Slate Daily Feed Culture Gabfest: Is the Office Spinoff Good Cringe or Bad Cringe Edition
Sep 10, 2025
This week, music critic Carl Wilson joins the conversation, sharing insights on Sabrina Carpenter's transition from Disney darling to pop sensation with her new album, 'Man’s Best Friend.' The hosts debate the new mockumentary, 'The Paper,' exploring its take on local journalism and whether it can revive the sitcom charm. They also dissect the marriage farce 'Splitsville,' analyzing its unique humor and emotional depth. The discussion offers a rich look at current cultural themes, including relationships and the evolution of media portrayals.
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Transcript
Episode notes
Local News As Noble Yet Doomed
- The Paper frames local journalism as noble but endangered, trying to swap wire copy for shoe-leather reporting.
- That tension between mission and economic collapse drives both comedy and melancholy in the show.
Workplace Tone Depends On Central Purpose
- The Office/Parks & Rec template gains meaning when the workplace's purpose is either pointless or civic-minded.
- Transplanting that template to journalism raises stakes because the work actually matters to communities.
Distributed Cringe Weakens The Bite
- The show mixes cringe across multiple characters rather than concentrating it in one figure, blunting its comic focus.
- Gentle, small grace notes often land better than broad, performative cringe.
