The reviews for Peacock’s The Paper have quickly drawn attention to Greg Daniels’ latest workplace comedy. Since its premiere, the show has sparked strong reactions from critics. Its debut Rotten Tomatoes score marks a positive start and stands higher than The Office in both its first season and overall average.
What critics are saying about The Paper in reviews
The Paper has opened to largely positive reviews. Here are a few critics sharing their thoughts on the Office spin-off:
The Times (UK)’s Tim Glanfield mentions, “This is a show that exudes confidence and with good reason. It’s a sharp, laugh-out-loud funny workplace comedy that has just the right balance of silly, satire and thoughtful characterisation to ensure it remains in circulation for years to come.”
Lauren Sarner of the New York Post wrote, “The million dollar question is, does The Paper measure up to the original show?… It’s too soon to tell – especially since The Office also took some time to find its groove. But even though it’s not quite that level, it’s a worthy successor.”
Daniel Fienberg of The Hollywood Reporter noted, “Both holding the show together and offering hope that The Paper might eventually go from good to great is the cast which, like The Office, features several overlaps with the writing staff, an asset for efficiently targeting performing strengths.”
Kristen Baldwin of Entertainment Weekly observed, “The writers can’t seem to decide if Ned is…a Michael Scott or a Jim Halpert. Sometimes, Ned is the level-headed voice of reason… Just as often, though, he’s a gaffe-prone bumbler whose impulsive, foolish actions create more problems than they solve.”
Meanwhile, a few critics aren’t as impressed as they were with the first show. One such example is from The New Yorker‘s Inkoo Kang, who says, “I found myself distracted from its nostalgia for Watergate-era journalism by my own nostalgia for early two-thousands network sitcoms… By contrast, The Paper’s torpor exemplifies the pacing crisis of the streaming era.”
How The Paper’s Rotten Tomatoes score compares to The Office
The Paper Season 1 currently holds an 85% score on Tomatometer based on 54 reviews, and is on its way to being certified fresh. This score is higher than the first season of The Office, which stands at 71%, and also above the U.S. series’ overall average of 81% across all nine seasons.
For context, The Office scored:
- Season 1: 71%
- Season 2: 100%
- Season 3: 100%
- Season 4: 83%
- Season 5: 100%
- Season 6: 73%
- Season 7: 83%
- Season 8: 44%
- Season 9: 78%
The numbers show that The Paper launched with a stronger debut season than The Office, though the latter eventually peaked at multiple perfect seasons. With its current critical reception, The Paper is positioned as a standout workplace comedy in its own right.
Originally reported by Vritti Johar on ComingSoon.
