The Paper
The Paper
Now Showing

The Paper

"Finally some good news."

7.2
Yr 2025
Status Returning Series
Comedy
Your Verdict
Unrated

Rate this show to unlock picks like it. Create a free account.

Back
Series Brief

Overview

The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a historic Toledo newspaper, The Truth Teller, and the eager publisher trying to revive it.

Critical Reception

What critics are saying

Score 74 /100

Critics generally received The Paper with warm appreciation, praising how effectively the mockumentary captures the spirit of The Office without lazily relying on cameos or old gags. Lead Domhnall Gleeson won strong marks for grounding the comedy with an earnest, engaging performance, while reviewers highlighted the show's timely exploration of the decline of local American journalism as a rich backdrop for workplace humor.

Some reservations surfaced regarding its pacing, with several critics comparing the series to the uneven first season of Parks and Recreation as its cast and storylines take time to settle in. A few detractors found the mid-2000s mockumentary style slightly dated or sluggish in the modern streaming era, but the broader consensus viewed it as a charming, sharp, and genuinely promising expansion of the franchise.

“Domhnall Gleeson makes Ned earnest and engaging as the centre of this charming, smart, thoroughly winning spin-off of the US version of The Office.”

“a solid bit of universe-building, far better than some uncomfortable spinoff that shoehorns in more of the original characters trying to do their old tricks.”

“The Paper‘s energy feels infectious thanks to sharp performances, writing, and editing.”

“Reminiscent of Season 1 of “Parks and Rec,” the first half of “The Paper” feels a bit clunky.”

Why fans love it

The Paper transplants the mockumentary format from a fading paper supply company to a struggling newspaper office in Toledo. Domhnall Gleeson leads an ensemble tasked with keeping a historic publication alive in the American Midwest, replacing mundane office banter with the increasingly desperate scramble to find relevance in a digital world.

By shifting the lens to a dying industry, the series retains the observational humor of its predecessor while grounding the comedy in the particular anxieties of local reporting. It captures the specific rhythms of Ohio life, observing characters who approach the absurdity of their situation with earnest, misguided ambition. The result is a study of how people cling to their professional identities even when the world around them has clearly moved on.

Featured Players

Cast

Credited 75
Regulars 13
Longest run 20 eps
Domhnall Gleeson
Domhnall Gleeson
as Ned Sampson
20 episodes
Sabrina Impacciatore
Sabrina Impacciatore
as Esmeralda Grand
20 episodes
Chelsea Frei
Chelsea Frei
as Mare Pritti
20 episodes
Melvin Gregg
Melvin Gregg
as Detrick Moore
20 episodes
Gbemisola Ikumelo
Gbemisola Ikumelo
as Adelola Olofin
20 episodes
Alex Edelman
Alex Edelman
as Adam Cooper
20 episodes
Ramona Young
Ramona Young
as Nicole Lee
20 episodes
Tim Key
Tim Key
as Ken Davies
20 episodes
Show 67 more
Oscar Nuñez as Oscar Martinez 20 episodes Eric Rahill as Travis Bienlien 20 episodes Duane R. Shepard Sr. as Barry Strokes 20 episodes Tracy Letts as John Stack 2 episodes Allan Havey as Marv Putnam 15 episodes Robert R. Shafer as Bob Vance 1 episode Nate Jackson as Nate 7 episodes Michael Koman as Floor Worker 1 episode Phoebe Neidhardt as Emma 1 episode David Theune as Envelopes Guy 1 episode Mo Welch as Kimberly 10 episodes Tawny Newsome as Harper Brewster 1 episode Matt Peters as Gary Gladstone 1 episode Nick Thune as Parks Worker 1 episode Zaire Adams as Teen at Park 1 episode Jillian Craighead as Teen at Park 1 episode Mary Hollis Inboden as Cindy 1 episode Nancy Lenehan as Ann Putnam 9 episodes Jay Pharoah as Martin Lawrence (voice) 1 episode Julia Butters as Davey 1 episode Michael Hitchcock as Mr. K 1 episode Aidan Laprete as Wesley Holzwanger 2 episodes Ethan Cole as Student 1 episode Gia Blakey as Student 1 episode Madison Calderon as Student 1 episode Maksim Cherkashin as Student 1 episode Samantha Desman as Student 1 episode Clare Frazier as Student 1 episode Quinn Frazier as Student 1 episode Alexis Frias as Student 1 episode Chance Greene as Student 1 episode Aubrey Grier as Student 1 episode Ian Kebets as Student 1 episode Ethan Manor as Student 1 episode Sam Oh as Student 1 episode Janine Poreba as Teacher 1 episode Josh Holloway as Josh Holloway 1 episode Isaac Stephen Montgomery as Detective Arnold 1 episode Clint Culp as Catfish Victim 1 episode Paige Herschell as Gloria Tornado 3 episodes Cherie Laurent as Catfish Victim 1 episode Lidia Porto as Catfish Victim 1 episode Molly Ephraim as Summer 3 episodes Paul McKinney as Frank Durham 1 episode Gary Ballard as Glen 1 episode Matt Braunger as Dan 6 episodes Joshua Hoover as Man 2 1 episode Leslie Thurston as Secretary 1 episode Alex Flores as Garcia 2 episodes Linda Park as Casting Director 1 episode Billy Briggs as Patrick 2 episodes Jesse Abbott Chin as Albert 1 episode Rich Grosso as Sewer Worker 1 episode Patrick Kang as Softees Worker 1 episode Roland De Leon as Dante 1 episode Zak Messinger as Mateo 4 episodes Tyler Jeffrey Smith as Albert 1 episode Dylan Alvarado as Kid 1 episode Luzma Ortiz as Mother 1 episode Sam Huntington as Chris 2 episodes Kailen Jude as Allan 2 episodes Lisa Gilroy as Lisa Graysh 6 episodes Toks Olagundoye as Jeanie Lever 5 episodes Andy Richter as Carl 2 episodes Phil Hendrie as Salty Peanuts 2 episodes Jon Lovitz as Todd Dumph 4 episodes Peter Elbling 2 episodes
Production Board

Crew

Director
Ken Kwapis Matt Sohn Jason Woliner Claire Scanlon Jeffrey Blitz Paul Lieberstein Yana Gorskaya
Set Decoration
Adrienne Garcia Ashley Bussell
Co-Executive Producer
Michael Levin Matt Sohn Megan Neuringer
Casting
Leslie Woo
Makeup Department Head
Autumn Butler Kelley Mitchell
Executive Producer
Stephen Merchant Howard Klein
Art Direction
Robert W. Joseph Chikako Suzuki Richard L. Johnson
Property Master
Scott Maginnis
Unit Production Manager
Tony Nahar
Consulting Producer
Alex Edelman Paul Lieberstein
Casting Assistant
Jalal Haddad
Production Design
Susie Mancini
Hair Department Head
Liliana Macias-Maggio
Producer
Matthew Nodella
Co-Producer
Amanda Rosenberg
Supervising Producer
L.E. Correia
Signal Match

Similarity

Where The Paper overlaps with other shows, and exactly what they have in common.

Keyword Cloud

Keywords

ohio mockumentary spin off newspaper office american midwest documentary crew follow-up
Technical Sheet

Details

First Aired
September 04, 2025
Status
Returning Series
Origin
US
TMDB Votes
103