The Paper Renewed For Season 2 Before Anyone's Even Seen It
The Office might be long gone, but its spin-off The Paper is already cashing in.
Peacock is so confident in its new Office spin-off that it renewed it before a single episode aired. Yep, The Paper premieres this week and already has a season 2 locked. Bold move. Also kind of great news if you hate long gaps between seasons, because that early green light could mean season 2 turns around fast, possibly as soon as next year.
So what is The Paper, exactly?
Quick refresher: The Paper is set in the world of the US version of The Office, but it is not a hangout in Scranton. The hook is very inside-baseball in a fun way: the same documentary crew that turned Dunder Mifflin into TV history goes looking for their next subject, finds a once-proud Midwestern newspaper on life support, and follows its publisher as they try to drag it back to relevance. It is a spin-off, but it is also its own thing.
Early renewal, and why it matters
Peacock handing out a season 2 before the premiere is a pretty loud vote of confidence. It also tends to shorten the break between seasons, since writers can keep rolling while the audience is just meeting the show. Over in the UK, Sky — which is the home of The Paper there — is also committed to the second season, according to Deadline. So both sides of the Atlantic are in.
"We definitely have ideas," co-creator Greg Daniels told Variety about season 2, adding that while early feedback inside the industry has been strong, the real test is how the wider Office fanbase responds.
The vibe and how it differs from The Office
Domhnall Gleeson, who leads the cast, has been clear that this is not just copy-paste Michael Scott energy. He told Radio Times the show sits closer to the American Office in tone than the UK original — less pure cringe, more warmth — and that it is ultimately a hopeful series about people fighting the good fight even when it feels like they are losing. That optimism is the point, and it is part of what is meant to make The Paper stand on its own two feet.
Cast, returning faces, where to watch
- Cast: Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young, and Tim Key
- Office alum: Oscar Nunez is back as Oscar Martinez — he is the only returning character confirmed so far
- US: Streams on Peacock (premieres this week)
- UK: Premieres on Sky Max and NOW on Friday 5 September 2025
Bottom line: early renewal, a meta premise about documentary makers chasing a new story, and a tone that leans hopeful rather than humiliating. If The Paper sticks the landing, we might be back in the newsroom again next year without a long wait.