Screen Queen: The Paper, Wednesday: Part 2, NCIS: Tony & Ziva, and Grosse Pointe Garden Society

The Paper

Thursday, streaming on Binge

To say people have been eagerly awaiting this spin-off of the US Office would be an understatement. They’re positively FROTHING.

There’s a part of me that thinks much of the anticipatory hype stems from people’s eagerness to compare it to its beloved predecessor and to find it wanting — people absolutely love to hate a spin-off.

Case in point: the recent Australian re-imagining of the much-loved British and US version of The Office. That show came and went with barely a ripple, which is a a shame, because there was actually a fair bit to like about it. But I can’t help thinking audiences felt it had all been done before, and maybe done better by local favourites like Fisk and Utopia — there simply wasn’t space enough for it in our hearts.

Thankfully, this spin-off is shaping up to be nothing like the show that spawned it, despite the fact The Office US’ showrunner Greg Daniels is at the helm along with Nathan For You’s Michael Koman. For starters, it’s not about a paper company, but rather a paper paper, that is to say a newspaper, so already there’s a huge point of difference.

The premise is that the documentary crew who followed the folks at Dunder Mifflin are now following the staff at a small regional newspaper called The Truth Teller in Toledo — I’m not going to tell you how the two workplaces (and ex-Office star Oscar Nunez) knit together in the story.

Domhnall Gleeson stars as the paper’s new editor, with The White Lotus’ Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Never Have I Ever’s Ramona Young, and Tim Key playing his co-workers.

I wish I could tell you more, but you’ll have to wait until September 4 to read my review when the embargo lifts. But I will say this: start getting excited, because people WILL be talking about this one.

Just don’t go into it expecting The Office: 2.0.

Wednesday: Part 2

Wednesday, streaming on Netflix

Look, real talk: I’m not the biggest fan of Netflix’s decision to split their big-hitting series into multiple parts — they’re also doing it with Stranger Things, and I’m not best pleased. That said, it does provide a fair bit of anticipatory excitement, which is hitting fever pitch as fans prepare to tune in to see what’s afoot when the second instalment of Wednesday drops this week.

It picks up from where we left things, with Wednesday having opened the doors to a whole new set of new problems for herself and her family.

Worth the wait.

NCIS: Tony & Ziva

Thursday, streaming on Paramount Plus

Wait, there’s ANOTHER NCIS spin-off? Sure is! And this one stars fan faves Tony (Michael Weatherley) and Ziva (Cote de Paplo), who are raising their daughter Tali (Isla Gie) when they’re forced back into an unfolding crime investigation. One for fans.

Grosse Pointe Garden Society

Tuesday, streaming on 7Plus

This cosy crime drama, which follows members of a suburban gardening club who unwittingly get dragged into solving a crime, is being described as “Desperate Housewives for a new generation”. Colour us intrigued!

Call My Agent S1-4

Thursday, streaming on SBS on Demand

Great news: one of the best comedies to hit screens in recent years is making its way back to free-to-air! If you’ve still not caught this fabulous French series, set aside time to binge all four seasons, dropping this week.