What To Watch
Mockumentaries Like The Paper to Stream Now
If you’re looking for more like The Office spin-off, here are Netflix’s finest mock docs.
By Kerensa Cadenas
Sept. 5, 2025
Mockumentaries Like The Paper to Stream Now - Netflix Tudum
When the US remake of The Office starring Steve Carell as Dunder-Mifflin boss Michael Scott began in 2005, it arrived among a wave of shows that reinvented the American sitcom. The mockumentary-style series about a group of co-workers employed at a paper company in Scranton, Pennsylvania, was a massive hit — running for nine seasons, making celebrities of its actors, and becoming a beloved comfort watch. A spin-off of the series recently released its first season: The Paper is about a historic newspaper in Toledo, Ohio, that is in decline, led by a new editor-in-chief, Ned Sampson (Domhnall Gleeson), who is determined to resurrect it with a group of inexperienced reporters.
The mock doc has long been a great comedic vessel — a form made popular by actor, director, and writer Christopher Guest with classics like This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman, and Best in Show. Read on for some other great mockumentaries that’ll leave you laughing.
Cunk On Earth
Cunk on Earth, produced by the creator of Black Mirror, follows investigative reporter Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan), who isn’t great at her job. Philomena travels the globe interviewing real-life experts about the history of civilization. She seeks to understand humanity, one ridiculous question at a time. In 2024, a full-length “documentary” called Cunk on Life welcomes Philomena back. This time around, she’s asking bigger questions like “What is the meaning of life?”
Trailer Park Boys
The 12-season mockumentary series Trailer Park Boys follows the long-running exploits of Julian (John Paul Tremblay) and Ricky (Robb Wells), who get out of prison and move back to the trailer park. They reunite with fellow resident and friend Bubbles (Mike Smith) and, despite their claims to begin a clean life, the trio continue to do petty crimes to make money while simultaneously trying to avoid going back to jail. The series has also spawned four films, a Christmas special, and an animated series.
Arrested Development
The cult hit comedy Arrested Development follows the formerly wealthy Bluth family who continue to live beyond their means. Michael (Jason Bateman) is the moral center of the series (at times) who is trying to raise his son George Michael (Michael Cera) outside the selfish whims of his family. But blood is thick and the antics of the Bluths are thicker, as Michael tries to navigate their ridiculous behavior and penchant for expensive suits.
American Vandal
A parody of true crime documentaries, the high school–set American Vandal asks hard-hitting questions in its two seasons. The first is: Who vandalized faculty cars with some phallic graffiti? Students Peter (Tyler Alvarez) and Sam (Griffin Gluck) are determined to find who actually is to blame after a possible false accusation. Season 2 follows the pair investigating a Washington state high school where it seems someone has been putting laxatives in lemonade causing, simply put, a mess.
Number of recommendations may vary by region.
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