Early reviews for The Paper Season 2 are officially in, and it is earning praise for finding its own identity. However, moving away from its predecessor could disappoint longtime fans of The Office.
According to Abe Friedtanzer’s review on AwardsBuzz, the new season essentially ditches the references and cameos that connected its first season to the beloved sitcom. “Fortunately, season two largely abandons those efforts and instead invests in its characters as their own people, who turn out to be quite fun and worthwhile to watch,” the outlet wrote. But fans who are hoping to see their Scranton favorites return may be disappointed.
At the time of this article’s publication, the latest instalment holds an 88% approval rating based on 8 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. The score is slightly higher than Season 1’s 85% critics’ rating, while audiences gave it a 70% score.
What else are critics saying about The Paper Season 2?
AwardsBuzz also praised the show’s cast, highlighting Gleeson’s “entertaining lead” performance and Frei’s most “dependable” role. He called The Paper “good fun” as it becomes “a solid standalone series.”
CBR‘s Katie Doll noticed the same shift, pointing out that the second season “avoids any references to The Office altogether.” The publication added that this makes it easy to forget that The Paper is a spinoff in the first place.
Collider‘s Tania Hussain praised how the cast chemistry has deepened, writing, “the cast now feels so comfortable with each other that even a small look can be as funny as whatever weird thing is happening.” The review also commended the series for balancing absurd workplace disasters with a genuine care for journalism.
IGN‘s Michael Peyton highlighted the show’s willingness to break from familiar sitcom formulas, saying season two “goes broad with humor” and offers “a fresh take on office politics, office romances, and oddball characters,” even if not every comedic swing connects.
The Paper Season 2 will premiere with all ten episodes on September 9 on Peacock.
