The 2025 TV schedule has offered up some high-profile titles over the past year, and another notable show is about to debut – The Paper. A spinoff of beloved NBC mockumentary series The Office, this Peacock show moves from the walls of a paper company to the halls of a newspaper aiming to stay afloat. Critics have now officially had the opportunity to check out the sitcom – which comes from returning producer Greg Daniels. And the reactions bring to mind the chats that people used to have about Jim and Pam.
Fans of The Office likely know the relationship between Pam Beesly and Jim Halpert, which featured a will they/won’t they dynamic early on. Ahead of The Paper’s debut, many seemed to have varying feelings about the prospect of visiting this fictional universe. In other words, there was pondering about “will I like it?” or “will I not like?” Well, now that pundits have screened the spinoff, some seem to be digging it, and others aren’t impressed. TheWrap’s Amber Dowling lauds the show for its sweet handling of the journalism profession:
Most importantly, ‘The Paper’ is a show with heart that doesn’t make fun of the dying newspaper industry. If anything it’s a love letter to journalism and the news, and reminds viewers of the importance of true reporting. From the opening credits, which feature an array of scenes with newspapers, to the underdog staff pumping out each issue to get to the heart of what’s happening in the community, you can’t help but root for this team with each successful issue.
Ally Johnson of The Playlist, however, doesn’t dig the series all that much. In her own review, Johnson critiques the “half-hearted” writing as well as the performance of lead Domhnall Gleeson’s performance (as a non-Michael Scott-like character). Additionally, Johnson is of the belief that there are several other key issues with the series:
Sloppily composed with no sense of logic or spark of life, there’s no draw to continue the series once the premiere stumbles its way to the credits. Not even Oscar Nunez reprising his role can generate any sense of fun. Despite the passion Ned is chasing and the idyllic hope he pushes onto the newspaper, none of it transfers over into the final product. Instead, it’s a listless, meandering series that feels both like a relic and forced, corporate-induced nostalgia-bait. It’s not worth the time and energy, and we quickly get the sense that the writers’ room realized that too little, too late.
The Paper is set in Toledo, Ohio, where the crew that famously filmed the employees at Dunder Mifflin are now following journalists at the Toledo Truth-Teller, a historic Midwestern newspaper contending with the shifting media landscape. Filing out this new ensemble is the aforementioned Domhnall Gleeson as well as Sabrina Impacciatore, Ramona Young, Tim Key, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Chelsea Frei and Alex Edelman. Also, as noted, Oscar Nunez reprises his role as Oscar Martinez from the OG show.
In his own review of the new show, Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone is relatively lukewarm (kind of like the iffy dynamic between Jim and Pam early on). However, Sepinwall also makes a point about the appeal that the show may have down the road:
The Paper doesn’t really work as a direct Office replacement, since even at its strongest, it never remotely approaches the comedic levels of its parent show. But it may at least function as a methadone-like substitute for fans who love the original but feel like they need to stop rewatching ‘Casino Night’ and ‘The Lover’ over and over again.
Liam Matthews of TV Guide says there are some laughs to be found within the Greg Daniels’ latest workplace comedy, and he praises some of the performances. However, based on Matthews’ assessment, this sitcom is disposable and, in making that point, he even referenced a certain film franchise:
The Paper is starting from an unenviable position, and the sense that it exists more for business reasons than creative ones never really goes away. Its inherently derivative nature means it can't be as good as its source material, in the same way that Jurassic World Rebirth isn't as good as Jurassic Park. It's afraid of alienating fans by being too different or too similar, so it takes the path of inoffensiveness. The Paper has funny jokes and enjoyable performances, and is pretty instantly forgettable — a disappointing outcome for any show, but doubly so for the follow-up to an unforgettable one.
Variety critic Aramide Tinubu is a bit higher on the series, however. While assessing Paper, Tinubu acknowledges that the show has a few “wrinkles” that need to be ironed out sooner rather than later. Yet she also expresses optimism about how things may unfold moving forward (and that’s a feeling that a lot of fans held onto as they watched Jim and Pam’s relationship evolve):
‘The Paper’ doesn’t immediately knock it out of the park, and as with ‘The Office’ and ‘Parks and Rec,’ it has some initial growing pains. Still, if it stays the course and gains a faithful audience, ‘The Paper’ has the potential to make a lasting impact while spotlighting a beloved and necessary industry that is long past its glory but certainly worth fighting for.
Viewers needn’t wonder about what lies ahead for The Paper after this inaugural season, as it’s already been announced that the show will return for a second season, per Deadline, that’ll air in late 2026. Obviously, that decision was made before reviews like the ones above dropped. While the show may be off to a somewhat bumpy start from a critical perspective, there’s still a chance that the mockumentary show can blossom in a great way – not unlike Pam and Jim’s relationship.
All episodes of The Paper will be available for Peacock subscription holders to stream starting on September 4. Fans can also use that same membership to stream all nine seasons of The Office.
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