Since The Office followed the employees of Dunder Mifflin Paper Company, it makes perfect sense that the show's first-ever spinoff is titled The Paper.
However, the title doesn't refer to the material Dunder Mifflin employees sold for nine seasons of The Office. Instead, it refers to a particular newspaper: The Toledo Truthteller, headquartered in Toledo, Ohio, which is the latest documentary subject for the crew that followed the Dunder Mifflin employees.
Formerly a historic local paper, The Toledo Truthteller is dying. The show's first trailer reveals that managing editor Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore, The White Lotus) is stuck writing ad-ridden clickbait articles like, "You Won't Believe How Much Ben Affleck Tipped His Limo Driver." Hey, at least she's proud of it!
In order to turn The Toledo Truthteller around, the paper's chipper new editor in chief Ned (Domhnall Gleeson, Ex Machina) recruits a crew of volunteer reporters. Do they have journalism experience? No! But do they have the heart and gumption needed to dig into Toledo's most pressing stories? Maybe!
The Paper is co-created by Greg Daniels, who led the American adaptation of The Office, and Michael Koman (Nathan for You). From the show's first trailer, The Office influence is already evident, from awkward team meetings to Ned casting a Jim-like side eye into the camera. And maybe I'm reading too much into things already, but a humorous moment between Ned and another Toledo Truthteller staffer (Chelsea Frei) definitely gives Jim and Pam vibes, right?
Of course, The Office comparisons don't stop there, because The Paper features a returning Dunder Mifflin player. None other than Oscar Martinez (Oscar Nuñez) is back! And from the looks of the trailer, he is not excited to have another documentary crew following him around. Free him from these cameras!
The Paper also stars Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young, and Tim Key.
