A basic fact of American life is that there are many government institutions that are a hassle to interact with. There’s often a good reason for the bureaucratic drudgery that defines most of them, but it remains a pain. For seemingly as long as it’s existed, the DMV has been the biggest punching bag in this area. What must it be like to work in a place so soul-crushing? CBS’ latest sitcom attempts to provide the answer.
DMV focuses on the workers of the East Hollywood branch and the daily indignities they face. The show operates as a standard workplace sitcom, but most of the action revolves around a trio of driving examiners. Kind-hearted Colette (Harriet Dryer), former teacher Gregg (Tim Meadows), and sleazy Vic (Tony Cavalero) provide a nice center for the surrounding chaos. That the madness comes from both co-workers and the everyday people coming into the building is an expected touch.
“Expected” is the kindest way I can describe DMV. Some other, harsher words include “rote,” “stale,” and worst of all, “unfunny.” The show relies on every joke you’ve ever heard about the DMV. Long lines, awful pictures, and old ladies who definitely shouldn’t be driving are all part of the tableau. There’s also a collection of stock workplace sitcom plotlines and, of course, a central romance between Colette and newcomer Noa (Alex Tarrant).
That relationship, like many on the show, should work but never finds a spark. Which is a shame because there’s a solid cast here who never seem to gel as a unit. Sitcoms need time to build up the cast dynamics and find what works best, but it seems like a tall task for a program with so few bright spots. Even Meadows, a reliable comedic presence, struggles to find the charm in this material. An entire episode relegates him to cleaning out the work fridge and cracking stale jokes — a waste of his talents.
There’s still potential for DMV to grow into something worthwhile, but it hasn’t shown up on screen yet. The series will probably find success thanks to being on America’s #1 broadcast network, CBS. That honor might be increasingly irrelevant, but it still means a large audience of potential viewers. That could be the true cause for this show’s shortcomings. There’s no incentive to try anything new if the same old stuff works just fine. It’s just a shame they didn’t tell the actors to phone it in.
DMV airs Mondays on CBS. Streaming next day on Paramount+..