The Office
The Paper is a mockumentary sitcom on Peacock and a direct spinoff of the American version of The Office. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, the series premiered on September 4, 2025 and follows the same fictional documentary crew that once filmed Dunder Mifflin, now turning its cameras on a struggling Midwestern newspaper called the Toledo Truth Teller. Domhnall Gleeson stars as Ned Sampson, an optimistic editor-in-chief trying to revive the paper with a staff that has almost no journalism experience.
The Paper Plot and Premise
The Paper centers on the Toledo Truth Teller, a historic Ohio newspaper gutted by budget cuts and the collapse of local media. The paper now shares office space with a toilet paper brand called Softees, both under a parent company named Enervate. Ned Sampson arrives as the new editor-in-chief with a plan to rebuild the Truth Teller into a real news operation, which mostly means drafting accountants, ad salespeople, and other non-reporters into becoming volunteer journalists. The comedy comes from the gap between Ned's ambition and the reality of the newsroom he inherited, filmed in the same fly-on-the-wall documentary style that defined The Office.
The Paper Cast and Characters
Domhnall Gleeson leads the cast as Ned Sampson, the well-meaning editor-in-chief. Sabrina Impacciatore plays Esmeralda Grand, the paper's interim managing editor whose media experience comes mostly from reality television. Chelsea Frei plays Mare Pritti, a former Stars and Stripes writer and the most capable reporter on staff, while Ramona Young plays Nicole Lee, who handles subscriptions. Melvin Gregg plays Detrick Moore, an ad salesman who volunteers as a reporter, and Gbemisola Ikumelo and Alex Edelman play accountants Adelola Olofin and Adam Cooper, both pulled into reporting duty. Tim Key plays corporate strategist Ken Davies. Duane Shepard Sr. plays Barry, the paper's senile veteran reporter, and Eric Rahill plays Travis, a Softees worker turned part-time reporter, both of whom became series regulars in Season 2. Oscar Nuñez rounds out the cast as Oscar Martinez, reprising his role from The Office as the head accountant.
How The Paper Connects to The Office
The Paper is set in the same universe as the American Office, not a separate remake. The documentary crew is the same one that spent nine seasons filming Dunder Mifflin in Scranton, and Dunder Mifflin itself still exists in this world, now folded into the Enervate corporation that owns the Truth Teller. The clearest link is Oscar Martinez, played again by Oscar Nuñez, who moved from Scranton accounting to the Toledo office and remains wary of having a camera crew follow him around. Greg Daniels, who developed the American Office, created The Paper with Michael Koman, and Office co-creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are among the executive producers. The show carries over the format and tone of The Office while building an entirely new cast of characters around it.
The Paper Season 1 and Season 2
Season 1 of The Paper ran for 10 episodes and premiered on Peacock on September 4, 2025. Season 2 followed on September 9, 2026, also with 10 episodes, released all at once rather than on a weekly schedule. The second season picks up with the Truth Teller staff coming off an Ohio Journalism Awards win and starting to resemble a functioning newspaper, with Barry and Travis promoted to series regulars. Peacock renewed the show for a second season before the first had even premiered.
The Paper Season 3
As of September 2026, there has been no official announcement from Peacock about a third season of The Paper. Greg Daniels has said "We're in the writers' room now for Season 3" though and that usually indicates that they are renewed, since the writers don't work for free, I know I wouldn't either.
Where to Watch The Paper
The Paper streams exclusively on Peacock in the United States, and both seasons are available on the service. As a Peacock original, the series is not carried on other major streaming platforms, so Peacock is the only place to stream it. The show typically drops all episodes in a single day, so it's not a weekly show.
