The Paper may be an ensemble cast show like its predecessor, The Office, but one of the new Truth Teller journalists who stands out the most is Detrick Moore.
With his earnestness and can-do attitude, Detrick is an easy guy to cheer for while watching this sitcom about a group of employees attempting to revitalize an Ohio newspaper.
From his relationship troubles with Nicole to finding out how to fit into the workplace, everybody can relate to some aspect of his story, and actor Melvin Gregg was perfectly cast for the role.
Gregg has an extensive background in comedy, quickly rising to fame during the Vine era, and has since starred in notable roles on shows like American Vandal and Snowfall.
In this exclusive interview, Gregg offered some insights on what he enjoyed the most about working on The Paper and his hopes for Season 2 of the show.
While it’s common for shows to have a strong idea of who a character is, Detrick started as a relatively blank slate.
Gregg cited being initially intrigued by The Paper through his interest in joining the universe of The Office. When he got the opportunity to audition for the role of Detrick, he discovered that there was a lot of room for personal interpretation.
“After the audition, there was no character breakdown, which is rare,” Gregg shared. “So I had to dissect the script and decide who I thought he was.”
The collaborative aspect of figuring out Detrick’s character continued on past the audition and during The Paper’s production process.
Gregg credited creators Michael Koman and Greg Daniels, who worked on The Office, as well as the writers of the show for being willing to work together with him to bring Detrick to life.
“It was also an opportunity to play a character that I hadn’t really played before.”
To really tap into Detrick’s character, Gregg drew on personal experiences, particularly when it came to the relationship between Detrick and Nicole.
Throughout The Paper Season 1, it’s clear to see that Detrick is head over heels for Nicole as he isn’t afraid to hide how much he likes her.
And while she reciprocates, she doesn’t make it obvious whether she has feelings for him or not until the very last episode.
“I think it’s a cool way to showcase a dysfunctional courtship where people are on different pages,” Gregg remarked. “They have a very interesting dynamic that we haven’t really seen on TV.”
Outside of his dynamic with Nicole, Detrick also has plenty of great moments with characters in the ensemble cast, such as his friendship with Travis.
Gregg particularly enjoyed getting to see his castmates get to shine during hilarious post-credits scenes, like Sabrina’s hysterically awkward speech at the wedding she crashes.
As for the upcoming season, Gregg expressed excitement about seeing his character explore these new relationships that have been formed during the Toldeo Truth Teller’s revival.
He also shared his hopes about seeing Detrick gaining more confidence in himself and showing how just valuable he is in the workplace.
But from just the first season, the actor has gotten the opportunity to learn so much from working his co-stars, showrunners, and writers on The Paper.
The pressure to develop a worthy follow-up to The Office was definitely on people’s minds, and Gregg found his own way of navigating it.
In fact, Gregg avoided watching any episodes of The Office when preparing for the role of Detrick.
“I wanted to create an original character,” he said. “I didn’t want to unconsciously try to recreate any of those moments that so many people hold dear.”
True to Gregg’s claim that The Paper isn’t a direct copy of The Office, the show focuses on building something new while holding onto the spirit of the original show.
Peacock has already renewed the show for a Season 2, so it looks like we won’t have to wait too long before seeing Detrick brighten the Toldeo Truth Teller workplace again.
The Paper Season 1 is available to stream on Peacock.
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