Truth-Telling about The Paper
The spin-off of the US version of The Office, The Paper, debuts on Peacock today (it streams on BINGE here in Australia).
A second season of the show (contractually mandated?) has been announced today, meaning the show will be able to move into production and debut a new season every year. Read about that at thefutoncritic.
A screener for the show never landed in my inbox, so I’m waiting for it to debut on streaming in a few hours. Some critics have received screeners and the reviews are… good enough.
Aramide Tinubu at Variety delivers the review that I was expecting:
Reminiscent of Season 1 of “Parks and Rec,” the first half of “The Paper” feels a bit clunky. Initially, the humor doesn’t quite land, and the actors, though talented, don’t quite seem at home in their characters. The start of the 10-episode first season feels as if viewers are watching several improv performers in a chaotic rehearsal. Things begin to gel halfway through the season, especially as more aspects of the characters’ personalities and personal lives are revealed.
James Poniewozic at the NYT delivers the review I hoped to read:
“The Paper” can be a lot of fun; an episode in which the staff pitches in to review a slew of dubious consumer products really hits its slapstick stride. At times the show feels less like an heir to “The Office” than the municipal-government comedy “Parks and Recreation” — a story of well-meaning kooks trying their best in an institution suffering crises of funding and trust.
Daniel Fienberg from THR is light with praise and delivers the sort of anodyne review I expect from him:
The Paper is quick to capitalize on the strengths of its impressive ensemble and to mine the versatility of its fresh workplace, delivering a 10-episode initial run that is frequently funny, occasionally pointed and, more than anything, consistent.
Proma Khosla at Indiewire delivers the “it’s a fun hang” review, which is probably the most meaningful of all:
The biggest critique that can be leveled at “The Paper” is that it introduces a lot of characters — no more or less than “The Office” in its first season, but with half as many episodes to get to know them, especially those along the periphery — but even those along the edges provide killer punchlines and a strong enough skeletal character to be built out moving forward.
News Desk
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple is planning a 2027 release for an Apple Vision Air product, which will be “over 40% lighter and more than 50% cheaper” than Vision Pro. Read: Medium
Yesterday Australian broadcaster SBS held its upfronts. I got along and noted the five most important takeaways from the event. Read: Mediaweek
Sophie Turner will play Lara Croft in new Prime Video Tomb Raider series. Read: Dark Horizons
HBO Max is now available in Australia as a Prime Video subscription add-on. Read: Mediaweek
There has been a dramatic decline in kids animated shows on Apple TV+, which is a shame because most of its kids cartoons are really good. Stillwater, Frog & Toad, and Sago Mini Friends are all fairly popular in my house. Read: THR
Ron Perlman, Ted Levine and Margarita Levieva have joined the cast of the Apple TV+ TV series adaptation of Cape Fear. Read: Variety
Ed Harris is the current big name to be added to the Yellowstone universe, with him putting a hat on for Dutton Ranch. Read: THR
William Jackson Harper is joining the Jon Hamm MGM+ show American Hostage. Both actors will be seen in the upcoming season of The Morning Show. Read: Deadline
Huh. For three months in a row, more Americans are streaming TV on their Roku devices than there are Americans watching broadcast TV. Read: thefutoncritic
Instagram is finally coming to the iPad. And when it does, Reels will feature prominently on the front page. Read: The Verge
I pity the fool who don’t press play
I don’t know if this is actually funny, but it is very charming.
Standup Erica Nicole Clark has an interesting family connection she has been open about: She’s Mr T’s daughter.
A clip of her talking about the oddity of that has been doing the rounds today and it’s a must-watch.
Trailer Park
House of Dynamite, the new Kathryn Bigelow film for Netflix, will debut on the streamer Oct 24. It’ll have an earlier cinema release on Oct 10. Reviews have been tremendous.
When a single, unattributed missile is launched at the United States, a race begins to determine who is responsible and how to respond.
Slow Horses is back for season 5 on Apple TV+.
Helluva Boss debuts on Prime Video Sept 10.
Set in Hell, Helluva Boss follows the I.M.P. (Immediate Murder Professionals), a small and chaotic assassination business. At the center of the chaos is the eccentric Hell-born imp Blitzo (the "o" is silent) and his complicated situationship with demon prince Stolas. The I.M.P. employs Moxxie (a by-the-books marksman), Millie (a fiery and skilled assassin), and Loona (their snarky, hellhound receptionist). Alongside his ragtag crew, Blitzo takes on contracts to kill targets in the human world. Balancing work with their personal lives, the team constantly finds themselves in absurd, violent, and darkly comedic situations.
That’s the newsletter for today.
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