Photo: Utsav Srestha on Unsplash
The Paper, the mockumentary spinoff of The Office, returned to Peacock on September 9 with all 10 episodes of its second season released at once. If you skipped season one or need a refresher, here's the rundown.
The setup
The same fictional documentary crew that followed Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch finds a new subject: the Toledo Truth Teller, a historic Ohio newspaper that has seen better days. Domhnall Gleeson plays Ned, who is trying to bring it back. With no budget to hire reporters, he gets the existing staff to do the reporting themselves.
The show comes from Greg Daniels, who developed the American version of The Office, and Michael Koman. Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter that the show's real villain is the internet: free news online, with the ad money going to Google. As a small site that doesn't run ads, we appreciate the premise.
Who's in it
Gleeson leads a cast that includes Sabrina Impacciatore as the paper's managing editor, Chelsea Frei as Mare, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young, and Tim Key. Oscar Nuñez is the familiar face from The Office, back as Oscar Martinez, now working at the paper and not happy to see the cameras again.
Where season 2 picks up
Season one ended with the Truth Teller winning three awards at the Ohio Journalism Awards, and with Ned and Mare sharing a kiss. In season two, Ned goes looking for a big investigative cause and takes on a local private club, which puts the paper at risk, while he and Mare try to figure out their relationship.
Is it good?
Reviews are mostly positive, though cooler than for season one. RogerEbert.com's critic found the new season uneven: pleasant, with sharp moments, but not likely to earn the endless rewatches The Office gets. CBR's reviewer called the show an underrated gem, while saying the Ned and Mare romance loses some spark once it becomes official. Early Rotten Tomatoes scores for the season landed in the 80s.
Viewers are showing up either way. ScreenRant reported that The Paper became the No. 1 show on Peacock after the new season dropped.
Peacock renewed the show for season two before season one even premiered. We'll update this post when there's news on a third season.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, RogerEbert.com, CBR, ScreenRant.