Arriving on Peacock on September 4th with all 10 episodes of its first season is ‘The Paper’, which represents the latest mockumentary co-created by Greg Daniels, who brought us the American version of ‘The Office’.
vjVC0loxtNaIiVDjxB9Yg1‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘Nathan for You’ writer Michael Koman is the co-creator here, with the cast including Domhnall Gleeson (‘Ex Machina’), Sabrina Impacciatore (‘The White Lotus’), Chelsea Frei (‘The Moodys’), Ramona Young (‘Never Have I Ever’), Tim Key (‘The Ballad of Wallis Island’) and, reprising his ‘Office’ role as Oscar Martinez, Oscar Nuñez.
Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Fountain of Youth’
Initial Thoughts
Given that the American adaptation of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s classic British sitcom ‘The Office’ took a while to find its own style and that other mockumentaries including ‘Parks and Recreation’ had their own growing pains on the way to successful runs, perhaps ‘The Paper’ deserves some measure of patience to bed in and let audiences get to know its various characters.
Yet on the evidence of the initial batch of episodes, this one might face more of an uphill struggle as it looks to step from the shadow of the original.
Script and Direction
Daniels in particular knows how to make this format work, but the problem is partly that ‘The Paper’ comes across as going through very familiar motions. There are the looks to camera, the wacky characters causing issues for the more straight-arrow ones, and the to-camera interviews.
Another issues that, barring one or two exceptions, the characters aren’t as memorable as their predecessors.
The directorial style, meanwhile, is the same basic documentary approach, no-frills, but effective in its own way.
Cast and Performances
Domhnall Gleeson throws himself into the role of enthusiastic new editor-in-chief Ned, who dreams of bringing the paper back to past glories. Also on the positive side are the likes of Chelsea Frei as compositor-turned-reporter Mare, whose measured enthusiasm is a good foil for Ned’s own passions.
Comedy assassin Tim Key is great in the supporting role of a toilet paper executive who barely tolerates the presence of the newspaper, but the writing doesn’t always service him, and the part comes across as repetitive.
Final Thoughts
While ‘The Office’ dealt with the mundanity of the American workplace, this new show adds in the disappearing nature of the printed press and the endless rise of internet clickbait into the mix. But the topics don’t so far lend themselves to classic comedy.
But perhaps, given time, this one can find its gear.
‘The Paper’ receives 68 out of 100.
What’s the plot of ‘The Paper’?
The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a historic Toledo newspaper, The Truth Teller, and the eager publisher trying to revive it.
Who stars in ‘The Paper’?
Domhnall Gleeson as Ned Sampson
Sabrina Impacciatore as Esmerelda Grand
Chelsea Frei as Mare Pritti
Ramona Young as Nicole Lee
Tim Key as Ken Davies
Oscar Nuñez as Oscar Martinez
Melvin Gregg as Detrick Moore
Gbemisola Ikumelo as Adelola Olofin
Alex Edelman as Adam Cooper
Other Movies and TV Starring Domhnall Gleeson:
- ‘The Last Furlong’ (2005)
- ‘Studs’ (2006)
- ‘A Dog Year’ (2009)
- ‘Never Let Me Go’ (2010)
- ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1’ (2010)
- ‘Dredd’ (2012)
- ‘Anna Karenina’ (2012)
- ‘Black Mirror’ (2013)
- ‘About Time’ (2013)
- ‘Frank’ (2014)
- ‘Ex Machina’ (2014)
- ‘Brooklyn’ (2015)
- ‘The Revenant’ (2015)
- ‘Star Wars: Episode VII –– The Force Awakens’ (2016)
- ‘American Made’ (2017)
- ‘Goodbye Christopher Robin’ (2017)
- ‘Peter Rabbit’ (2018)
- ‘Frank of Ireland’ (2021)
- ‘The Patient’ (2022)
- ‘Echo Valley’ (2025)
- ‘Fountain of Youth’ (2025)
