The Paper arrives on Peacock September 4, and if you’re craving more of that awkward, lovable documentary energy, The Paper firmly delivers.
The Paper is a mockumentary set in the same universe as The Office and opens with the documentary crew – the very people who followed Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch – hunting for a fresh subject. Their search lands them on The Truth Teller, a historic Toledo newspaper, and the show plugs straight into local newsroom chaos, old grudges and brand-new absurdities.
Ned Sampson, played by Domhnall Gleeson, is hired as the struggling paper’s new editor-in-chief and thinks he can restore the publication’s glory. Trouble is, the staff’s combined journalism experience is basically zero. In a painfully funny staff meeting Ned learns no one’s worked at a real paper before; one brags about writing a junior high term paper, another name-drops Twitter posts, and a third admits their main credentials are being in a group chat. For reasons only a sitcom logic board can explain, Ned doesn’t quit on day one – and that’s where the good stuff starts. The Paper spreads the focus keyword through every twist and workplace humiliation, using the newsroom setup to riff on modern media and legacy nostalgia alike.
Fans of the OG series get a jolt of recognition when Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nuñez) shows up. Oscar returns as a grumpier, saltier version of himself – and his crankiness towards the documentary crew is delicious to watch. The trailer teases ugly, hilarious reunions and gives longtime viewers little Easter eggs without turning the show into a nostalgia trap. Instead The Paper uses those callbacks to underline how the camera – and the people behind it – move on, even if some of their old subjects don’t.
There’s a charmingly oddball ensemble to follow beyond Ned and Oscar: Esmerelda (Sabrina Impacciatore), Mare (Chelsea Frei), Detrick (Melvin Gregg), Adelola (Gbemisola Ikumelo), Adam (Alex Edelman), Nicole (Ramona Young), Ken (Tim Key), Barry (Duane Shepard Sr.), and Travis (Eric Rahill). Each character brings a different flavor to the newsroom – some clueless, some theatrically confident, all vulnerable enough to be funny. If you like guessing which new face maps onto an old favorite, the show practically dares you to pick. Many will argue Esmerelda channels a Michael Scott energy, but The Paper keeps its own voice while tipping its hat to the past.
Behind the scenes, The Paper is run by creators and executive producers Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, who know the mockumentary beat intimately. Also listed as executive producers are Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant – the original British Office brains – plus Howard Klein, Ben Silverman and Banijay Americas. Universal Television produces the series, which sets up an intriguing interplay between veteran creators and fresh characters. The result is a tight four-episode premiere arc: The Paper drops two episodes every Thursday through September 25, giving viewers a steady drip of character beats and newsroom mishaps to chew on.
Peacock has released the first trailer and first-look episodic photos, which tease the tone perfectly: documentary cameras, awkward interviews, and newsroom hustle with a smirk. The show leans into both gentle satire and human embarrassment, and the focus keyword – The Paper – sits at the center of it all, describing not just the physical paper but the larger idea: rebooting institutions, reconciling past fame and finding humor in small-town ambitions. If you loved the slow-burn cringe and bighearted awkwardness of The Office, The Paper gives you that same itch scratched in a new, newsroom-sized way.
Whether you’re tuning in for the callbacks or coming for the new characters, The Paper promises a blend of nostalgia and fresh comedy. Mark your calendar for September 4 on Peacock, settle in for a four-episode opener, and get ready for newsroom chaos, petty disputes, and moments that feel uncomfortably real – in the best possible way.
Jamie Wells has a knack for getting the inside scoop on Hollywood’s biggest stars and up-and-coming talent. With a sharp eye for industry trends and an ear for viral moments, Jamie covers everything from red-carpet events to behind-the-scenes drama in movies, TV, and celebrity culture.
