Greg Daniels and Michael Koman cut a bigger The Office reunion scene from Season 2 of The Paper because it threatened to overwhelm the Peacock sitcom’s own story.
The showrunners told Collider about the moment in an exclusive interview. In the cut scene, Oscar (Oscar Nuñez) gets a call for help over a weekend. He says he is “halfway to Pennsylvania,” then turns around to meet Angela and Kevin (Brian Baumgartner) for a birthday party at a restaurant.
“We kind of like these little Easter eggs that just remind you of it without trying to take over,” Daniels said.
The scene never made it to air.
The Cut Scene and the Birthday Party
Season 2 of The Paper keeps Oscar’s check-ins with Kevin throughout the season. Those brief calls tie back to the original series. Daniels said the larger scene with Angela and Kevin at a restaurant felt like too much.
The showrunners aim for balance. Koman described their approach: “Our goal is always to combine a newspaper story with an emotional story.”
That balance extends to how often the writers reference The Office. The small moments work, Daniels said, because they remind viewers of the older show without letting it take over the new one.
Ned’s Story Becomes Mare’s Story
Ned (Domhnall Gleeson) spends most of Season 2 chasing a big story. That quest ends with the Glass Club investigation, but the story ultimately belongs to Mare (Chelsea Frei). She leaves the Toledo Truth Teller for the Cincinnati Chronicle, and the investigation becomes the path to winning her respect back.
Daniels described the season’s shape. “Trying to show off with the crusade and having it blow up in his face and having him have to suffer the loss of Mare to another paper and then redeem himself through winning her respect back,” he said.
Koman framed the choice as a matter of what matters most to Ned. “To have a piece of journalism that the paper can actually be proud of and to do it with this person, who is so meaningful to him,” he said.
Gleeson had his own idea about Ned’s desires. Koman said the actor felt Ned wanted the paper and Mare to co-exist together. Ned found that balance hard to reach all season.
Nicole’s Season 1 Breakup and Season 2 Spiral
Nicole (Ramona Young) has one of the wildest arcs in Season 2. She loses her best friend Mare, and she becomes fixed on Lisa. Daniels rooted the spiral in Season 1.
“She entered into a relationship with Detrick and told herself that she had no feelings for him, and dumped him, and then realized afterwards that she had a lot of feelings for him,” Daniels said. Nicole is also trying to do well at work and get out from under Esmeralda’s thumb, he added.
Koman gave a shorter diagnosis. “I think she’s someone who’s trying to plan her life and by controlling her emotions if they’re inconvenient for her, and she finds out that you can’t do that.”
The Jon Lovitz-Type Role
Season 2 features a character written as a “Jon Lovitz-type” who ended up played by Jon Lovitz himself.
Lovitz is one of several guest appearances in the season.
What Comes Next for the Toledo Truth Teller
The Paper has built its own newsroom across two seasons. Ned’s romance and his duties to the paper remain tangled. Mare works at another outlet now, but the Glass Club story keeps them connected.
Koman said the writers always try to pair a newspaper story with an emotional one.
The cut Office scene shows their priorities. It would have pulled focus from the Toledo Truth Teller’s own staff. The showrunners chose the smaller moment instead.
That restraint defines how The Paper handles its legacy. The show acknowledges The Office without depending on it. Oscar’s calls to Kevin do that work quietly.
The birthday party scene would have done that work loudly. Daniels decided loud was wrong for the story.
- Oscar checks in with Kevin across the season
- Angela joins Kevin for a birthday party in the cut scene
- Ned gives the Glass Club story to Mare
- Nicole loses Mare and processes her Season 1 breakup with Detrick
| Character | Role in Season 2 | Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| Ned | Toledo Truth Teller staff | Gives away the Glass Club story |
| Mare | Reporter at the Cincinnati Chronicle | Leaves the Toledo Truth Teller, then receives Ned’s story |
| Nicole | Toledo Truth Teller staff | Loses Mare, fixates on Lisa |
| Oscar | Former The Office character | Calls Kevin throughout the season |
The Paper is available to stream on Peacock.
Source: collider.com
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