Returning to the same universe as the hit mockumentary series The Office, The Paper has just released its full first season on Peacock, and it's been hit with some seriously mixed reviews. After watching the show myself, I have to say I feel the same way as the reviews. Totally torn. Let's dive into the best and worst qualities of the paper and whether it will last long term or fizzle out after a couple seasons. Warning, there will be spoilers.
Announced as a spin-off to the original mockumentary series, The Paper follows Don Gleason's character Ned Samson, following his career in the toilet paper sales business. Ned is now starting his new career as editor-in-chief of the Toledo Truth Teller, a dying newspaper branch. Much like Dunder Mifflin, which by the way was revealed to be shut down in the first episode, the Toledo Truth Teller struggles to compete with the new forms of journalism like bloggers, TV news, and even teen influencers.
From the moment I started watching The Paper, I immediately knew that Gleason would be the one to take it to the next level. To be honest, I think he alone might be the show's saving grace. The cast is solid. Mayor, Esmeralda, Detric, and Nicole are all incredibly enjoyable to watch, but are they as good as the original cast? I guess one season in is too soon to say, but I have my doubts.
On the other hand, I can confidently say that Ned Samson holds his own against the cast of The Office. While I hate to call him the new Michael Scott, many of his mannerisms and inflections are extremely reminiscent of not only Michael, but a bit of Dwight as well. To be honest, I feel like the trailer was a little misleading about his character. From the trailer alone, it seemed that while Michael Scott was goofy, and over the top, Don Gleason's character Ned was cool, calm, and collected. But that's not entirely true. His borderline delusional belief in the Toledo Truth Teller, despite the world telling him otherwise, reminded me a lot of both Michael and Dwight. He also appears a bit naive and happy-go-lucky on the outside, but reveals his expertise when it's needed.
One of the best scenes of The Office is in season 5, episode 23, when Michael makes a life-changing deal with David Wallace to get their jobs back after the Michael Scott Paper Company starts stealing clients from Dunder Mifflin. Throughout the first season of The Paper, while we haven't seen a moment quite as iconic, Ned's ideas to start from the basics of journalism, return to their roots, and focus on quality over quantity proves that he's qualified to bring the Toledo Truth Teller back to life.
The Office has one of the most unique forms of humor in TV history. From the moment it was released, it seems that many TV shows afterwards have tried to model its humor after The Office. While it may not have been the first, The Office series was certainly the first form of media to popularize the mockumentary style. From the trailer alone, it was evident that The Paper would be keeping this style alive, but I was still very hesitant to believe that it could fully replicate the original series' iconic comedy style. I can fully admit that I was mistaken. After watching the first season of The Paper, I was pleasantly surprised. It sounds weird to say, but the humor isn't trying too hard at all. That's the best way I can describe it. I found myself laughing at the small throwaway lines that probably weren't even scripted, which by the way is a testament to the actors as much as the writers.
I think I left my bagel in the bathroom. I was curious who the next big romance would be for The Paper. After all, the series has some pretty big shoes to fill. But it seems that they've already identified their Jim and Pam replacements, and Dwight and Angela for that matter. It wasn't until later that Michael's romance became the star of the show. But it seems that this time around, the boss's romance will take center stage. Ned and Mar's relationship will obviously be the one to attempt to replace Jim and Pam's series-long romance. From the moment the two bumped into each other in the pilot episode, I knew Ned and Mar would be the couple to watch for.
So, what are the reviews saying? The Paper reviews are incredibly mixed. The full first season debuted on September 4. So far, the series has received a 6.5 on IMDb, which is pretty low considering The Office has maintained a 9.0. However, what we do have to remember is that The Office received mixed reviews during its first season as well. IGN gave The Paper an eight out of 10, saying that the series is strong, but it moves too fast. And that may be due to the fact that it adopted the binge model format. Another prominent theory was that the paper's creators are attempting to streamline the process of getting an additional season approved already before the release of the first season. And well, it seems like they've succeeded. One day before the series premiered on Peacock, a second season was green-lit.
The question stands, is it as unique as The Office was? The reviews for the first season are in, and they couldn't be more divided. The Paper is a solid show, but can it really stand the test of time? The Paper falls short because people will always compare it to the original series, and no series will live up to The Office.