Peacock’s newsroom sitcom “The Paper” has set its slate of Season 2 guest stars, which includes Jon Lovitz (“The Simpsons”), Andy Richter (“Conan”), Lisa Gilroy (“Jury Duty”), Matt Braunger (“Agent Carter”), Toks Olagundoye (“Family Guy,” “Beave and Butt-Head”) and Phil Hendrie (“The Phil Hendrie” radio show).
The series, a loose spinoff of “The Office,” returns on Sept. 9 with new episodes. In Season 2, Ned searches for a journalistic crusade after sweeping the Ohio Journalism Awards. He goes after a local private club and puts the Toledo Truth Teller in jeopardy. “While he and Mare try to figure out their attraction, Esmeralda struggles to find her place and the staff gradually mature as reporters,” per the logline.
“The Paper’s” ensemble cast includes Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Tim Key, Ramona Young, Eric Rahill, Duane Shepard Sr., Alex Edelman and Oscar Nuñez (who reprises his role as Oscar Martinez).
Other than Oscar, the through line between “The Office” and “The Paper” is that the documentary crew chronicling the revival of a dying local newspaper in the Midwest is the same group that, decades earlier, embedded in the Scranton-based paper company Dunder Mifflin. (Plus, Bob Vance of Vance Refrigeration makes a cameo in the premiere episode.)
Greg Daniels and Michael Koman serve as co-creators and executive producers of “The Paper,” with Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein, Ben Silverman and Banijay Americas (formerly Reveille) also on board as EPs. “The Paper” is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.