In a surprising turn of events, “The Paper” has been granted an early renewal for a second season by Peacock, just one day prior to its highly anticipated premiere on September 4. This announcement comes on the heels of the show's impressive early buzz, solidifying its place within the “The Office” universe and marking a significant vote of confidence from NBCUniversal.
The renewal was set to be officially announced during an appearance by stars Domhnall Gleeson and Sabrina Impacciatore on NBC’s “Today” show. The quick greenlight is particularly noteworthy as series co-creator Greg Daniels is already working on plans for Season 2. This early pickup allows Daniels and fellow executive producer/showrunner Michael Koman ample time to ensure that “The Paper” can return for its sophomore season around the same time next year.
Daniels expressed his enthusiasm about the future of the series, stating, “We definitely have ideas. We’ve been talking about stories for a possible Season 2, and it’ll be interesting to see what the audience thinks.” The positive feedback from industry insiders, journalists, and friends has been encouraging, but Daniels remains eager to gauge the reaction from the broader fanbase of “The Office”.
Chairman of TV studios at NBC Entertainment & Peacock Scripted, Pearlena Igbokwe, praised Daniels for his work on the series, stating, “Having seen all the episodes, I think he’s done an incredible job. These are characters you just grow to love and appreciate what he’s doing in the show.” Igbokwe expressed optimism that the audience will share this sentiment following the release of the first season.
“The Paper” stars Domhnall Gleeson as Ned Sampson, a successful salesman in the toilet paper division of the paper-centric conglomerate Enervate. Ned, who has distanced himself from journalism since college, is unexpectedly assigned the role of editor-in-chief of a struggling small-market newspaper in Toledo. The challenge? The Toledo Truth-Teller employs only a handful of legitimate reporters, leaving Ned with a daunting task ahead. His idealistic ambitions to rejuvenate the paper are further complicated by the presence of a documentary crew, reminiscent of the crew that previously filmed Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch in “The Office”.
Alongside Gleeson and Impacciatore, “The Paper” features a talented cast that includes Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young, Tim Key, and Oscar Nuñez, who reprises his role as Oscar from “The Office”. The first season will also showcase guest appearances from notable actors such as Eric Rahill, Tracy Letts, Molly Ephraim, Mo Welch, Allan Havey, Duane Shepard Sr., Nate Jackson, and Nancy Lenehan.
Greg Daniels serves as co-creator, co-showrunner, executive producer, writer, and director for the inaugural episode of “The Paper” under his Deedle-Dee Productions banner. Koman, known for his work on “Nathan for You”, is also a co-creator and co-showrunner, alongside other executive producers including Howard Klein, Ben Silverman, Banijay Americas, and original “The Office” U.K. creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant.
The first season of “The Paper” will consist of 10 episodes, all set to premiere on Peacock in a binge-release format on Thursday, September 4. In a last-minute decision, the streaming platform opted to release all episodes simultaneously, influenced by the positive feedback and the recognition that “The Office” has become one of the most-binged series of all time.
With “The Paper” joining the ranks of other successful comedies on Peacock, such as “Ted”, it is becoming clear that the platform is committed to delivering quality programming. As “Poker Face” and “Twisted Metal” await news on their fates following their second seasons, new comedies like “The Miniature Wife”, “The ‘Burbs”, and “Dig” are also on the horizon.
