As a fan of The Workplace (to place it mildly), my plan to look at Greg Daniels’ upcoming spinoff sequence, The Paper, when it debuts on the 2025 TV schedule, is a no brainer. Actually, the one problem I’m having at this level is holding my expectations in verify, particularly when remembering the way in which it took me a little bit little bit of time to heat as much as The Workplace, and the identical for Parks and Recreation, one other sequence executive-produced by Greg Daniels.
I’ve not too long ago been making good use of my Peacock subscription to rewatch Parks and Rec, and the Daniels and Michael Schur co-created comedy bought me serious about one underrated factor the present did very well with two of its characters, that The Workplace additionally achieved. Simply possibly The Paper will discover that magic as effectively.
It Would Be Nice To See One other Satisfying Love Story
After I point out “love story” proper after referencing The Workplace, you may assume I’m about to speak about Jim and Pam, however I’m not. Sure, the romance between John Krasinski’s character and Jenna Fischer’s was undoubtedly a key piece to the NBC sequence constructing momentum. I beloved Jim and Pam’s complete arc, and if The Paper has a pair like that off the bat, that’d be nice.
However, The Workplace did one thing later within the sequence that Parks and Rec additionally did, and that’s introduce a personality who seems to be absolutely the good match for one of many leads. I’m referring to Holly (The Workplace), and Ben (Parks and Rec). I completely love the way in which each of those romantic relationships have been arrange and the way they performed out throughout their respective runs.
A Couple Like Michael Scott And Holly Flax
Michael’s romantic life had its ups and downs all through The Workplace, usually to nice comedic and cringy impact. Let’s take a second to flash again to him proposing to Carol in entrance of a crowd of individuals in “Diwali,” or his epic struggle with Jan throughout one in every of The Workplace’s greatest episodes, “Dinner Occasion.” By the point Holly (Amy Ryan) confirmed up, it appeared unimaginable to think about him in a wholesome relationship.
Although Michael wished to dislike Holly, on account of her affiliation with a division that he as soon as described as “a breeding floor for monsters,” the chemistry between the regional supervisor and HR rep was plain from the beginning. What I really like about that spark is that it’s not rooted solely in anyone superficial factor. Sure, he’s drawn to her, and he or she him. However additionally they get one another’s (generally bizarre) jokes, and are charmed by traits that different individuals may, at greatest, be keen to tolerate. Take into consideration how Jan used to chastise Michael, for instance. Holly didn’t at all times approve of his phrases or actions, however her responses have been by no means disdainful.
One in all my favourite episodes of the sequence is Season 7’s “The Search,” the place Michael will get misplaced wandering round Scranton, and Erin and Dwight set off with Holly to search for him. The entire episode is a unusual nod to their compatibility, as Dwight and Erin rapidly understand that Holly’s data of how Michael thinks is the important thing to monitoring him down. When she lastly finds Michael, it appears unimaginable that both of them have been meant for anybody else, and I beloved that for each characters.
Park’s And Recreation’s Leslie And Ben
Now let’s speak about Ben and Leslie, as a result of I see a lot of what Michael and Holly have on this couple. This isn’t to say that I’d examine Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope to Michael Scott, or Adam Scott’s Ben Wyatt to Holly. It’s extra the way in which their relationship got here collectively. Like Holly, Ben wasn’t one of many primary characters at the beginning of the sequence. He and Rob Lowe’s Chris Traeger don’t present up till close to the top of Season 2. Ben and Leslie’s relationship begins off strained, as he will get extra concerned in her division, however by Season 3, their romance begins to take off.
Like with Michael and Holly, what I really like about Ben and Leslie is the way in which he’s capable of see her for who she is – energetic and optimistic and wanting to make her neighborhood a greater place. Does Leslie usually set her expectations too excessive? Yup, and positive, she tends to get hyper-focused on a purpose, which might spiral uncontrolled rapidly. As Ben will get to know her, he appears to see these traits as strengths, moderately than flaws. He’s the cynic to her optimist and collectively they work. Actually, not solely are they an amazing romantic pair, however they’re actually good at working collectively. It’s such a satisfying factor to look at.
A Frequent Issue For Each {Couples}’ Tales
I’m not of the mindset {that a} good love story is a requirement for a TV comedy. There are such a lot of issues that I really like about The Workplace and Parks And Recreation that don’t have anything to do with the romances. So, if The Paper is a superb comedy that doesn’t have a central romantic pair, that’s simply effective with me. If it does develop one in a while, that’s additionally simply effective, as a result of one notable frequent issue between the love tales of Leslie/Ben and Michael/Holly, is that these love pursuits didn’t even present up on the sequence till in a while. It wasn’t till after we all know Michael and Leslie effectively as characters that their good match appeared.
Whereas it is perhaps protected to imagine that Holly and Ben have been each written into their respective reveals to be potential endgame love pursuits for the lead characters, they each introduced added layers to the story, along with shining the absolute best mild onto the quirky leads.
Will There Be Romance In The Paper?
Okay, so let’s get again to The Paper, as a result of that’s the place this all ties in. As I stated, a superb romantic story isn’t a requirement for a TV comedy, although lots of the most memorable sitcoms do have no less than one. Given how satisfying those within the hits talked about have been to look at, I actually hope Greg Daniels finds a solution to create that sort of chemistry between two characters on this new sequence in some unspecified time in the future. I’ll take a worth-the-wait story about two characters discovering one another on the proper time and being good collectively over a will-they-wont-they any day
With all of that stated, I understand this implies I’m saying I’d be completely happy to attend a number of seasons to see that connection occur on The Paper. And I’d, however… there’s a method the present might pace up the method, and that might be to present Oscar the romance he deserves. The Workplace character, who’s included on this new sequence (you could have noticed him within the trailer for The Paper), had a number of love pursuits all through the run of the NBC sequence, the final of whom was Angela’s (State) senator husband.
I believe Oscar is overdue for an ideal match, and this may very well be the sequence that delivers it. As a result of we already know the good accountant effectively sufficient, I don’t want seasons to get to know him earlier than I’m able to see him discover Mr. Proper.
It doesn’t must be Oscar, however he’d actually be a deserving choice. Within the meantime, there are such a lot of different issues that Daniels has completed effectively together with his earlier sequence, so I’ve little question The Paper will ship.
The Paper debuts on Peacock on September 4, 2025.