The Paper
Over a decade after the US version of The Office came to an end, show creator Greg Daniels returns with spinoff series The Paper. This series follows the same in-universe documentary crew who chronicled the workplace romances and zany happenings at the Scranton-based Dunder Mifflin Paper Company turn their attention to a small newspaper in Ohio, the Toledo Truth Teller. Despite the publication’s long history, the paper now specialises in clickbait articles and reposting syndicated celebrity stories. Ned (Domhnall Gleeson), a plucky journalist who aspires to be more like Clark Kent than Superman, arrives as the newly hired editor-in-chief with ambitious plans of reinvigorating the Truth Teller. Although this spinoff doesn’t have the same electricity that Steve Carell gave its predecessor, The Paper’s new collection of likeable coworkers and its penchant for deadpan delivery make it a worthy spiritual successor.
Stylistically, this mockumentary series functions identically to The Office. There’s plenty of shaky cam, sporadic zooms and intercut interviews that fans of the genre will be well-versed in. The deadpan delivery is likewise expertly crafted, with a lot of the humour coming from how mundane the day-to-day life is working for a corporation that also sells toilet paper. Some standout episodes follow the team scrambling to find original stories to meet print deadline and Ned becoming embroiled in a feud with a high school blogger.
Like both versions of The Office, the best part of this show is its ensemble of characters, which includes Oscar Nuñez reprising his role from The Office. Whether it’s the awkward enthusiasm of Gleeson or Tim Key’s bumbling and incompetent executive Ken, each character is as memorable and endearing as the last. However, the standout is unequivocally Sabrina Impacciatore as Esmerelda, a manager who’s eccentric and self-confident to an unapologetic degree. It’s a combination that sees her consistently get the best lines and makes her the most interesting person at the newspaper.
With some burgeoning office romances of its own, The Paper incorporates everything that worked about the award-winning global phenomenon while making it its own thing. Steve Carell may be nowhere in sight, but fans will undoubtedly appreciate what Daniels has achieved with his latest show.
Andrew Murray
The Paper is released on Sky on 5th September 2025.
Watch the trailer for The Paper here:
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