The case has been made that with the landscape of television and movies right now, original stories are a rarity. Every “new” release is actually a modern continuation of an old classic that’s become part of the zeitgeist, whether it be “That 70s Show” or “The Devil Wears Prada.” Given this, it’s easy to judge media before consuming it.
“The Paper” is a television series set in the world of “The Office” about a historical newspaper and a group of employees who are trying to bring it back to its former glory. It’s natural to search for its connections to its predecessor, especially considering the return of characters like accountant Oscar Nunez.
The archetypes of the oblivious-but-sweet boss and the deadpan employee that Steve Carell’s Michael Scott and John Krasinski’s Jim Halpert invented appear at first present with this new show. “About Time” star Domhall Gleason plays Ned Sampson, the recent hire of the Toledo Truth Teller newspaper, as he takes on the role of editor-in-chief.
Though head of his respective office, he is not like Michael Scott at all. He has heart and inspiration but is more-so ambitious than he is oblivious. And neither is Chelsea Frei’s Mare Pritti. Though she looks to the camera in moments of self-awareness like Jim Halpert, her character is much less miserable. She just lacks the inspiration that Sampson comes to provide.
In this way, the era of self-aware humor so prevalent in 2000s comedies that came to head with movies like “Deadpool,” is absent in this new rendition. Instead, there is a sense of sincerity and sweetness with a clear intention in the writing to affirm a sense of hope and joy.
In the context of 2025, it’s no surprise that this sincerity is such a clear part of the show’s DNA. Now more than ever, it’s important to be earnest. There is simply too much in the world going with ongoing genocides, mass deportations and financial instability to not take one’s self seriously.
Though the return to the world that “Dunder Mifflin” is set in may seem at first expected or predictable, “The Paper” proves itself to be a refreshing take on a television spin-off. It may not focus on the same company or characters as the original show, but it maintains the spirit and fun that made it such a classic in the first place, not to mention the vitality of local news.
In an exclusive interview with The Highlander, when asked what they find the importance of “The Paper” to be in 2025, actors Chelsea Frei, Ramona Young and Melvin Gregg shared that what the show identifies is the necessity of local news when it comes to reporting trustworthy local information. What social media and massive news organizations miss out on is the specificity and power of local news in intense situations. Big organizations cannot tell you things like what roads are open in one’s town after a fire quite like a local newspaper, as Frei explained.
Verdict: Whether it be for its escapism, its important message of local news in modern society or its “return” to a nostalgic world, “The Paper” is absolutely worth the watch.
