Today we got our first look at The Paper - Peacock's new The Office spin-off
It was NBC and Fox’s turn for their Upfronts presentations today, which you can read more about below in today’s News section. But, the most interesting reveal was this image promoting Peacock’s upcoming The Office spin-off.
It now has a title: The Paper. And it’ll start streaming on Peacock in the US this September. Presumably, it will stream here in Australia via BINGE.
Here’s the first image from the show, with series star Domhnall Gleeson up front and center. To his left is Sabrina Impacciatore (you know her from The White Lotus season 2) and Oscar Nuñez from the original series.
All we know about the series is that it is another fake documentary, but set at a Toledo-based newspaper known as The Truth Teller.
As a TV spin-off, I like that there’s a connection beyond it just being Oscar in a new show - like with the crew from Dunder Mifflin, we’re following another set of employees struggling to stay afloat in a challenged, paper-based industry.
Going by the tone of this first publicity photo, it does feel like the new show will have a slightly different vibe to it. I certainly appreciate that it wasn’t an effort to just do a publicity photo in the style of the old show.
I’m really looking forward to seeing this. Even if the title of the show is going to really dampen the likelihood of the TV adaptation of Ron Howard’s 1994 film The Paper which has been in development in my brain for the past 20 years.
It is quite odd to me how few TV shows are set in the world of print/web journalism. That’s odd to me as it seems like a great way to do a procedural drama that has the echo a cop show, while doing something a bit different and avoiding any ACAB sentiment.
Related: This week marks seven months since the poorly conceived The Office Australia debuted on Prime Video. We’re still yet to hear any word about a renewal…
News Desk
Even as Fox has announced its 2025-26 schedule, it still has four shows on the cancellation bubble: Accused, Alert: Missing Persons Unit, The Cleaning Lady, and The Great North. Fox reminded reporters that they “order shows all year round,” leaving the door open to renewals at a later date as needed. Read: Deadline
The new Fox schedule has cut scripted shows back from three nights a week to two. Read: TV Line
Fox has ordered a TV adaptation of the Belgian film Memory of a Killer. Patrick Dempsey will star. Read: Variety
Fox will launch its new streaming service in the US fall, to be branded as Fox One. It’ll bundle Fox’s TV shows, cable channels (inclusive of news and sport), and the broadcast TV network. No price has been revealed. Read: NYT
NBC renewed both The Hunting Party and Brilliant Minds for second seasons. Read: TV Line
Australia’s Nine has won the broadcast rights to the next three Rugby World Cups - The 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup, hosted in England, as well as the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup and 2029 Women’s Ruby World Cup, both to be hosted in Australia. Read: Mumbrella
MP Anika Wells has picked up the Communications portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle announced by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Read: Mumbrella
The TiVo Video Trends Report has shown that “over-the-air” (that’s what Americans term ‘free to air”) TV is getting lost in the options of available services, impacting potential OTA growth. This has resonance here in Australia where broadcasters recently pushed the government for legislation to ensure greater prominence for FTA networks on smart TVs. Read: nScreenMedia
Beyond The Gates has been renewed for a second season by CBS. Read: Deadline
Madonna is partnering with director Shawn Levy (Deadpool & Wolverine) for a Netflix TV series about her life and music. I’d rather an animated series based on her 90s book… Read: The Guardian
In news that seems huge, but also not because it is 2025, Michael Jordan has been hired by NBC to contribute to its NBA coverage. Read: THR
2026 will be NBC’s 100th year as a broadcaster (it started out doing this thing called “radio.” Yeah, I’ve never heard of it either. It will broadcast a 100th anniversary variety TV special next year. Read: THR
Prime Video viewers in the US will soon have shoppable ads presented to them when they pause a show or movie. The feature, for the moment, appears to be US only. As an aside, I don’t think there has been a single moment of my TV viewing life where I have looked at a TV show and wanted to buy something from it immediately. Read: Deadline
Trailer Park
Netflix’s Lupin is now filming ‘Part 4’ in Paris.
That’s the newsletter for today.
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