There are plenty of TV comedies arriving in 2026, but The Paper feels like one of those releases that comes with a little extra baggage. Not necessarily the bad kind. When a show lives in the same universe as The Office, people are going to have questions before they even press play. Is it actually funny? Does it feel like its own show? And, perhaps most importantly, where can you watch The Paper in 2026?
I’ve been following the series with exactly the kind of cautious optimism you’d expect from an Office fan. I loved the original, but I didn’t want another sitcom desperately trying to recreate the Scranton magic. Thankfully, The Paper takes a different route. Instead of another ordinary office full of awkward meetings and passive-aggressive coworkers, we’re dropped into the struggling world of local journalism.
The setting is the Toledo Truth Teller, a historic Ohio newspaper that is fighting to stay alive. The newsroom is understaffed, underfunded and packed with people who aren’t exactly what you’d call seasoned journalists. That combination is basically comedy fuel.
And now, with Season 2 premiering on September 9, 2026, the big question is much simpler: what’s the best way to watch it?
Peacock Is the Place to Watch The Paper in the US
If you’re watching from the United States, the answer is refreshingly straightforward: Peacock.
The NBCUniversal streaming service is the main home for The Paper, carrying both the first season and the new 2026 episodes. There isn’t much mystery here. If you want to watch Season 2 as soon as it arrives, Peacock is the service you’ll want.
What I particularly like about the release strategy is that viewers aren’t being forced into a weekly waiting game. All 10 episodes of Season 2 are scheduled to arrive on September 9. For anyone who remembers spending years waiting seven days for the next episode of a sitcom, that’s a pretty tempting setup.
Personally, I’m torn between watching the entire season in one sitting and pretending I still have the self-control to watch “just one episode.” Ten episodes sitting there at once is dangerous territory.
Which Peacock Plan Do You Need?
You don’t need the most expensive Peacock package just to watch The Paper. There are two main options worth considering.
| Plan | Price | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Peacock Premium | $7.99/month | The Paper, full Peacock library, sports, movies and ad-supported streaming |
| Peacock Premium Plus | $13.99/month | On-demand viewing with fewer interruptions, downloads on supported content and additional live-TV features |
For most people, Peacock Premium is the sensible choice. If you’re primarily subscribing because you want to watch The Paper, spending nearly twice as much for Premium Plus may not make much sense unless you really hate advertisements or want the additional features.
And yes, the cheaper plan is ad-supported. Personally, a couple of commercial breaks wouldn’t stop me from choosing it. I’d rather save the money and put it toward the next streaming service that inevitably appears in my monthly budget.
Can You Watch The Paper for Free?
This is where things get a little more interesting.
There isn’t a permanent free Peacock option that simply gives you unlimited access to the latest original episodes. So if you’re hoping to watch all ten Season 2 episodes without spending anything, you’ll need to look for legitimate promotions rather than relying on some suspicious streaming website that looks like it was designed in 2007.
Several possibilities are worth checking:
- Provider bundles: Some internet, mobile and subscription packages can include Peacock access at no additional charge.
- Limited-time promotions: Peacock periodically offers discounted introductory rates for new or returning subscribers.
- Student pricing: Eligible college students may be able to access Peacock Premium at a significantly reduced monthly price.
The best advice here is simple: check the services you already pay for before buying another subscription. You might already have a Peacock benefit buried inside an internet, mobile or membership package.
What About Cable, NBC and Live TV Services?
This is one area where I wouldn’t complicate things if you’re impatient.
The Paper is fundamentally a Peacock-first show, so streaming on Peacock is the easiest way to watch the new episodes when they arrive. Traditional television and live-TV services may eventually play a larger role, particularly if NBC follows the kind of delayed broadcast strategy used around the first season.
That means services carrying your local NBC station could become relevant later. Depending on your package and location, that can include platforms such as Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV or Sling TV.
But if your goal is simply to sit down on September 9 and watch Season 2, I’d skip the complicated route. Peacock is the obvious starting point.
Can You Buy The Paper Episodes Instead?
Not everyone wants another recurring subscription, and honestly, I get it. Streaming fatigue is real. There was a time when having Netflix was basically enough. Now it feels like every show worth watching has its own little corner of the internet.
If digital purchasing is available in your region, The Paper can also be found through major video storefronts such as:
- Apple TV Store
- Amazon Prime Video’s digital store
- Fandango At Home
- Google Play Movies
Individual HD episodes typically sit around the familiar $2.99 range, while season purchases can offer better value if you already know you’re going to keep the show.
There’s also something appealing about buying a season outright. No subscription roulette, no wondering whether a show is going to disappear from a service six months from now. You buy it, it sits in your digital library, and you’re done.
Where Can International Fans Watch The Paper?
The streaming situation changes once you leave the United States.
In the UK and Ireland, viewers can look toward Sky and NOW, with the new season expected to arrive shortly after its US launch.
In Canada, availability can involve services such as StackTV through Amazon Prime Video Channels, fuboTV Canada and Crave, depending on the current distribution arrangements.
Australian viewers have Binge as one of the major destinations associated with the series, alongside Foxtel availability.
That’s one of the annoying realities of modern streaming: the show exists everywhere, but the service carrying it depends on where your IP address happens to land.
Why I’m Actually Excited for Season 2
Here’s where the show has managed to win me over.
The Paper doesn’t need to constantly remind us that it belongs to The Office universe. The documentary setup is familiar, but the environment is completely different. A struggling newspaper is an excellent replacement for Dunder Mifflin because it creates its own kind of workplace absurdity.
Domhnall Gleeson leads the cast as Ned Sampson, a well-intentioned editor who appears to have discovered that running a newsroom is considerably harder than it looks. Sabrina Impacciatore brings a completely different energy as Esmeralda Grand, while Oscar Nuñez’s return as Oscar Martinez is exactly the kind of connection to the original series that feels worthwhile rather than forced.
Oscar, in particular, is the character I’m most curious about. Putting him in a newspaper environment gives the writers plenty of opportunities to use the same dry intelligence that made him such a memorable part of The Office, while still giving him something new to do.
What Happens in The Paper Season 2?
Season 2 picks up with the Toledo Truth Teller having something it desperately needed: attention.
After the newsroom’s success at the local Ohio Journalism Awards, Ned sees an opportunity to turn recognition into actual money and resources. Of course, this being The Paper, getting more funding isn’t going to be as simple as asking nicely.
The new season reportedly digs further into workplace relationships, newsroom ethics and the increasingly dangerous consequences of investigative reporting. One major storyline involves the staff looking into an exclusive private club in Toledo, putting the newspaper in a situation where publishing the truth could have serious consequences.
That sounds like a promising direction to me. The best workplace comedies aren’t really about the workplace. They’re about what happens when ordinary people are trapped together while everything around them slowly becomes ridiculous.
How Many Episodes in The Paper Season 2? Full Release Schedule and Episode Guide
The Paper Season 2 Episode Guide
The second season consists of 10 episodes, giving viewers plenty to binge when the new season arrives.
- Episode 201: Ned pushes for a larger newsroom budget after the newspaper’s award success, while Esmeralda makes a dramatic move of her own.
- Episode 202: A volunteer reporter’s serious factual mistake creates an uncomfortable ethical problem for the entire newsroom.
- Episode 203: Ned and Mare find themselves working closely together on an important local investigation, increasing the romantic tension.
- Episode 204: Oscar tries to modernize the newspaper’s finances and accidentally sparks resistance from the veteran delivery staff.
- Episode 205: A competing digital blogger challenges the Truth Teller’s credibility, forcing Ned into an unexpected partnership.
- Episode 206: The newsroom begins investigating an influential and secretive Toledo country club.
- Episode 207: Ken and Nicole face pressure from corporate leadership while dealing with an increasingly complicated editorial situation.
- Episode 208: Esmeralda proposes a controversial advertorial strategy designed to bring much-needed money into the struggling publication.
- Episode 209: A team-building retreat quickly turns into a spectacular collection of personal grudges, rivalries and uncomfortable revelations.
- Episode 210: The season finale puts the future of the Toledo Truth Teller on the line and forces the staff into a confrontation over what happens next.
My Pick: The Easiest Way to Watch The Paper in 2026
If you’re in the US and you’re planning to watch The Paper Season 2 the moment it lands, I’d keep it simple: Peacock Premium is the best starting point for most viewers. You get access to the complete season without paying for the more expensive tier unless its extra features matter to you.
And if you’re already paying for an eligible internet, mobile or membership service, check for Peacock access before handing over another monthly payment.
What makes the September 9 release particularly appealing is that you won’t have to spend weeks wondering whether the show can maintain its momentum. With all ten episodes arriving together, you can judge Season 2 on its own terms almost immediately.
For me, that’s the real test. The Office doesn’t need to be recreated. It already exists. What The Paper needs to prove is that a completely different workplace can create the same feeling of becoming weirdly attached to a bunch of dysfunctional people.
If the Toledo Truth Teller can pull that off, I’ll happily spend another season hanging around that newsroom.
