The Paper creators reveal why Oscar Nuñez is the only familiar face from The Office

The Paper, the long-awaited series set in The Office universe, is finally coming to fruition with its debut on September 4, 2025, on Peacock. It follows months of speculation, building excitement among fans of television comedy. However, in a decision that will surprise and perplex many, just one character you might recognize in Dunder Mifflin will be transported into this new, midwestern newsroom: Oscar Nuñez playing the ever-dry Oscar Martinez again.

To the fans of the series who might wish to see an array of cameos of their favorite Scranton stars, co-creator Greg Daniels has given them a very interesting explanation of why this selective nostalgia was chosen.

Although it is undeniable that the DNA of The Office remains intact in the mockumentary style and the workplace chatter of The Paper, Daniels and his creative team made a clear decision to carry only one character along with the new show. The move was rooted in narrative intentions as much as it was in character logic and the realities of introducing a new show.

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Why Oscar Nuñez is the lone The Office alum in The Paper

The creators of the show, Greg Daniels and Michael Koman, are determined to make sure that The Paper can stand on its own, though the show shares a universe with The Office and a similar mockumentary style.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter at the Los Angeles premiere, Daniels revealed:

“He’s fabulous, he’s hilarious. Also if you look at the finale of The Office, the characters have a lot of wrap up and they were mostly going in different directions, leaving Dunder Mufflin; Oscar was kind of the same as he was in the beginning when he was still there, so it made sense.”

Koman added:

“Oscar’s just really funny and I love him, and I thought he works really well because he blends in to almost any ensemble. He makes the show funnier… his story was a little more open-ended. So it made sense to bring him back because it felt like there was more story there.”

During the interview, Daniels stressed that Oscar Martinez was intended to be little more than a linking thread, not a gateway to constant allusions or reminiscence of Scranton. Significantly, no parade of ex-cast members is planned; Daniels told The Hollywood Reporter that additional cameos would erode the credibility and novelty of the new team and setting.

“Most of the cast, their stories had closure and I don’t think they really want to open them up again just to guest on another show. It was very important for me to create a show that would stand on its own and make its own name for itself and not need guest stars from the old show every week to get [people to] tune in.”

Oscar Nuñez himself revealed that his comeback started as a personal invitation to a lunch with Daniels, not as a component of a big IP-milking strategy, according to Variety. Daniels was particularly interested in experimenting with the idea of The Paper as a dying yet important commodity, which suited Oscar, who is a pragmatic and numbers-driven character. When asked by Daniels:

“How would you feel about coming back as Oscar?”

Nuñez readily agreed, and only later on did it dawn on him that what he had committed to was quite a serious undertaking when the writing team began taking meetings.

Narratively speaking, Oscar Nuñez’s moving out of Scranton to Ohio is realistic. His former firm was acquired, and he was retained on the condition of transferring to take employment with the struggling Toledo Truth Teller.

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The Paper: Spinning off with its own voice

The Paper takes place in the midland, at the fictional Toledo Truth Teller, tracing the culture, messiness, and uncertain future of local journalism. Oscar Martinez has become the chief accountant of the firm, a post he accepts when he is forced out of Pennsylvania to Ohio after corporate reshuffling.

Nothing is ordinary in this new workplace. It is headed by the eccentric managing editor Esmeralda Grand (Sabrina Impacciatore) and soon derailed by the eager but inexperienced editor-in-chief Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson), who has big ideas to revitalize the dying newsroom.

The power struggles of Esmeralda and the optimism of Ned are a volatile match, and the fish-out-of-water Oscar, who is barely excited to be the subject of a recurring documentary, is the only survivor of Scranton.

Peacock is still running with the documentary crew lurking in the background shtick. In the first episode, Oscar totally freaks out when he figures out that the same creepy camera crew from Dunder Mifflin has popped up in Toledo. All because he signed some random release form two decades ago.

Nuñez told Variety that Oscar is older now, a little wiser, and definitely more over it. He wants none of the viral fame and just wants to live his life without a GoPro up his nose. Meanwhile, everyone else at his job is still obsessed with being seen. That’s what makes him stand out from the rest of the crew, old and new, as he brings this hilarious twist that taps right into everyone’s low-key panic about Big Brother watching.

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The Paper drops on Peacock on September 4, 2025, and you can binge all ten episodes right out of the gate.