NBC's initial 2005 adaptation of The Office was criticized as a pale imitation of the English original, but showrunner Greg Daniels retooled the series by its second season, finding a quirky, satirical American voice that became a ratings juggernaut. The Paper operates as a true spinoff of the American Office, applying a similar comedic formula while aiming for streaming-era bingeability and younger viewers' nostalgia. The series initially feels familiar before it settles into a solid, easy-watching rhythm after a few episodes. The show is set in a 2025 Toledo dominated by Enervate paper products and follows Ned Sampson, a journalism graduate trying to revive the struggling Toledo Truth-Teller.
When NBC's adaptation of The Office first debuted in 2005, the series was panned for being a pale and uninspired imitation of its English predecessor. It took an entire season for showrunner Greg Daniels to figure out how to infuse his take on The Office with a quirky, satirical energy calibrated to appeal to American audiences. But once he did, the comedy became a ratings juggernaut for the network, which put Daniels in a position to tackle slightly more original projects.
Peacock's The Paper is a true spinoff that's working hard to squeeze a few more laughs out of the original American series' comedic formula. The show feels very much like a product of the streaming era giving people a way to binge (re)watch their favorite sitcoms. At times, The Paper almost seems like it's trying to be an amalgam of Daniels' past NBC work - one meant to click with a younger audience nostalgic for a pop cultural moment.
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