Review of ‘The Office’ spinoff ‘The Paper’ written by a former newspaper owner
“The Paper” on Peacock is a true sequel to “The Office” on NBC, but with an almost-all-new cast. If you liked “The Office,” you’ll like “The Paper,” just give it a few episodes.
The in-story documentary crew who filmed the everyday life of the Dunder-Mifflin paper supply company in “The Office” are now filming their next documentary. Their new subject matter is a small-town newspaper in Ohio attempting to survive and revitalize themselves in the digital age.
The Toledo Truth Teller newspaper is owned by a toilet paper manufacturer, and the newspaper is sort of an afterthought in their business. They promoted one of their best salespeople, whose passion is journalism, to the editor position. This is Ned, played by Domhnall Gleeson.
Ned only has one true writer on his staff, Mare, played by Chelsea Frei. The rest of his staff basically have no newspaper experience, except for the dramatic, self-centered Esmerelda, played by Sabrina Impacciatore, whose only experience is with writing click-bait articles, and Barry, played by Duane R. Shepard Sr., who is way past his prime. Can Ned turn his staff into real journalists and make the paper a success? You’ll know by the last episode of the first season.
“The Paper” has all of the elements that made “The Office” a success, but there’s really no direct comparison of the characters in the new show to ones in the old one, except for Oscar Martinez, played by Oscar Nuñez, the only returning character. He’s just as funny as he was before. But Ned is no Michael Scott. The role of the clueless boss really goes to two different characters who play Ned’s bosses.
Yes, there are still office romances, and if you didn’t like the cringy scenes in “The Office,” they’re still here in “The Paper.” There are a couple of small direct ties to “The Office,” which I won’t spoil, but for the most part, this is its own story, but presented the exact way “The Office” was. It’s just as funny, engaging, and fun as the original, and the characters are just as quirky.
It took me a few episodes to really get into the show, so don’t give up on the first couple of episodes. I wish the episodes were going to be released one each week instead of all at once, and I also wish it were on NBC instead of just Peacock. I think both those things would help generate more buzz for the show. But the good news is, it’s already been renewed for a second season!
I must also add that I used to own and run a couple of small newspapers, so the subject matter is perfect for me. I’d also like to give the writers kudos for the accuracy of what it’s like to work in a newspaper office, down to the titles of the episodes.
All 10 episodes of “The Paper” are available on the Peacock streaming service starting Sept. 4, 2025.
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