The Paper Season 1: From Dunder Mifflin to the Newsroom

 

The Paper has finally arrived this week on Peacock. Is it worthy of your viewing? Here are my thoughts on the first season of The Office spinoff.

A New Chapter, Same Crew

When I first heard about a spinoff coming from the world of The Office, I had to admit I was excited—it's way better than a revival or a reboot. Knowing that the same talented team that wrote, produced, and directed the original was involved only made me more interested. However, it was when I discovered that it was about a newspaper and journalism that really sealed the deal for me and made me even more eager to see it. This week, The Paper premiered all 10 episodes, and it lives up to the name as a spiritual spinoff of The Office.

The series features the same documentary crew that followed Dunder Mifflin, now filming a new documentary focusing on the Toledo Truth-Teller, a historic but declining newspaper trying to revive itself with a new editor-in-chief, Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson). However, things at the Paper aren't always so easy, as he’s working with a small crew that lacks extensive journalism experience.

Capturing the Heart and Soul

The relationship between Sampson and Mare Pritti (Chelsea Frei), the Paper's compositor, truly captures the heart of the series, much like the Pam and Jim vibe. Their chemistry is simply undeniable, whether they're just friends or eventually a couple. The season finale, which has been building throughout the season, hints at this shift, especially in the beautiful moment when they dance together at a wedding reception. It's a slow, heartfelt scene that really got to me.

Along with Gleeson and Frei, who would have expected that two troublesome characters, Ken Davies (Tim Key) and Esmeralda Grand (Sarbrina Impacciatore), would embody the spirit of Michael Scott and David Brent from The Office? And adding Oscar Martinez, from The Office, was a brilliant idea and fits well with this group. 

A Promising Start

After watching all ten episodes of the comedy series, I was filled with delightful, laugh-out-loud moments and a touch of nostalgia from its predecessor. Is it perfect? Not quite. Just like the first seasons of The Office or Parks and Recreation, it had its issues, including uneven character development and style. However, seeing these characters come to life makes me optimistic about their growth and the upcoming episodes when the show returns for its second season. Overall, I give the season an 8.5 out of 10.

What did you think of the first season of The Paper? Let me know in the comments below.

You can catch The Paper now streaming on Peacock.