Rapid Insights: ‘The Paper’ Proves ‘Office’ IP Sparks Interest, but Fresh Satire Sustains It

Who’s been tuning in for this quirky new sitcom? 
We’re seeing an audience that’s 53% men and 69% aged 35+–a notably different viewer profile than other similar shows because of its streaming-only format. Previous workplace comedies like The Office, Parks and Recreation, Abbott Elementary, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and 30 Rock, all of which aired on the broadcast networks, have all tended to skew much more toward women (59-62%) and even more heavily to those 35+ (87-92%) thanks to built-in differences between the linear and streaming audiences.

What does The Paper carry over from The Office?  
Its set-up. Like its predecessor, The Paper relies on a clever mockumentary format to explore the offbeat Workplace Dynamics (145) and unusual Co-worker Relationships (145) in an office populated by a host of eccentric characters, and its humor relies on the cringe-worthy Awkward & Funny Moments (153) born from their interactions and direct-to-camera asides. These common elements are the series’ top viewership drivers overall and likewise played an important role in The Office’s success. Additionally, both shows share a common character, with exasperated accountant Oscar unhappily finding himself once again in front of the cameras after he moves away from Scranton.

What’s defining The Paper as its own thing? 
A New Beginning (125), both for the show and its titular newspaper. The first season of The Office was, more or less, a recreation of the original British series, and fans already knew what to expect in terms of characters, relationships, and general storylines. This connection (IP Extension, 124), as well as the anticipated themes of Workplace Romance (149) and Male Friendships (140) that were transposed from one set of characters to another, drove early interest, and even non-fans could see how these compelling dynamics would start to play out from the trailers. The Paper, however, is starting with more of a blank slate and viewers know a bit less about what to expect; consequently, its direct link to The Office is nowhere to be found among its top drivers, and the themes propelling its ratings are more generalized (“Co-worker Relationships” rather than the specificities of “Workplace Romance” or “Male Friendship”). Instead, this new series is mimicking its protagonists as they venture into the unknown and reconfigure their lives (Lifestyle Change, 123).

What about The Paper’s style of comedy?
It’s landing as more topical. Whereas both The Office and The Paper take the same humorous tone and feature branches of the same paper manufacturing conglomerate, the latter zooms in on a subgroup attempting to revive a small local newspaper and tracks mediocre paper salespeople striving to become decent amateur journalists. This semi-serious focus on legacy media and struggling reporters at a time when the legitimacy of the press and News Reports (125) are widely questioned may be helping The Paper to feel especially current and of-the-moment. Its witty Satirical Humor (140) and overall style of Parody (138) are driving its bingeability, whereas these particular flavors of comedy did not register at all for The Office’s first season.

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