In a world where everything can seem so intense and stressful we often turn to our televisions to embrace a fictional world with the intention to decompress. Afterall, Nicole Kidman did say, “we go somewhere we’ve never been before; not just entertained, but somehow reborn.” However, it has become increasingly more challenging to find media that can remove you from the chaos of the outside world, even momentarily. Fresh news headlines are released seemingly every other minute, uncertainty and tension loom in every corner of the worldwide web, and anxiety fills our workplaces. This is why I was so profoundly glad to hear that the producers of one of the highest-grossing television shows ever produced, The Office, were picking their cameras up again and getting back to work with a fresh, new series called The Paper.
I have watched The Office countless times and could most likely recite the entire show word for word (that includes the extended superfan episodes). Upon the announcement of this “spin-off” I was scared—no, I was frightened. I was absolutely frightened that any continuation of the preexisting series may ruin it for myself and thousands of other fans. Despite my apprehensive nature I decided that it would be a betrayal to The Office community if I did not watch the 10 episode series, and one fateful night I cozied up in my bed, grabbed my snacks, and pressed play on The Paper.
Only seconds into the show I had come to the conclusion that it would be the best successor to The Office that I could’ve imagined. Aligning with workplace comedies such as Parks and Recreation or even the more recent Abbott Elementary, The Paper weaved together tales of everyday challenges, uncommon friendships, and a light goofiness. While most of the characters are completely new to us, Oscar Martinez, played by Oscar Nuñez, remains on the show and they allude to the idea that the film crew is composed of the same individuals as well, despite the fact that we do not see the film crew in the show.
Instead of Dunder Mifflin, the show now follows the Toledo Truth Teller, a newspaper owned by a large paper company, Enervate, that sells everything from toilet paper to cleaning gloves. We are quickly introduced to all the members of this dynamic workplace before meeting the male lead of the show, Ned Sampson, played by Domhnall Gleeson. Ned Sampson was a well established toilet paper salesman for Enervate’s Softies brand before turning a new leaf and taking up the shiny title of being the Toledo Truth Teller’s Editor-in-Chief.
Watching as Ned brings the local newspaper to life feels like a victory for anyone watching. It’s light-hearted, warm, and the perfect escape from everyday life. I am now eagerly awaiting Season 2 because I finished the 10 episode series in two days. What can I say? I am just a girl who loves sitcoms. Overall, I think producers Greg Daniels and Michael Koman have done a wonderful job preserving the essence of The Office while executing this new venture. With any new TV show I am excited to see how they further develop each character and storyline, but I have an inkling that this show will perform well in the years to come.