‘The Office’ spinoff is leaving Scranton in search of new workplace high jinks
PHILADELPHIA — The fictional documentary team who filmed "The Office" is back. This time, they are spotlighting a different (but still wacky) workplace in the Peacock series "The Paper," premiering Sept. 4.
A new trailer provides a glimpse into the forthcoming spinoff and sadly, the action is no longer happening in Scranton. The show is set in Toledo, Ohio, instead.
“Several years ago, a documentary crew filmed the story of Dunder Mifflin,” the trailer begins, referencing the paper company once run by the infamously incompetent Michael Scott (Steve Carell). “Now, they’ve found a new subject.”
Welcome to Enervate, a paper company that sells “toilet tissue, toilet seat protectors, and local newspapers,” says one character, adding, “And that is in order of quality.”
From "The Office" showrunner Greg Daniels and "Saturday Night Live" writer Michael Koman, the show follows the staff of the struggling newspaper, the Toledo Truth-Teller. Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson ("About Time," "Echo Valley") stars as Ned, the incoming editor-in-chief tasked with revamping the newsroom.
Here’s the catch: His reporters have never actually reported. Billed as “underdogs with major issues,” they’ve written term papers, tweets, and long texts, but that’s about the extent of their journalism experience.
Ned seems optimistically undeterred, telling the camera crew that only a fool would bet against them.
The cast of underdogs includes Sabrina Impacciatore, the Italian actor who earned an Emmy nod for "The White Lotus"; Ramona Young, the funny best friend from "Never Have I Ever"; stand-up comic Alex Edelman; Nigerian writer/actor Gbemisola Ikumelo from "A League of Their Own"; and "Nine Perfect Strangers" actor Melvin Gregg.
While the setting is some 500 miles away from "The Office" location, one familiar face will return: Dunder Mifflin’s exasperated gay accountant Oscar, played by Oscar Nuñez, who is reprising his role. But Oscar (the character) isn’t happy about it — the moment he sees the camera crew, he starts walking away.
“Not again. I’m not agreeing to any of this,” he says, before cursing.
"The Paper" will premiere on Peacock with four episodes dropping Sept. 4 and two episodes airing every Thursday through Sept. 25.