I was late in coming to The Office (US), only really watching the programme for the first time well after it had ended. However, that hasn’t stopped me from watching it a few times since, nor has it stopped me from watching the various international spin-offs. The first season of The Office Australia, for example, was the topic of one of my reviews during the brief period of time I posted on YouTube towards the end of 2024. Funnily, I’ve never watched the original UK edition despite the weird interaction I had at Disney World earlier in the year when the ride attendant of Mission Space (a terrible ride at EPCOT) insisted British Comedy is better. A return to the beloved franchise was rumoured for many years (the show ended in 2013), but it wasn’t until recently that Greg Daniels, the creator of the show, decided to create a follow-up, which became known as The Paper.
This time around, the documentary crew that followed the workers at Dunder Mifflin are focusing their efforts on the Toledo Truth Teller, a historic but declining Midwestern newspaper trying to resurrect itself. There are some crossovers from the original show, with Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez) returning as part of the wider brilliant ensemble, but it’s predominantly a really fresh-feeling workplace comedy. For first-time watchers, there will undoubtedly be comparisons to the original characters, but there is no need to worry about whether they’re going to match up. If anything, comparing The Paper to The Office will only make you appreciate what is a brilliant replacement less than is deserved.
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As an audience, we mainly follow Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson), who is the Editor-in-Chief, as he optimistically tries to turn the paper around. Gleeson is an absolute delight to watch, and his character is easy to root for throughout. The end of the first season saw him and Mare (Chelsea Frei) get together, and the new season quickly picks up on those threads in a typical amusing ‘will they/won’t they’ fashion. Sabrina Impacciatore plays a hilariously flamboyant, slightly insecure managing editor who gets demoted as a result of Ned joining. I felt that her character was thin (and a tad annoying) in the first season, but I was pleased to see that they gave her more substance here, with her performances arguably being the standout in the back half of Season 2. Elsewhere, the rest of the ensemble all play their roles perfectly, and the addition of Lisa Gilroy for the season was a good touch (who weirdly seems to be in everything I’m watching at the moment!).
Having now watched the full second season, I would say there is a bit of an element that feels like the stories don’t move on as much as you would hope, but it’s still a strong season of TV. The writers focus on adding more depth to the characters throughout, which also works massively in its favour. I regularly miss the longer seasons of TV that were so popular in the early 2010s, and if you haven’t watched the first season, then you have a fun opportunity to relive those glory days by watching both seasons back to back whilst also falling in love with the show.
If you’re a fan of The Office US and looking for a new show to watch, then definitely give The Paper a go. It’s light-hearted, full of heart, and often feels more optimistic than The Office ever did. It’s got a strong cast that can clearly be relied on going forward, with everyone committed to the bit as much as the next. People have regularly asked whether the original format would work nowadays, and The Paper continues to prove that it just might.
The Paper is now available to watch on Peacock in the US or NOW TV in the UK.
The Paper / Domhnall Gleeson, Chelsea Frei, Sabrina Impacciatore, Oscar Nunez, Ramona Young / Greg Daniels / Peacock
