Why Is ‘The Paper’ Connected To ‘The Office’ At All?
'The Paper' isn't a disaster – it's actually pretty good – but it makes no sense for it to be linked to 'The Office.'
Look, no one wants a sequel/reboot/localized adaptation of The Office at this point.
Both the UK and US versions of the mockumentary sitcom series hit the sweet spot of 2000s humor and still exist to rewatch on streaming services, so why keep rehashing the same idea ad infinitum? Hollywood’s obsession with nostalgia and failing to invest in new ideas needs to be a case study, because seriously, it’s out of hand now.
So, imagine the feeling when an Office follow-up/spin-off titled The Paper was announced a while back. Yeah, The Office showrunner Greg Daniels returned to provide his magic comedic touch, and the always outstanding Domhnall Gleeson leads a talented cast, but again, is this show necessary in 2025? Truth be told, after watching the 10-episode first season, it remains a conundrum.
On its own, ‘The Paper’ succeeds
Surprisingly, The Paper works. It’s smart, funny, and pokes fun at modern journalism. As someone who has been in the industry for over a decade and a half, I couldn’t help but chuckle at how it absolutely nails the constant tug-of-war between the annoying demands of online SEO journalism and actual reporting. Do yourself a favor: If you only watch one episode, check out the pilot. There’s a scene that covers an article about how much Ben Affleck tipped a driver. Instead of getting to the meat of the matter like good journalism should, the post buries the lede and covers everything else until the bottom of the page where it finally reveals the answer. Every single person watching this episode can relate to being frustrated by this tactic at some point in their online adventures.
Despite throwing shade at modern journalism, even the gag that a toilet paper company is worth more than a newspaper nowadays, Daniels and Co. aren’t haters. As a matter of fact, The Paper acts as both a reminder about the importance of news organizations and a rallying call for journalists to not forget what’s important in their profession. Gleeson’s Ned Sampson fights for this on the show, demonstrating that where there’s a will, there’s a way to make it happen. Of course, it’s not always that simple, since most media publications are owned by corporate overlords who care more about views, search rankings, and advertising revenue than the value of news, but I digress.
‘The Paper’ didn’t need ‘The Office’ connection
Okay, so The Paper is good – no, make that very good. Season 1 of the show holds 83% critical approval rating and a 76% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. So, what’s the problem then?
Besides the little throwbacks to The Office – such as the location of the building, Oscar Martinez’s presence, and Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration giving a history lesson of what’s happened in Scranton, Pennsylvania since the last time – The Paper didn’t need to be tied to the other sitcom at all. Sure, from a marketing perspective, it makes sense. You’ll get more eyeballs on the show if it’s connected to a more established IP, but in this instance, it almost devalues the worth of The Paper.
Ned isn’t Michael Scott. Esmeralda Grand isn’t Dwight Schrute. Actually, no one here is an avatar of any character from the original cast. Everyone feels fresh and original, as does the overall storyline. Yes, there are workplace shenanigans, but that could be said about any show that features people working together – even CSI and Suits had their moments. It’s almost as if The Office link is forced into The Paper to create some type of shared universe of sorts.
Also, The Paper didn’t even need to be filmed as a mockumentary either. It isn’t too difficult to imagine it working just as well in the style of Arrested Development. The best scenes remain the ones between the characters interacting in a natural situation rather than the talking head segments that The Office is so famous for.
A little faith is all that was needed
It’s somewhat sad how someone – anyone – didn’t look at The Paper‘s scripts and say, “You know what? This is funny and excellent on its own. We don’t need to tie it to The Office at all. Let’s be entirely original.” The Paper possesses the quality and substance to stand on its own two feet, but when all is said and done, it’ll be remembered as nothing more than a spin-off of a show that’s already had way too many offshoots. As mentioned earlier, Hollywood’s nostalgia obsession will be the death of us all.
The Paper Season 1 is available to watch on Peacock.
