“The Paper” starts out by distancing itself from “The Office,” the extremely popular 2000s workplace comedy about the Scranton, Pennsylvania, branch of a paper company, Dunder Mifflin. The opening scene reveals that Dunder Mifflin closed in 2019 and was purchased by a company in Toledo, Ohio.

There’s no doubt about it: in recent years, Netflix and other streaming services have significantly shaken up the TV landscape. But when it comes to traditional, over-the-top network providers, the annual pilot circus continues.

I used to enjoy watching “The Big Bang Theory.” I’ve seen most of the syndicated episodes that run in three-hour marathons on TBS, as well as some of the newer seasons. But somewhere along the way, I became heavily disenchanted.

The pilot for “Cristela,” ABC’s new female-focused comedy, opens with aspiring lawyer Cristela (Cristela Alonzo) telling her mother (Terri Hoyos) that she will be interviewing for an internship at a law firm.

John Mulaney is stepping into a massive tradition with his new sitcom, “Mulaney,” which premieres on FOX Sunday, Oct. 5 at 9:30/8:30c. He’s a successful standup comedian who has now turned to creating his own sitcom with an eponymous title and character, as well as a multi-camera format (meaning several cameras are used simultaneously to record). That’s a lot of pressure to take on, especially with so many eponymous sitcoms featuring standup comedians as examples.