‘The Paper’ Season 2 Debuts To Rave Reviews, Proving ‘The Office’ Spin-off Has Real Staying Power

Workplace comedies live and die by their ensemble, and few genres carry as much baggage as the mockumentary format popularized by ‘The Office.’ Every attempt to replicate that magic since has faced the same impossible comparison, with most falling short of the original’s charm.

‘The Paper’ entered that conversation carefully last year, following the same documentary crew from Scranton as they found a new subject in a struggling Midwestern newspaper. The first season earned a mixed but generally warm reception, leaving plenty of questions about whether the show could grow into something that stands on its own rather than living in its predecessor’s shadow.

Those questions are getting answered now that early reviews for the sophomore season have started rolling in, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. The show currently sits at 89 percent on the Tomatometer based on nine reviews, with critics largely agreeing that the series has sharpened its comedic instincts significantly since its debut run.

Led once again by Domhnall Gleeson as editor Ned Sampson, alongside Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei and Oscar Nuñez, the season has drawn praise for finally carving out its own identity separate from ‘The Office.’ Reviewers have specifically highlighted a faster pace, more confident tone, and a supporting cast that finally gets room to shine in ways the first season didn’t always allow.

Several outlets pointed to the season’s willingness to embrace bigger, wilder comedic swings as a key improvement over its freshman run. One particularly praised sequence was described as offering some of the wildest two minutes viewers would see on television all year, according to Collider.

That same review noted the season doubles down on its reporting format, giving every character room to breathe in a way that elevates the show well beyond where it started. The romantic dynamic between Ned and Mare, played by Gleeson and Frei, has also become a focal point for critics, with several noting how the relationship adds emotional stakes to the workplace chaos without derailing the comedy.

Not every reaction has been glowing, however, with at least one review criticizing the season for simply not being funny enough given its genre. Still, the overwhelming majority of critical response has leaned positive, positioning ‘The Paper’ as one of the stronger comedy offerings of the fall season.

The season’s current Rotten Tomatoes standing continues a pattern set by earlier entries in the extended ‘Office’ universe, with previous seasons of the original series also debuting to strong critical marks before finding their full stride. As of now, the current score reflects seven positive reviews against just one negative one, with an average rating hovering around 7.7 out of 10.

That score remains subject to change as more reviews roll in over the coming days, but the current trajectory suggests ‘The Paper’ has successfully shaken off some of the growing pains that defined its first season. Several critics specifically called out how much more comfortable the cast appears together this time around, crediting that chemistry with elevating even smaller character beats into standout comedic moments.

‘The Paper’ season 2 arrives with all ten episodes premiering September 9 on Peacock, giving audiences a full binge-ready season right out of the gate. For a show that spent its debut season constantly measured against ‘The Office,’ this new batch of reviews suggests it may finally be ready to be judged on its own terms.

Whether that critical momentum translates into a similar audience response remains to be seen once the season drops in full. Given how much buzz the early reviews have generated, ‘The Paper’ looks poised to make a strong case for itself as one of the season’s must-watch comedies.

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