Going full David Brent in new Office US spin-off

Saturday, September 6, 2025

Coming' atcha with another edition of The Independent's culture newsletter. Summer, it seems, is officially over but it's not all bad news; terrible weather is the perfect excuse for a weekend spent indoors catching up on all the film, TV and music you missed when the sun was shining and you were obligated to be outside.

One thing that might've passed you by is Tinie Tempah's return to music – that's right, the chart-topping hitmaker behind "Pass Out" and "Frisky" is back after eight years. I caught up with him to speak about the new music and why he never wanted to be a one-hit wonder. Also staging its big return to screens is Downton Abbey, a franchise that seems to have carried on forever since its final season aired 10 years ago.

Elsewhere, you'd be forgiven for missing The Paper – a new The Office spin-off that has received surprisingly little press. The show stars Tim Key and Domnhal Gleeson, plus Sabrina Impaccaitore from The White Lotus ("Peppa Pig?") who Ellie chatted with for this week's brilliant Saturday Interview. Nick Hilton has mixed feelings about The Paper. He was more taken with Task, Mark Ruffalo's new show from the maker of The Mare of Easttown. On the film front, I'm very intrigued by The Smashing Machine – and not just because of its great name. According to our critic in Venice, the wrestling drama may very well make an Oscar winner out of The Rock. Who could've guessed?

Catch you next time...

Written by Annabel Nugent

Despite the departure of their longtime bassist, the indie band manage to find positive answers to their intelligently posed questions, says albums critic Helen Brown.

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Against all odds, and via hits including 'Poor Things', 'The Favourite' and 'The Lobster', the Greek auteur Yorgos Lanthimos has brought his bizarre, berserk eye to mainstream British and American cinema.

As his breakthrough film 'Dogtooth' is re-released and his new movie 'Bugonia' earns raves on the festival circuit, Xan Brooks looks back on his career so far.

This week's poll is inspired by the release of The Paper – a new spin-off of the US Office starring Tim Key. It got us thinking about the age-old debate: which is better, the original UK Office or the American version?

Last week, it was a showdown between two new films. You sided with the critics, choosing Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch's The Roses over The Toxic Avenger, starring Peter Dinklage.

I felt ugly, insecure, never enough

Sabrina Impacciatore

The Office spinoff The Paper is here – here's how to watch in the UK

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