The Paper

After a magical weekend sweeping the Ohio Journalism Awards, Ned tries to find the right time to ask Marv for a bigger budget. Esmeralda plays the grief card, loudly.

Ned whisks Mare away for a romantic weekend; Adam and Adelola are left in charge of the paper.

Ned and Mare search for a journalistic crusade and find themselves at her apartment.

Mare finds a fabulous story after Ned has a bruising interaction at his cop source's gun range, while Oscar enjoys "The Real Single Ladies of Toledo" and Esmeralda pans an unscary Haunted House.

Ned and Mare's crusade is delayed when their new podcast gets too spicy. Esmeralda pays the price for embarrassing the company. 

Ned invites journalists to witness the paper's 125th birthday and finds out what it's like to be the story. Esmeralda has to make up years of skipped H.R. training, and gets creative.

When a tornado threatens Toledo, Ned struggles with his emergency messaging. The staff at the Cincinnati Chronicle consider Mare primitive. Esmeralda tries to prove she is not a narcissist, and Travis and Adelola stormchase.

Told he can't cover an important story, Ned forms a secret team. Esmeralda forms a secret team to find out what Ned's secret team is up to. 

Ned tries to protect Mare from nasty rumors as Esmeralda interviews to be the consort of a powerful 90 year old and Marv and Ann go undercover to help the investigation.

Ned finds publishing his and Detrick's big story will require sacrifices, as do other worthwhile things. Esmeralda goes undercover to expose prejudice, and Mare has choice to make to play in the big leagues.