The Paper, Season 2 Feature Scores
Explore all 43 feature scores for The Paper, Season 2, organized into pros and cons.
Scores by Feature
Summary
43 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.013 (30%)
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Positive 3.5-4.417 (40%)
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Neutral 2.5-3.45 (12%)
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Negative 1.5-2.45 (12%)
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Very negative below 1.53 (7%)
Pros
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The supporting cast is one of the clearest strengths, with Lisa Gilroy, Sabrina Impacciatore, Tim Key, Jon Lovitz, Melvin Gregg, and others repeatedly singled out for laughs and scene-stealing energy.
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Interest in another season is notably high. Multiple reviewers explicitly want Season 3 or several more seasons, even when they acknowledge flaws in the current run.
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Comedy is the biggest fault line. Many reviewers call Season 2 funnier, sharper, or laugh-out-loud effective, while others find the broad farce scattershot, safe, or simply not funny enough.
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Season 2 is generally seen as more confident outside The Office’s shadow, but reviewers disagree on how fully it has escaped familiar archetypes, callbacks, and relationship patterns.
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The season is widely described as easy to keep watching; multiple reviewers call it an easy binge, and one said they simply did not want to stop.
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Chemistry is one of the season’s biggest divides. Many reviewers find the ensemble increasingly comfortable and Ned and Mare warm or natural together, while others see little spark or feel the romance weakens once they become a couple.
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Most reviewers find the season pleasant, charming, or genuinely funny, with several calling it a strong comfort watch. A smaller group sees it as merely fine or too forgettable to rise above crowded comedy competition.
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Season 2 gets credit for moving relationships forward, giving Mare growth, and deepening several recurring characters. Detractors argue that some arcs remain stagnant or recycle the same relationship conflicts.
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Many reviewers find the newsroom increasingly warm, likable, and easy to spend time with, though a few actively dislike major characters or find certain romantic behavior toxic.
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The leads are a major asset, with Domhnall Gleeson praised as a strong comic anchor and the central performances helping carry the season even when stories wobble.
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The finale is praised as hopeful and memorable, with Esmeralda’s undercover material singled out as one of the season’s funniest moments.
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New characters and a broader newsroom ecosystem help the season feel like its own populated comedy world rather than a thin extension of Dunder Mifflin.
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The local-journalism premise gives the comedy real substance for many reviewers, especially around ethics, resources, and public trust. Others think the show retreats into safe sitcom territory just as those ideas become interesting.
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Performances are generally viewed as a strength: the cast is described as solid and increasingly comfortable, with the second season giving several actors more room to settle into their roles.
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The finale is viewed positively for giving the investigation a workable conclusion while ending the romance on a hopeful, continuation-friendly note.
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One reviewer calls the series an underrated gem that deserves more attention, suggesting strong appeal for viewers willing to invest in its character-driven newsroom comedy.
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The roughly 20–25 minute episodes are praised for keeping jokes moving without making the newsroom stories feel crammed.
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The season earns praise for a well-articulated debate about public shaming and how media judgment can spill from private behavior into public consequences.
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One strongly positive review credits the season’s smart writing with consistently delivering the laughs.
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The season is praised as a worthwhile successor to The Office because it increasingly develops its own comic identity rather than functioning only as a nostalgia extension.
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The Joe Burrow-related episode thread is singled out as absolutely hilarious, giving the season’s sports material a strong comic payoff.
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Writing is strongly polarized: supporters call it clever, sharp, and smart, while critics describe it as unfocused, overly safe, or lacking a clear thesis.
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For supporters, this is a warm workplace sitcom with real ideas and strong laughs; detractors argue that too many jokes miss for the show to fully satisfy as a comedy.
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The unresolved Ned-and-Mare ending is treated as a useful setup for another season, leaving their relationship in a deliberately unsettled place rather than closing it off.
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Early critical reaction is described as largely positive, especially around the comedy and stronger identity, but the same coverage acknowledges notably harsh dissent.
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The central relationship is handled as an intentional balancing act, with the season taking risks by moving Ned and Mare forward quickly and then testing the relationship.
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The quicker mockumentary cutaways are specifically praised for improving comic timing and helping short reaction moments land more effectively.
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Alongside the satire, the season is praised as heartfelt, giving its newsroom comedy a warmer emotional layer.
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Pacing is contested: one reviewer likes how quickly episodes move, while another finds the episodes sluggish and underpowered.
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The best episodes are praised for starting with simple workplace problems and escalating naturally into chaos. A harsher take says the story-of-the-week structure feels empty when the larger mission fades.
Cons
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Ned’s characterization is a sore point for some critics, who find his ethics, competence, and behavior contradictory enough to make the season’s central relationship harder to trust.
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Rewatchability is a clear weakness in the more skeptical reviews, which see the season as pleasant comfort viewing but far below The Office’s repeat-viewing pull.
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The oversized ensemble is a recurring frustration. The cast is frequently praised, but romance-heavy plots and limited episode space leave several supporting characters sidelined or fighting for attention.
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The season draws sharp criticism for treating fabricated quotes and manipulated photos too lightly, with one reviewer especially bothered by the lack of meaningful repercussions.
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One major criticism is that the central relationship becomes so ambiguous that the reviewer cannot tell what direction the show wants the audience to follow.
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The ten-episode season is repeatedly seen as too short for such a large ensemble, forcing the show to choose between romance, journalism, and supporting characters.
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The show’s blend of warmth, cringe, and broad farce works for some reviewers but feels wobbly or over-sanitized to others, especially when darker or more bizarre behavior lacks a sharp comic payoff.
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At least one critic finds the season short on memorable, quotable lines even when the writing is otherwise clever or likable.
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The all-at-once episode drop is criticized as making the season easier to consume quickly but also easier to forget.
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Some critics applaud the season for moving past stale will-they-won’t-they formulas, while others feel it still recycles too many familiar Office-style patterns.
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The journalism portrayal sharply divides reviewers: one calls it an accurate picture of digital-era news, while another finds its ethics and newsroom behavior badly divorced from reality.
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Season-level momentum is mixed: one reviewer thinks the back half improves substantially, while another feels the final stretch stumbles after a strong run.
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Storytelling reactions range from praise for a stronger investigative spine and relationship progression to complaints about half-baked arcs, random weekly plots, and a central romance that absorbs too much oxygen.
Cast & Creators
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ActorImpacciatore is the season’s most frequently praised performer, repeatedly called hilarious, fearless, impeccable, or a knockout. One critic finds the Esmeralda performance too cartoonish and grating, making her broad style the clearest point of disagreement.
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ActorGilroy is one of the most consistently praised additions, bringing manic energy, sharp comic instincts, and an HR character that multiple reviewers call a standout.
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ActorGleeson is repeatedly praised as the season’s anchor, bringing earnestness, warmth, and an increasingly comfortable comic touch to Ned.
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ActorFrei is praised for fully owning Mare, giving the character warmth and dimension beyond the romance, and standing among the season’s strongest lead performances.
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ActorKey is repeatedly described as a comic asset and even a secret weapon, with strong chemistry and elevated work; the recurring complaint is that the season simply does not use him enough.
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ActorRahill emerges as a standout supporting performer, with reviewers especially praising his distinctive line delivery and the comedy generated by Travis’s side stories.
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ActorIkumelo earns strong notices as part of the memorable supporting ensemble, with Adelola singled out by one reviewer as a major reason the season works.
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ActorLovitz’s guest work is praised as a fun, snappy, scene-stealing addition that fits naturally into the show’s growing ensemble.
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ActorRichter fits comfortably into the expanded ensemble, and his guest moments are enjoyable enough that one reviewer hopes he returns.
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ActorGregg is praised for elevated supporting work and for getting more room to stretch within the newsroom ensemble.
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CreatorDaniels draws mixed but engaged reactions: one critic admires the boldness of the season’s central romantic idea, while another says he has struck gold again with the series.
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ActorEdelman is part of a supporting group credited with delivering some of the season’s funniest side plots when the ensemble gets room to play.
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ActorShepard is included among the supporting players responsible for some of the season’s funniest side material.
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ActorNuñez is part of a supporting group credited with some of the season’s funniest side plots when the show gives them space.
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ActorYoung is praised for throwing herself into Nicole’s wildest material and adding energy to the supporting ensemble.
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CreatorKoman receives credit for helping pursue an ambitious central romance idea, even though the reviewer praising the boldness remains mixed on how well that idea ultimately lands.