The iconic and beloved comedy series The Office received a spinoff last year, titled The Paper, on Peacock (no, not the Australian remake). Not only did it nail the landing, but it also did well enough to get renewed for Season 2. Cut to now, and those new episodes are almost here.
Instead of Dunder Mifflin, The Paper centers on the staff of the fictional newspaper The Toledo Truth Teller, a struggling local publication looking to get back on its feet under the new leadership of Domhnall Gleeson's editor-in-chief, Ned Sampson. Returning from The Office is Oscar Núñez, reprising his role of Oscar Martinez.
Just like The Office, The Paper is also filled with workplace romance. One of those key relationships is that of Ned and Chelsea Frei's Mare Preeti, a staff writer who works under him. After an entire season of will-they-won't-they action, the two finally got together at the end of Season 1, leaving the door open for their relationship to be explored in Season 2.
Then there's the romance between Melvin Gregg's Detrick and Ramona Young's Nicole, who, unlike Ned and Mare, got together quickly in Season 1. However, by the season finale, the two had separated, putting their dynamic in a rocky spot.
Ahead of Season 2, The Direct spoke with The Paper's cast about those messy romances and what these new episodes will bring to the table. The entire list of talent we spoke to includes Domhnall Gleeson (Ned), Ramona Young (Nicole), Melvin Gregg (Detrick), Alex Edelman (Adam Cooper), Eric Rahill (Travis), and Duane R. Shepard Sr. (Barry).
For more coverage of Peacock's upcoming shows, be sure to check out how the Dungeon Carl Crawler adaptation will bring the books to life.
The Paper Star Domhnall Gleeson Teases What's Next for Ned & Mare in Season 2
"He Has This Mad Idea That He's Capable of a Throuple..."
- The Direct: "Ned and Mare finally get together at the end of Season 1. Now, in Season 2, they are doing everything to try to keep that a secret. Can you just talk about how that added pressure kind of affects Ned's ability to not only continue growing, TTT, but also to act normally?"
Domhnall Gleeson: I think that I mean that's the key. That's his biggest problem. I think that he has this—Look, this is not a romantic thing to say, by many regard. But I think he's a true romantic, and he has this mad idea that he's capable of a throuple...
Diving deeper into his throuple comparison, Gleeson explained how Ned thinks he can shuffle himself, Mare, and the newspaper all at the same time in perfect harmony:
Gleeson: ...That himself, Mare, and the newspaper can all go out with each other at the same time and have the perfect relationship, where each of them makes each other so happy and fulfilled, that they will just be able to spend the rest of their lives in harmony together forever, and he just finds out really quickly that that is beyond him. And so that was a really fun place to go with him to find out that all your dreams are coming true, that there is life after that, and you have to manage your dreams then, and that can lead to a lot of problems.
- The Direct: "I think it's so interesting seeing a love story like that today in modern shows, because it often feels in the past the concept and weight of a boss dating a coworker, especially in comedy, is kind of shaken off. And this show obviously takes it seriously as a plot point. How would you say Season 2 further explores that tricky topic?"
Gleeson: [With] something like that, I think you probably owe us just to the situation to take it seriously anyway, because it would be a really difficult thing if it were happening in the real world, or when it does happen in the real world. And there are good and there are bad versions of that relationship. What we're trying to do is find a version of it which is unhealthy enough to be funny, but healthy enough to be healthy.
Gleeson then revealed how he feels that "Ned cares about Mare more than he cares about himself:"
Gleeson: Like, healthy enough to be a relationship that we want to work for the sake of both characters. I really like that in the show. And if you are brave enough to just look at it clearly, there's lots of comedy there too, as long as you're taking it seriously. And I think that, like for me, the big thing is that I feel like Ned cares about Mare more than he cares about himself, and I think that probably just tips it into it being healthy enough and provides enough comedy that hopefully it's something we can continue to talk about.
Melvin Gregg & Ramona Young on Nicole & Detrick's Season 2 Future
"They Want to Avoid Each Other..."
- The Direct: "Both of your characters were applauded, kind of online for getting together so early last season, which can be unusual for that, will they, won't they dynamic. Obviously, things went downhill by the end of the season, and now in Season 2, we're kind of back to that start [and]you guys [are] in a rocky spot. Can you guys both talk about going into Season 2, where that relationship is, and maybe tease what fans can hope to expect as the season progresses?"
Melvin Gregg: I feel like they're in a natural place coming off of Season 1, episode 10. You know, after that time of him putting it all out there, and then him deciding to put himself first, and her realizing what she missed, and now there's going to be tension. And even though they have to work together in the same workspace, they want to avoid each other, but it's just a weird seesaw-type thing, and I think the pacing of it is natural, and how the writers decide to let it unfold.
Despite the urge they might have had to get their characters back together and on the same page, Gregg noted that they didn't want to "just rush back into it because it'd be good ratings:"
Gregg: We didn't just rush back into it because it'd be good ratings. We're kind of letting it brew in a way, and letting them find themselves apart from one another. And hopefully when they come back together, if they come back together, they'll be better for it.
Ramona Young, who plays Nicole, jumped in to give a little tease about where her character finds herself in The Paper Season 2:
Ramona Young: Something I would tease for Season 2 is, I guess [karma is served to] Detrick... But Nicole really gets it. She really has to pay the consequences for what she did in Season 1.
Here's How The Paper Is Not Just The Office
In Fact, There's Another Show It Might Share More DNA With
- The Direct: "With this being a spinoff The Office, it's something that this show will always be compared to until the end of time. But going into Season 2, what would you say is a defining trait of The Paper that The Office didn't have?"
Alex Edelman: I always say that the show shares more in its sort of DNA with 'Parks and Recreation' because it's about small-town people, well-meaning but a little bit hatless, trying to build something together. And so there's an underlying sweetness to that, and of course, there's a sweetness to folks in the show, 'The Office,' who are trying to keep their family together, and ultimately, the strength of those bonds is really beautiful.
"I always think of Ned as a little bit more like Leslie Nope than Michael Scott," Edelman continued:
Edelman: But like, I always think of Ned as a little bit more like Leslie Nope than Michael Scott. And so, weirdly, I think visually it's a lot like 'The Office,' and it shares the same camera moves. And of course, Oscar was beautifully consistent. But like, the show is very much its own thing, but it's certainly set in Greg Daniels' aesthetic. So I'd say it's aesthetic. It owes something to 'The Office,' and its camera logic, which is more important than even spiritually.
The full interviews with the cast of The Paper are available below.
