‘The Office’ Spinoff: Everything We Know About the Peacock Series So Far

If you still find yourself quoting Michael Scott during your Monday morning Zoom calls, you aren’t alone. For years, rumors of a revival have swirled through the internet like a “That’s what she said” joke at a corporate retreat. But the wait is finally over. We aren’t just getting a reboot; we are getting a brand-new expansion. Titled The Paper, this Peacock original series takes us back into the mockumentary world we love, but with a fresh coat of Midwestern paint.

The Creative Masterminds Behind the Desk

When fans heard a spinoff was coming, the first question was: “Who is running the show?” Thankfully, the answer is a dream team. Greg Daniels, the man who adapted the U.K. version of The Office for American audiences, is back at the helm.

He isn’t flying solo, though. Daniels teamed up with Michael Koman, the brilliant mind behind the satirical masterpiece Nathan for You. This pairing suggests we are in for a treat. While Daniels brings the heart and workplace “mouthfeel” we crave, Koman adds a layer of modern awkwardness and dry satire that feels perfect for 2026.

The Premise: From Paper Sales to News Print

So, where are we going? Pack your bags because we are leaving Scranton, Pennsylvania. The Paper is set in Toledo, Ohio. The story follows the same documentary crew that followed Dunder Mifflin for nine years. They’ve been searching for a new subject and finally stumbled upon a historic, albeit dying, daily newspaper called the Toledo Truth Teller.

A Ghost Paper in the Midwest

In a world of TikTok and instant digital feeds, the Truth Teller is what industry insiders call a “ghost paper.” It’s a shell of its former self, kept alive by wire stories and a skeleton crew. The stakes? A local publisher is desperately trying to revive the publication using a ragtag group of volunteer reporters. If Dunder Mifflin was about a product no one wanted, The Paper is about a medium everyone thinks is dead.

Meet the Cast: New Faces and a Familiar Accountant

While we’d all love to see Dwight Schrute as a hard-hitting investigative journalist, the show is forging its own path with a stellar new ensemble.

• Domhnall Gleeson as Ned Sampson: Gleeson plays the idealistic new editor-in-chief. He’s a former Softees toilet paper salesman who honestly believes he can save local journalism. Think of him as a mix of Michael Scott’s optimism and Jim Halpert’s “normal guy” energy.

• Sabrina Impacciatore as Esmeralda Grand: Fresh off her star turn in The White Lotus, Impacciatore plays the “star” of the newsroom. She’s the managing editor who is more interested in clickbait and her own potential fame than actual reporting.

• The Return of Oscar Nuñez: Yes, you read that right! Oscar Martinez is back. After leaving Scranton, Oscar found himself in Toledo as the head accountant for Enervate (the company that owns the paper). Seeing him deal with a new set of “idiots” is easily one of the most anticipated parts of the show.

The Supporting Newsroom Team

The newsroom is rounded out by Chelsea Frei as Mare, a former Army war correspondent, and Melvin Gregg as Detrick, a people-pleasing ad rep. We also have Alex Edelman and Gbemisola Ikumelo playing accountants under Oscar’s watchful (and judgmental) eye.

Production Updates and Release Schedule

For those wondering when they can start their binge-watch, the news is good. The Paper Season 1 premiered on Peacock on September 4, 2025. In a move that surprised many, Peacock dropped all ten episodes at once, acknowledging that Office fans are world-class bingers.

The NBC Network Debut

If you don’t have a Peacock subscription, don’t panic. Following its streaming success, the series made its network debut on NBC in November 2025. This marks a rare occasion where a streaming original moves back to traditional TV, showing just how much faith the network has in this brand.

Is Season 2 Happening?

Usually, we have to wait months for renewal news, but the buzz was so high that Peacock renewed The Paper for Season 2 before the first episode even aired.

“We knew we had something special when we saw the chemistry between Domhnall and Sabrina,” Greg Daniels mentioned in a recent interview.

Production for the second season is reportedly kicking off in early 2026, which means we likely won’t have to wait years for the next chapter of the Toledo saga.

How Does It Connect to the Original Series?

This isn’t a “soft reboot” where characters pretend the past didn’t happen. It exists firmly in the same universe. Aside from Oscar, we’ve already seen cameos like Bob Vance (of Vance Refrigeration), who explains how the Dunder Mifflin trademark was eventually sold to Enervate.

It’s like visiting an old neighborhood. The houses are different, and the people have changed, but the vibe is unmistakably familiar. The documentary crew still captures those silent, knowing looks to the camera that made the original so iconic.

Why Toledo? A New “Cosmopolitan” Setting

Oscar Nuñez joked that he told Greg Daniels his character deserved to live in a “bustling, cosmopolitan city.” Since Toledo has three times the population of Scranton, Daniels technically delivered! The setting allows for a slightly broader scope of comedy while keeping that Midwestern charm that grounded the original series.

The Comedy Style: Perplexity and Burstiness

Expect the unexpected. The show leans heavily into “burstiness”—alternating between quiet, awkward silences and sudden, chaotic newsroom “emergencies.” One minute, they are debating the ethics of a sudoku puzzle; the next, they are investigating a local “murderer” who turns out to be a misunderstanding of a phone call to the morgue.

Is It Any Good?

Early reviews suggest that while it takes a few episodes to find its rhythm, The Paper captures the “mouthfeel” of a workplace comedy perfectly. It doesn’t try to be The Office 2.0. Instead, it’s a spiritual successor that understands that work is often absurd, bosses are often well-meaning but flawed, and the people we sit next to are the ones who make life interesting.

Conclusion: A New Chapter for Mockumentary Fans

The Office spinoff had big shoes to fill, but The Paper seems to be wearing them well. By focusing on a dying industry like local news, Greg Daniels and Michael Koman have found a setting that is ripe for both humor and heart. Whether you are here for Oscar’s side-eye or Ned’s misguided enthusiasm, this Peacock series is a must-watch for anyone who misses the Dunder Mifflin days.