‘The Office’ spin-off ‘The Paper’ shows newspapers can still be cool today

MANILA, Philippines —  Dunder Mifflin is out, and Toledo Truth Teller is in – as “The Office” spin-off series “The Paper” switches its location from a paper and office wholesale company to a struggling regional newspaper, now available to stream on HBO Max in the Philippines. But does it live up to its critically acclaimed predecessor that defined an era of mockumentary sitcoms? And how does the series tell us about the current state of newspaper journalism?

“The Paper” focuses on the employees of Toledo Truth Teller, a once-respected newspaper now treated as a low-priority asset by its parent company, Enervate, as the paper merely publishes wire stories and lazy clickbait articles both in print and online.

Enter Ned Sampson (played by Domhnall Gleeson), a top-selling salesman of Enervate’s toilet paper brand Softees, who returns to his first passion: journalism. As the paper’s new editor-in-chief, Ned dreams of restoring the Toledo Truth Teller to its former glory.

With only one staff reporter left – the long-timer yet oblivious Barry – Ned recruits the help of Enervate’s other employees, who volunteer as part-time reporters: compositor Mare (Chelsea Frei), sales rep Detrick (Melvin Gregg), accountants Adelola (Gbemisola Ikumelo) and Adam (Alex Edelman), circulation staff Nicole (Ramona Young), and Softees staffer Travis (Eric Rahill).

The crew also includes a familiar face from “The Office”: Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nunez), now an accountant for Enervate. He reluctantly contributes puzzle games to the paper, while once again dealing with the intrusive documentary crew that famously followed him and his former colleagues at Dunder Mifflin.

This new direction for Toledo Truth Teller meets resistance from its colorful managing editor, Esmeralda Grand (Sabrina Impacciatore), and Enervate’s equally narcissistic corporate strategist, Ken Davies (Tim Key), as they both believe that Ned’s goal for the newspaper is a waste of time and money.

“The Paper” tackles common issues that the newspaper industry faces today, such as uncooperative news sources, the rise of online blogging, and editorial integrity at odds with corporate interests, to name a few – but with a more optimistic, humorous spin.

Much of the comedy comes from the adversarial relationship between Ned, Esmeralda, and Ken: from Esmeralda spitefully unsubscribing from wire services like the Associated Press to pressure reporters into churning out stories in Ned’s first issue, to Ned and Ken clashing over coverage of a controversy involving one of Enervate’s products, to Ned and Esmeralda switching places – with journo Ned writing a review of a beauty product and vanity-obsessed Esmeralda attempting an investigative piece with Mare.

The sitcom also features storylines outside their newsroom duties, notably the will-they-won’t-they dynamics between two pairs – Ned and Mare, and Detrick and Nicole – echoing the iconic Jim-and-Pam (John Krasinski and Jenna Fischer) romantic pairing from “The Office.”

Stylistically, “The Paper” shares a few comedic beats with “The Office,” but its tone feels closer to “Parks and Recreation” due to its upbeat nature, anchored in Ned being more like Amy Poehler’s optimistic and hardworking Leslie Knope than Steve Carell’s ignorant and self-absorbed Michael Scott, the latter having its equivalent in Esmeralda.

Much like “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation,” the sitcom patiently finds its footing in the first few episodes before settling comfortably in later ones, where it can easily stand on its own without being overshadowed as a spin-off.

Some of the series’ best scenes include the reporters on the field, such as Mare interviewing a retiring theater teacher she holds a grudge against, Esmeralda sensationalizing a story about locked restrooms in a park, Ned’s strong principles rubbing his colleagues the wrong way (especially Mare) and Oscar’s reluctance to appear on-camera again only to gradually accept the faceless crew’s presence.

One of the show’s major drawbacks is its short episode count of just 10. It’s understood that streaming shows tend to have fewer episodes than broadcast TV, but three more episodes could have helped the storytelling feel more rounded.

This tighter episode count also means missed opportunities. Since “The Paper” feels closer in tone to “Parks and Recreation,” it would have been nice to see an elaboration on the town’s politics – for example, a politician manipulating public opinion against the newspaper. These storylines could be tackled in future episodes, as the series has already been renewed for a second season before its premiere on its original streamer, Peacock.

What makes “The Paper” so timely is how accurately it portrays the issues plaguing the newspaper industry, especially in regional papers where it’s becoming harder to produce quality local stories that people will actually care to read while still adhering to journalistic ethics – all without being too defeatist in its messaging.

In classic sitcom fashion, the show barely resolves its conflicts, which may not reflect real life. But it inspires viewers, especially journalists, with hope that newspaper journalism can be great again today. Newspapers will inevitably have to deal with their own Esmeraldas and Kens, but it takes a Ned Sampson and his crew to show that print journalism is still here to stay for the long haul.