Does 'The Paper' Deserve a Spot on Your Watchlist? Here's What Went Wrong With 'The Office' Spinoff
The first season of The Office spinoff was rather disappointing. However, it's still worth waiting for the second season of The Paper, and here's why.
The spin-off of the legendary sitcom The Office, The Paper, has finally been released. The showrunner of the original series, Greg Daniels, wrote the script for the project.
The day before the premiere, the series was renewed for a second season without waiting for viewer reactions. Here's if the first season is worth watching and if it's worth waiting for the second season.
What Is 'The Paper' About?
Ned Sampson is the new editor-in-chief of the Toledo Truth-Teller, a publication based in Toledo, Ohio.
The ambitious young man has taken the helm of a subsidiary of the paper product manufacturer Enervate and now shares an office floor with the sales department of the Softies toilet paper company.
He faces ignorance from employees, resistance from management, jealousy, funding cuts, journalistic moral dilemmas, and inner demons.
In Every Way, 'The Paper' Is Not as Good as The Office
It's difficult to consider The Paper a direct sequel to The Office. The two shows are connected only by Oscar Nunez's character and a tenuous plot tie-in about the takeover of Dunder Mifflin.
Otherwise, The Paper is a completely new story about the Toledo Truth-Teller newspaper employees, who, under the guidance of the idealistic Ned, transition to active journalism.
Unfortunately, the spin-off lacks good jokes – too many of the gags rely on lowbrow humor. While The Office was an accurate satire of corporate culture, The Paper lacks credibility – its characters seem dull and uncharming.
'The Paper' Season 2 Is Worth Waiting For, but Only to See if It Deserves a Second Chance
In an attempt to replicate the success of the original, the creators have introduced cartoonish, obnoxious bosses: Ned himself; the narcissistic editor, Esmeralda; and the scoundrel from the head office.
Together, they still don't match Michael Scott's charm. The editorial staff, consisting of generic millennials, pales in comparison to the familiar characters of the Scranton branch.
The show touches on current issues in journalism, but they remain in the background of mediocre humor. The spin-off lacks the original's main advantages: recognition, relevance, and sharpness.
Despite using a successful formula, the creators were unable to breathe new life into it. However, considering that The Office didn't become a hit until its second season, The Paper still has a chance to improve.
What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'The Paper'?
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The Paper has 85% from critics and 74% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.
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On IMDb, the series has a score of 7.0/10.
Where to Watch 'The Paper'?
The Paper is available to stream on Peacock.
