The Paper, the first major follow-up to The Office (US), has returned for its second season, and the gang behind the Toledo Truth Teller is finally starting to find its feet. The question is, will they find their audience before the tricky state of the industry takes its toll? The hilarious mockumentary picks up not long after the end of the first season. They’ve just won an Ohio Journalism Award, with Mare (Chelsea Frei) and Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) trying to make their relationship work. Meanwhile, Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore) is still annoyed that she isn’t in charge anymore, and the rest of the team keeps trying to keep independent journalism alive. 

It’s naturally hard not to compare it to the original show, and I worry that unfairly puts off audiences, but you shouldn’t let that comparison stop you from watching. I really believe that the show is really strong and deserves to be seen by more people. It does feel a bit like a second half of a longer traditional season, but that doesn’t take away from its strengths. It keeps the same style and tone that made the original so beloved, yet it still feels fresh to watch a new set of characters. It helps that all of them have unique characteristics that make them a hilarious watch, whether that’s the chaotic nature of Esmeralda (who has a much stronger storyline this season) or the comically stubborn nature of Ned. 

I was particularly pleased to see more from the other characters, such as Detrick (Melvin Gregg), Nicole (Ramona Young), Adelola (Gbemisola Ikulemo) and Travis (Eric Rahill), and Lisa Gilroy is also a great addition as the oversharing HR officer. One of the best parts of The Office was how strong and cohesive the ensemble was, and The Paper echoes that feeling in abundance. 

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Importantly, the writing still nails the difficult balance between stupidity and hilarity. The characters often teeter on the edge of feeling like caricatures of real people but always get brought down to earth at the perfect time, making for some really funny moments. Because they’re based in a small local newspaper, they have a bit more freedom with story options than Dunder Mifflin, and they take advantage of that with some big swings. I particularly enjoyed Esmeralda getting confused between a Haunted House and a Halfway House for an article, as well as the camera crew following Mare and Ned for their first weekend away.

Unfortunately, we’re in an era when it’s incredibly hard for shows to fully take off, with Not Suitable For Work and Spider-Noir examples of strong shows cancelled recently. It remains to be seen if the same will happen with The Paper, with Gleeson hinting at the uncertainty of a third season in a recent interview. I’m hopeful this show comes back, and it feels like one that deserves an old-school twenty-plus-episode season. The cast and the team behind it are doing a really good job of navigating and creating a comedy in a world with a lot of pressure, both in terms of the comparisons to the original and the trickiness of keeping it going, and I can’t help but feel that if they are given the chance to keep shining, we will undoubtedly have another genre-defining comedy in our hands.

In the meantime, The Paper remains a must-watch comedy that deserves the chance to soar up your favourite programmes list.

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Streaming on NOW TV and Peacock from September 11th / Domhnall Gleeson, Chelsea Frei, Oscar Nunez, Sabrina Impacciatore,  Melvin Gregg, Ramona Young, Gbemisola Ikulemo / Created by Greg Daniels / Peacock

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