Peacock's mockumentary sitcom "The Paper" returns for its second season this September, and this review argues the show has finally grown into the workplace-comedy successor "The Office" left behind. Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, Season 2 is described as faster-paced, sharper and more confident than the first, with a cast now comfortable enough with each other that small reactions land as well as bigger set pieces. The reviewer says the series has moved out of "The Office"'s shadow and now stands convincingly alongside it, crediting genuine emotional stakes beneath the familiar cringe humour.

The new season picks up after the Toledo Truth-Teller's wins at the Ohio Journalism Awards, with editor Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson) chasing a bigger story involving a private club while colleagues navigate messy personal entanglements, including an awkward will-they-won't-they with Mare (Chelsea Frei) and a fraying "situationship" between Nicole (Ramona Young) and Detrick (Melvin Gregg). Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore) continues stirring chaos with Ken (Tim Key) in tow, and standout episodes include a tornado disrupting a reporting assignment and an HR requirement spiralling into a full-blown violation. With episodes running around 20–25 minutes, the review praises the tighter pacing and sharper writing, noting the show no longer needs to spend time introducing its characters and can instead focus on comedy.