'The Paper' Review: A Promising But Uneven Spin-Off From 'The Office' Creators

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

When The Office signed off in 2013, it left a mockumentary-sized hole in comedy television. Few shows have matched its blend of deadpan humour, awkward silences, and unexpected warmth. Twelve years later, Greg Daniels and Michael Koman return with The Paper, the first official spin-off, now streaming on OSN+ in the UAE. Instead of selling paper, this series is about making it - literally. The Toledo-based newsroom of Toledo Truth Teller becomes the latest stage for workplace dysfunction, satire, and a surprising amount of heart.

As a journalist, I felt an extra layer of connection to The Paper. Its grievances with modern-day newsrooms are spot-on: skeleton crews cobbling together wire copy (“Elizabeth Olsen reveals her night-time skin routine”), websites drowning in banner ads, and editors proudly parading clickbait like“You Won't Believe How Much Ben Affleck Tipped His Limo Driver.” These gags land early in the pilot and prove that Daniels and Koman know exactly what they're skewering. The show nails the absurdity of local journalism's survival struggle with sharpness and humour.

A cast of misfits, with mixed spotlight

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At the centre is Ned Samson (Domhnall Gleeson), a newly appointed editor-in-chief, brimming with idealism and perhaps too much faith in the power of print, though with no actual experience of working in a newspaper. That said, he's a great salesman. And that's who newspaper businesses are eyeing.

Gleeson does a good job increasing the relatability of his character, specifically for journalists who embark on a journey to change the world through print.

Sabrina Impacciatore (White Lotus) shines as managing editor Esmerelda Grand, straddling ego and insecurity in a newsroom barely holding together.

Chelsea Frei's Mare, meanwhile, injects manic energy into otherwise mundane editorial meetings. In a way, she's to The Paper what Pam is to The Office.

And then there's the familiar face: Oscar Nuñez, reprising his Office role as Oscar Martinez. Here, he's pivoted from Scranton accountant to arts and puzzles - a role he describes as“surprisingly satisfying” for his character. His presence is nostalgic comfort food for Office fans, but it's clear the writers are slow-cooking his arc, as well as several other ensemble players. Like The Office's own wobbly first season, the show seems willing to take its time fleshing out the characters beyond the central ones.

This restraint is both a strength and a weakness. While Gleeson, Impacciatore, and Frei command most of the attention, others risk fading into caricature. The chemistry isn't quite there yet, though the potential is undeniable.

Mockumentaries, refreshed

The mockumentary style is now familiar to audiences, sometimes too familiar. The Paper acknowledges that risk but manages to keep the format fresh. Deadpan stares and awkward pauses remain intact, but cinematographers and a team of directors (many with The Office pedigree) bring a different texture. The newsroom set, cramped and chaotic, feels alive. As the cast noted in interviews, even the camera crew became part of the ensemble, moving around seamlessly.

Where The Office mined humour from mundane office politics, The Paper finds its bite in journalism's clash between integrity and survival. It's a different kind of workplace comedy - one with higher stakes, even if, as castmember Alex Edelman, who plays accountant-turned-reporter Adam, joked,“they're literally sitting next to a toilet paper company.”

Across its ten-episode first season, The Paper is uneven but steadily improving. Some episodes drag, weighed down by overlong gags or underdeveloped character beats. Others soar, striking the same balance of absurdity and poignancy that made The Office a cultural touchstone.

When it works, it really works: a throwaway headline becomes a critique of clickbait culture, or a petty newsroom squabble reveals the fragile pride and passion that keep local journalism alive. The humour isn't as immediately laugh-out-loud as The Office, but it's sharper in its satire, aiming squarely at our fractured media ecosystem.

Final verdict

The Paper doesn't yet resonate with the emotional heft of its predecessor, and that's okay. Few shows did in their first season. The pilot delivers clever setups, the middle episodes wobble, and the finale hints at a broader, more confident direction. It feels like a show that understands it needs time to grow - just as The Office did before it became iconic.

For journalists like me, it's fun to see a mockumentary set in a newsroom. For casual viewers, it's a new workplace playground with familiar DNA. If Daniels and Koman can smooth out the inconsistencies and broaden the ensemble's depth, The Paper could well become the newsroom comedy we didn't know we needed.

The Paper

Creators: Greg Daniels, Michael Koman

Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Oscar Nunez

Stars: 3/5

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