The Paper

The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin's Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover the historic Toledo Truth Teller, a Midwestern newspaper, and its publisher's efforts to revive it.

Ned slowly starts with his volunteer crew until Esmeralda forces an accelerated scramble for stories; Detrick and Travis, Mare and Barry, and Adam and Adelola form Woodward and Bernstein teams with limited results.

Ned tags along on Mare's consumer sting story after Esmeralda tells him a bunch of things that get in his head; Oscar has to stick his neck out in a budget meeting; Detrick and Nicole play two truths and a lie until it blows up.

After learning that a snarky high schooler's blog has more readers than the paper, Ned and Esmeralda team up to embarrass the corner-cutting brat; Mare and Oscar cover a beloved music teacher's last production.

Ned chases a story about a local scammer operating through a dating app and realizes he may already have the scoop when he learns Esmeralda was one of his victims; Nicole is full of vengeful glee.

Ned takes over Esmeralda's advertorials and assigns the staff to test products themselves, but Esmeralda retaliates and covers one of Ned's stories and finds a scandal; Ken turns Adam into a lab rat; Oscar and Adelola compare pain tolerances.

With Marv camped out in the newsroom while his office is painted, Ned and the staff find their unresolved attitudes toward authority bubbling up; Esmeralda and Ken plot a betrayal that leaks.

Mare uncovers a story that pits the Truth Teller against its corporate owner; Ned's past as a high-pressure toilet paper salesman embarrasses him; Esmeralda tries to stage-mom her son into commercials; Ken participates in a cover-up.

Ned and Mare take a long road trip to interview a possible cult leader after Detrick backs out; Ken drags Nicole into his corporate apology tour; Oscar is driven mad by a troll commenting on his pieces; Esmeralda is visited by an incubus.

Ned stifles his desire to win at the Ohio Journalism Awards; Nicole uncovers Detrick's monogamy and becomes furious; Oscar comes to terms with the documentary; Mare brings a famous date; Esmeralda sings and Ken plots an emergency to play the hero.

After a magical weekend sweeping the Ohio Journalism Awards, Ned tries to find the right time to ask Marv for a bigger budget, while Esmeralda loudly plays the grief card.

Ned and Mare ditch the documentary crew, leaving Adam and Adelola in charge of the weekend edition, while Esmeralda recruits Ken to be her son's pretend dad.

Ned and Mare search for a journalistic crusade and find themselves at her apartment, while Oscar negotiates the rights to Mr Digit with Marv.

Mare finds a great story after Ned has a bruising interaction at his police source's gun range, while Esmeralda plans a not-so-scary haunted house.

Ned and Mare's crusade is delayed when their new podcast gets too spicy, while Esmeralda pays the price for embarrassing the company.

Ned invites journalists to witness the paper's 125th birthday and finds out what it is like to be the story. Esmeralda has to make up years of skipped HR training and gets creative.

When a tornado threatens Toledo, Ned struggles with his emergency messaging. The staff at the Cincinnati Chronicle consider Mare primitive. Esmeralda tries to prove she is not a narcissist. Travis and Adelola storm chase.

Ned forms a secret team after he's told he can't cover an important story. Esmeralda forms her own covert squad to find out what Ned's secret team is up to.

Ned tries to protect Mare from nasty rumors. Esmeralda interviews to be the consort of a powerful 90-year-old. Marv and Ann go undercover to help with the investigation.

Ned finds publishing his and Detrick's big story will require sacrifices, as do other worthwhile things. Esmeralda goes undercover to expose prejudice. Mare has a choice to make if she wants to play in the big leagues.