The build-up to the release of the newest mockumentary sitcom, The Paper, left many longtime fans of the hit NBC series The Office curious about what type of similarities would be in store. This isn’t at all surprising considering the pre-release reveal that Oscar Nunez would reprise his role as Oscar Martinez, and the fact that The Paper features the same crew that filmed The Office.
However, there’s little question that The Paper isn’t looking to replicate what The Office brought to fans over its nine-season run. In fact, the approach to the story itself and many of the characters are intentionally and understandably focused on building a new approach to each role.
This stood true for, maybe more than anyone, Domhnall Gleeson, starring as Ned Sampson, the new editor-in-chief at the Toledo Truth-Teller.
Domhnall Gleeson Praises Steve Carell’s Performance as Michael Scott in ‘The Office’
Gleeson is effectively stepping into the role of the “boss,” a spot that fans saw Steve Carell play on The Officeand, before that, David Brant on the UK’s The Office. However, it was the approach from creators Greg Daniels and Michael Koman to building out his character that appealed to Gleeson, as he explained to Men’s Journal.
While The Paper has some small crossover, it manages to remain its own world, far from Dunder Mifflin. Part of the reason for that is likely due to the fact that neither the creators nor Gleeson attempted to mimic the approach of the beloved Michael Scott.
In fact, Gleeson went as far as saying that The Paper was “going to lose” if it attempted to build his character around Michael Scott, while also offering the highest of praise to Carell for a performance that “only he can do.”
“It was clear to me that this wasn’t like, you know, they can’t get Steve Carell, so we’re going to try to get somebody who can do the same thing that’s similar,” Gleeson told Men’s Journal. “We’re going to lose if we try and do that. What he did was incredible, and only he can do that.”
“They had built a totally new, separate character, who stood on his own two feet,” Gleeson continued. “He seemed like a little bit more of a straight [forward] man, but he also was able to be funny in the show, and he’s sort of inspiring to a few people in the office in a slightly different way than Michael had been, and that David Brandt was in the UK ‘The Office’.”
For some viewers, it may be impossible to shake the visions of Michael Scott in The Office. However, for others watching The Paper as a standalone show, there’s a good chance they’ll quickly become fans of Ned Sampson. And it will likely be for a completely different reason than why we all loved Michael Scott, which is ultimately a great thing.
Related: Domhnall Gleeson Shares 3 Elements of ‘The Paper’ That Sold Him on the Role [Exclusive]
