I'm an Office US superfan but I've got serious concerns about The Paper

Over a decade since the final episode of the American version of The Office aired, I still find myself regularly revisiting all nine seasons as superfan of the show.

Each year, I turn to it as a comforting watch, despite a brief period when I boycotted it entirely.

Like many fans of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant's original, I was wary of any Americanisation. How dare they. There was no need for a remake.

Eventually, I gave in and took a chance on it, only to discover one of my favourite shows to re-watch for a mood boost.

The Office: An American Workplace truly came into its own when it stopped trying to imitate its British counterpart, reports the Mirror.

However, similar concerns resurfaced following years of rumours about a potential reboot, remake or sequel series. How dare they. There was no need for a remake.

This was eventually confirmed to be The Paper, a new 10-part series streaming on Sky Max and NOW in the UK from 5 September. The premise of the new show is that it's set within the same universe as The Office.

In fact, this is meant to be the next project of the same documentary crew that filmed around Dunder Mifflin's offices in Scranton. Their next subject is a local newspaper located in Toledo, Ohio.

A new editor-in-chief (played by Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson) joins the staff to try and turn its fortunes, including transforming toilet paper company employees into reporters.

This mockumentary provides a glimpse into the daily lives and challenges of journalism enthusiasts, along with their less-than-skilled colleagues, as they strive to deliver accurate news without the necessary resources or training.

I've had the honour of previewing the entire first series of The Paper before its release in the US and UK later this week. In fact, I've watched it twice over.

The network has made a last-minute decision to release the entire series all at once, rather than releasing a small batch followed by weekly episodes.

This is undoubtedly the best decision they could have made. The series is far better suited for binge-watching rather than trying to keep viewers engaged week after week.

For those brave fans who ventured to watch the Australian version of The Office on Prime Video last year, rest assured this is not a repeat of that unfortunate experience. There are no direct replicas of previous characters.

One might argue that the trio of Ned (Gleeson), Esmeralda (Sabrina Impacciatore) and Ken (Tim Key) represent what could happen if you divided Michael Scott's personality into three exaggerated parts. Thankfully, as the series progresses, this becomes less of an issue.

Each character complements the others without attempting to recreate one of comedy's most iconic figures.

The Paper shares more similarities with another show co-created by Greg Daniels, Parks and Recreation. That show also began as a potential spin-off from The Office before it was decided to let it stand on its own.

The Paper shares some of the emotional depth found in Parks. It has the potential to do for local journalism what Parks did for politics, despite its flaws.

As a former local journalist myself, I can attest that I never handed a printed copy of my story to an editor. Additionally, the office romance storyline feels somewhat contrived.

We don't need a 'will they, won't they' scenario from the start; let the fans decide who they want to see grow closer. These are minor complaints.

Much like Parks, The Paper appears to need time to find its footing. There's hope that the characters could become as unforgettable and endearing as Creed, Kevin, and Dwight. Thankfully, there's ample room for potential.

The Paper is streaming on Sky Max and NOW from September 5.

It's uncertain whether it will match The Office's nine seasons or even Parks' seven, but it's far from being a one-hit wonder.