Enthusiastic Journalists Revive Newspaper in First Trailer for 'The Office' Spin-Off

The series is called "The Paper" and we won't have to wait long for its premiere.

Streaming service Peacock has dropped the first trailer for a series that will bring viewers back to the cozy, familiar universe of the American sitcom "The Office."

What the show's about

The trailer briefly explains why we're getting to see "The Paper":

A few years ago, a documentary crew made a film about Dunder Mifflin. Now they have a new subject to study

The action takes place in Toledo, Ohio, at the offices of a print newspaper called "The Truth Teller." It has a rich history, but thanks to the overall decline of print media, it's going through tough times.

The Paper. Trailer

Enthusiastic publisher Ned Sampson is determined to restore the publication's former glory. But not only do people not want to buy paper newspapers, and the office has to be shared with a toilet paper sales company, but the team he's assembled is, let's say, not exactly top-tier. One guy wrote for his school newspaper, another tweets his thoughts.

A man in a suit by a poster with a drawn blonde woman holding toilet paper rolls — Frame from "The Paper" series trailer

Will Ned manage to turn amateurs into journalism superstars? The work ahead is definitely massive. What comes of it all can be seen very soon – the first episodes drop September 4th!

What to expect

Let's answer the burning question many "Office" fans have – will we see characters from the original series?

So far, accountant Oscar Martinez's (Oscar Nunez) participation is confirmed. He appears in the trailer as one of the newspaper employees. And he reacts very emotionally to the appearance of the documentary crew he already knows. "Not again!" he protests to the camera. But other beloved "Office" characters might show up too.

Oscar Nunez in a white shirt pointing his index finger at the camera — Accountant Oscar will definitely be in "The Paper"

The rest of the cast is new, but that's actually a plus, zoomboola.com thinks. Based on the trailer, the creators aren't trying to copy "The Office" character types and personalities. At least, we couldn't draw any obvious parallels. For example, hardworking and determined Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson) is the complete opposite of eccentric tyrant Michael Scott (Steve Carell).

Domhnall Gleeson in a suit standing in a conference room — Domhnall Gleeson as editor Ned Sampson

Greg Daniels, creator of the American "Office," is back at the helm. He's promised to preserve the show's spirit and atmosphere. Plus, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant from the original British version are on board as executive producers. That's a solid foundation.

And most importantly, we're getting the mockumentary style that made "The Office" so special. The camera constantly witnessed awkward moments, letting viewers peek "around the corner" and catch conversations not meant for outside ears.

Sure, it's tough trying to top "The Office." But maybe that's not the point. So far, it looks like this will be an independent story, but in the good "Office" tradition. Which, by the way, turned 20 this year, but hasn't become any less relevant.