Launching a spiritual follow-up to The Office is no small assignment, especially when it’s from Greg Daniels and set in the same universe. The Paper, now streaming on OSN+, arrives with that weight on its shoulders. And while it doesn’t collapse under the pressure, it doesn’t soar either. There’s promise here; in the characters, in the newsroom setting, in its small-town chaos. But across its first season, the show toggles between sharp and sleepy, giving us flickers of greatness wrapped in a layout that still needs editing.
The Paper is a solid soft launch for a show that could evolve into something special. But for now, it’s more byline than boldface.
- Strong core cast with room to grow
- Occasional standout episodes
- Warm, understated tone that avoids overkill
- Leans too heavily on The Office nostalgia
- Underdeveloped side characters
- Tries to be both sharp satire and light sitcom
Set in the fictional Rust Belt town of Thistle, Pennsylvania, The Paper follows the day-to-day grind of the staff at the struggling Thistle Gazette. The documentary crew from The Office is now embedded with this small newsroom, hoping to capture the slow death – or surprise revival – of local journalism. The premise is solid. The cast is even better. And yet, for much of Season 1, the spark feels buried under too many safe choices and too little narrative tension.
Domhnall Gleeson plays Ned Sampson, a principled but awkward editor-in-chief trying to steer a sinking ship with optimism and transparency. He’s earnest, and Gleeson brings a warm awkwardness to the role that works. But the show doesn’t always give him enough to do. Opposite him is Sabrina Impacciatore as Esmeralda, the fiery managing editor who enters like a wrecking ball and keeps yelling after the dust settles. She’s… a lot. Divisive, erratic, sometimes funny, often exhausting. And maybe that’s what the showrunners are going for, but the show leans a little too hard on her chaos instead of building smarter ensemble rhythms.
Where The Paper really works is in its supporting cast. The reporters, interns, and circulation staff each get small but memorable moments, and they help ground the show when the main story feels thin. Mare, in particular, quietly becomes the heart of the newsroom. Episodes like “The Leak” and “Publisher’s Note” stand out because they mix humor with genuine insight into how small papers operate under pressure. The show’s commentary on misinformation, shrinking newsrooms, and public trust is woven into these everyday moments rather than delivered through speeches, which makes it feel more authentic.
Stylistically, The Paper sticks to the mockumentary format but dials down the chaos. There’s less zoom-happy camera work and more patience in how scenes unfold. That restraint helps in some moments, especially during character beats or awkward silences, but it also exposes how uneven the writing can be. When the jokes aren’t landing or the momentum stalls, the stillness starts to drag. The 10-episode run has more than a few slow stretches, especially early on. It’s not until around Episode 4 that the show starts to feel like it knows what it wants to be.
Comedy-wise, The Paper leans heavily on awkward silences, staff bickering, and personality clashes – just like its predecessor. But where The Office balanced its cringe with character-driven warmth, this show doesn’t always deliver the same emotional payoff. The jokes can feel scattered: some dry and subtle, some broad, and others that fizzle out entirely. The strongest laughs usually come from unexpected physical gags or throwaway one-liners, rather than anything built up or cleverly structured. It’s funny, sometimes. But rarely memorable.
To its credit, The Paper is trying something harder than it seems. Balancing comedy with media commentary is a tightrope walk. And even when it stumbles, the show doesn’t fall flat. It has heart. There’s a real affection for its characters and their mission, even if that mission is clinging to relevance in a digital world that’s already moved on.
What will decide The Paper’s longevity is whether it chooses to grow or coast. Season 1 lays the groundwork, introduces a likeable (if underdeveloped) cast, and hints at more meaningful arcs. But right now, it’s still too tethered to The Office’s playbook. You can feel the ghost of Michael Scott in Esmeralda’s rants. You can hear the echoes of Jim and Pam in awkward newsroom glances. The DNA is familiar. But the show needs to mutate a little to stand out.
If you’re in the mood for something comforting, slightly chaotic, and occasionally clever, The Paper is worth checking out. Just don’t expect a headline-worthy debut. Yet.
