career, despite his own crash and burn as a mini-mayor.

  Jim, on the other hand, always seems to feel that he's wasting his life, no matter how good things are going for him. That restlessness eventually takes him to Philadelphia, away from Pam and his daughter. It would be one thing if Pam was cool with the situation, but she clearly isn't.
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  (#3) Ben Doesn't Lose His Cool With Leslie

  Even the best relationships have rocky moments. Work, parenthood, and just day-to-day life take a toll. When Jim loses his cool with Pam in Season 9 of The Office, you can feel the pressure he's facing balancing his out-of-town job and his family. His outburst is understandable, but still awful.

  But stressed or not, Ben would never talk this way to Leslie. He responds to tough situations in a very specific way: by dressing up as Batman.
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  (#4) Ben Is Willing To Break Up With Leslie To Help Her Career

  Season 4 of Parks and Rec puts fans through the ringer. Leslie and Ben are together, but they can't stay that way if Leslie wants to run for office. So, they break up, and Ben gives Leslie a truly heartbreaking parting gift: a "Knope 2012" button.

  Taking Sting's "If You Love Somebody, Set Them Free" to heart, Ben pushes Leslie to follow her dream, even if that means (temporarily) saying goodbye to him. Compare that with Jim, who spends years quietly sabotaging Pam's existing relationship, only to become bored once they're actually together.
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  (#5) After Hearing Ben's Vows, You'd Marry Him Too

  When Jim tells Pam at their rehearsal dinner that he spent years pining for her, "waiting for his wife," you probably feel a lump in your throat. When Ben describes how he traveled the globe (or at least the Midwest) in search of Leslie, you probably fall in love.
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  (#6) Ben Doesn't Play Games

  Taking a cue from Cheers, Moonlighting, and pretty much every romantic comedy ever, Ben and Leslie don't get along at first. In fact, they can't stand each other for a while. Once they get together, though, Ben is all in.  

  Jim and Pam are another story. Pam does let Jim down when he confesses his love at the end of Season 2. But when Pam breaks up with Roy, Jim is all about Karen... even when he can clearly see that Pam is trying to mend their relationship.

  Basically, Ben is sincere in his affections. He never plays mind games with Leslie.
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  (#7) Ben Loves All Of Leslie

  Waffles. Scrapbooking. File folders. Presentations. Pawnee. Li'l Sebastian. Her team. Joe Biden. Leslie Knope is a woman of many deep and passionate loves, and Ben appreciates every one of them.  

  You could say the same thing about Jim's view of Pam, but Ben never tries to get Leslie to change even a little. In his eyes, she's perfect.
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  (#8) Even When He's Proposing, Ben Gives Leslie Her Say

  Yes, Jim's proposal to Pam at a rainy New Jersey gas station was lovely and quite visually arresting. But Ben's proposal has him beat, especially when he lets Leslie take over.
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  (#9) Ben Has Boundless Patience For Nonsense

  Ben briefly lives with Andy and April, arguably the two most immature characters on Parks and Rec. But rather than losing his cool, Ben tries his best to help them become functional adults. Whether it's teaching them how to do laundry or stressing the importance of cleanliness, he's there to lend a hand.

  And then there's Jim, who spends most of his working life at Dunder Mifflin going after Dwight for his never-ending supply of annoying habits. True, Dwight is a lot, but Jim's response to an irritating acquaintance is a far cry from Ben's.
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  (#10) Ben Is Perfect Dad Material

  If you need proof that Ben is the best dad ever, consider this: he takes his week off to bring his epic board game, the Cones of Dunshire, to glorious life. When you have Ben's energy, optimism, and wonderfully warped brain, anything can be fun.

  To Jim's credit, he was the creator of the Dunder Olympics, but that might not be the most exciting way for a kid to spend a Saturday.
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  (#11) Ben Has That Butt

  Jim's butt didn't figure prominently on The Office. Ben's rear end, though, is brought up nearly constantly on Parks and Recreation. That physical attribute might not matter to all romantic partners, but it certainly matters to Leslie.
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  (#12) Ben And Leslie's Flirting Never Includes Office Work

  Yeah, Pam and Jim are cute when they banter on the job. And when Jim makes Pam do stuff for him, it's a joke rooted in a whole bunch of backstory. But come on – making your significant other do your administrative work is just not cool.   

  Ben would sooner get a thousand paper cuts on his tongue helping Leslie stuff flyers than even jokingly demean her.
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  (#13) Ben Would Never Cheat

  It's depressing to consider, but there's some pretty compelling evidence out there that Jim cheats on Pam. There's Cathy Simms, who makes it her mission to seduce the guy, and that whole awkward moment at the Q&A where Jim basically confesses to messing up. All was clearly not harmonious in the Halpert-Beesly household.

  Even at his Baba Booey-spouting drunkest, Ben would never so much as look at another woman. Once he meets Leslie, that's it.

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