TV Show: The Paper
Genre: Comedy
“The Paper” is a spinoff of the famed and popular show, “The Office”. However, “The Paper” has it’s own unique flavor and storyline. The main character and editor-in-chief of the newspaper, The Truth Teller, is Ned Sampson, who is played by Domhnall Gleason. Sampson is totally aloof, odd, but funny, in a cynical way. Although, Ned is the editor-in-chief, he remains the laughing stock of the series, getting little to no respect. Ned’s colleague across the floor, Esmeralda Grand, who is played by Sabrina Impacciatore, just annoys Ned, and is very extra, when it comes to anything. Esmeralda, has no floor or regard for the moral of the workplace. In the pilot episode, Ned is put through the paces as he’s new to the office and no one knows he is arriving. This is the initial season of the show. However, as the series goes on, the vulgar language is unleashed, and the personal roasts are random, and low blow.
Oscar Nunez, who plays Oscar Martinez, returns and reprises the role he held in “The Office”. Some of the other faces to the show include, Melvin Gregg, who starred in the TV Series, “Snowfall”. Alex Edelman, who’s a stand up comedian, and a writer on the show. Also, there’s Chelsea Frei, who had a cameo in the new TV show, DMV, this year.
The humor is sometimes dry, yet it’s witty and satirical. As the season develops, the characters come into their own, and get funnier. The coincidental and ironic part of the show is that on the same floor as the staff from The Truth Teller newspaper, there is an actual toilet paper company, that’s occasionally referred to as “The Paper”, too. The toilet paper company and The Truth Teller newspaper are not clearly delineated from each other. There are no dividers or walls up between the two on the floor.
With the show kicking off in September of this year, it was already renewed for a second season, before the series premiere. This comedy is worth it’s 26-32 minute running time. “The Paper” has got the look and feel of a true comedy. It has grabbed the baton from “The Office” and took it to the next level. In a year of a plethora of new shows launching in the fall, “The Paper” proved to be my favorite new TV show of 2025.
