We independently select everything we recommend.
asserted
we → select → everything
Buying through us may earn us a commission, which supports our work.
uncertain
which → buy → work
What’s black and white and read all over?
asserted
What → ’ → ?
What’s black and white and hardly even read in its hometown?
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What → ’ → hometown
It’s the Toledo Truth Teller, the fictional community newspaper at the centre of The Office’s spinoff, The Paper.
asserted
It → ’ → spinoff
Led by optimistic if slightly delusional editor Ned (Domhnall Gleeson), the newspaper’s staff members are initially content to run prewritten stories from a national service.
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members → lead → service
But over the first 10 episodes, which launched in September 2025, they set their sights on credible local journalism — and succeeded.
asserted
they → launch → journalism
At the end of the season, compositor Mare (Chelsea Frei) won an Ohio Journalism Award for one of her stories.
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Mare → win → stories
And, moving from professional to personal, she and Ned shared a long-awaited first kiss.
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she → move → kiss
The Paper is back for its second season Sept. 9 on Showcase and StackTV, streaming in the U.S. on Peacock.
asserted
Paper → stream → Peacock
Frei spoke with Postmedia about the onscreen romance, bursting into laughter while filming, and how the comedy has come into its own.
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comedy → speak → own
How did things change after Season 1?
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things → change → Season
I think definitely there was relief after the first (season) came out.
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season → think → ?
And just getting to see it and the different characters and (the actors) who make me laugh and everything — I think we definitely had a lot more fun this season.
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we → get → fun
So who does make you laugh?
asserted
you → make → ?
A: Oh my gosh, I’m a big breaker.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
I break when I’m laughing on set a lot, and it’s mainly Domhnall Gleeson who makes me laugh so hard and Eric Rahill.
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me → break → set
Eric Rahill plays Travis, and he just comes up with these one-liners that are so funny.
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that → play → liners
At the end of Season 1, Mare and Ned kissed, which is earlier than I thought they would.
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they → kiss → Season
For you, how did that progression in their relationship play?
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progression → play → relationship
We talked about it a lot, how fast we wanted their relationship to move.
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relationship → talk → it
I mean, it’s a different time now, and there aren’t 22 episodes in each season with a slow burn.
asserted
it → mean → burn
We just talked about the fact that it’s changed, and you want the audience to feel like they’ve gotten enough from the first season.
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they → talk → season
We talked about if it was too far or not, and we decided just to go for it.
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we → talk → it
And I’m happy we did.
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we → ’m → ?
I think it sets it apart from the “will they or won’t they” that was on The Office.
asserted
that → think → Office
Can you tease what’s to come in Season 2?
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what → tease → Season
A: I mean, all I (can say) is that we finished Season 2, and I’ve never laughed that much on a set ever.
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I → mean → set
I think the writers know the characters better.
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writers → think → characters
We know our characters better, so I’m seeing people really come into their own in a way that’s so fun.
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that → know → way
And I think there’ll be a lot more fun stories that they’re chasing down as journalists.
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they → think → journalists
Have you heard any feedback about how the show portrays community papers?
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show → hear → papers
We’ve been so lucky to meet so many local journalists through this process, not only in research but now in doing press.
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We → meet → press
And the thing that always makes me so happy is meeting somebody at a local newspaper and them saying how much the show is relatable and how real it is.
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it → make → newspaper
They’re like, “No, it’s just how it is and for better or worse.
asserted
it → ’re → ?
But I think that’s one thing we really strived for — to present a very accurate depiction of it.
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we → think → it
And the thing I’ve realized just talking to all these people is to subscribe.
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I → realize → people
Just subscribe to at least one local newspaper, even if you just get the email.
asserted
you → subscribe → email
They’re usually not that expensive, and they can keep them afloat if we all just do that.
asserted
we → ’re → that
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
asserted
interview → edit → length
The Aporia
