While The Paper is a spinoff of The Office, the NBC sitcom is making attempts to not reference its predecessor too often in season 2.
The Paper included only one mention of The Office in its return on Wednesday, September 9, when Oscar (Oscar Nuñez) received a call from Kevin (Brian Baumgartner), who wasn’t seen on screen.
“It’s great to create our own path since Oscar knows those people but we don’t,” Melvin Gregg, who plays Detrick, exclusively told Us. “I don’t know if it would be best for the show [to mention The Office often].”
Gregg appreciated The Paper finding its own lane.
“It could be great. But that’s why I leave that to the writers to explore,” he added. “But I love the dynamics we have. I love the guest stars they bring on. They’re always great, so whoever they decide to bring on, I know it’ll complement the show.”
Ramona Young (Nicole) had a similar perspective, telling Us, “The writers know what they’re doing, and they’re gonna bring the people they feel [are] right to the show. I also feel like The Paper is its own entity and has their own stories and their own world, even though it’s set in the same universe.”
The Paper bridged the gap with its predecessor, The Office, when it premiered in September 2025 by having the same camera crew return to check in on Dunder Mifflin. However, they learned the paper company was gone after being acquired. Instead, the documentary shifted focus to the Toledo Truth-Teller — a Midwestern newspaper on its last legs until Ned — an overzealous cardboard salesman turned editor in chief, played by Domhnall Gleeson — stepped in.
The rest of the cast was made up of Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Young, Tim Key and The Office‘s Nuñez.
“I prefer living in our own universe. I think that The Paper is its own entity,” Duane Shepard Sr. (Barry) told Us. “We have our own characters and our own personalities. In the way the show is going right now — and how the public is responding to it — I think is perfect for what we’re doing at this point.”
Shepard Sr. continued: “It was useful at the beginning to get eyes on us. But now that they’ve seen us, I think that they realize, ‘Wait a minute, this is a great show and a great premise.’ I think that we’re going to be able to carry our own now without having to hang on their coattails.”
Eric Rahill (Travis), meanwhile, pointed at the show’s attempt to keep The Office references “pretty small.”
“The more we can establish ourselves as our own thing, I think it’s for the best,” he noted.
When season 1 premiered, creators Greg Daniels and Michael Koman told Us that they weren’t looking to bring back every OG character. Daniels noted that fan favorites Jim Halpert (John Krasinski) and Pam Beesly (Jenna Fischer) moved to Austin, Texas, so it would be hard to explain why they were returning to the Midwest.
“I’m not exactly sure why [the documentary crew] would feel the need to call them up and transport them to Toledo or something,” Daniels said, while Koman added, “I certainly would say for this season, really, our focus was on these new characters and their stories. The future is the future.”
The Paper is streaming on Peacock.
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