Ever wondered what it would be like if your DMV visit was actually entertaining? CBS's new single-camera comedy, 'DMV,' imagines just that, transforming the notoriously mundane experience of a trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles into a surprisingly hilarious, yet relatable workplace saga.
Premiering Monday, the series dives into an East Hollywood DMV office where employees endure low wages while navigating customers who are already frustrated before they even step through the door. If you’ve ever felt this exact tension, the show practically writes your daily DMV frustrations for you. Leading the cast is Harriet Dyer (from 'Colin From Accounts'), portraying Colette, a warm-hearted driving examiner whose empathy is often overshadowed by her poor sense of boundaries. She shares the spotlight with Gregg (Tim Meadows), a grumpy ex-English teacher with a skeptical view of humanity, and Vic (Tony Cavalero), a former bouncer who delights in putting difficult drivers in their place. Their manager, Barbara (Molly Kearney), is a recently promoted boss trying to prove herself, though her efforts occasionally fall short.
But here's where it gets controversial: the pilot episode introduces a looming government shutdown that threatens the permanent closure of this East Hollywood branch. With corporate consultants arriving to assess cost-cutting measures, Barbara learns that one of Hollywood’s four DMVs may become fully automated. The suspense builds as viewers wonder: could their office be the next to disappear? Dun, dun, dunnnn!
Meanwhile, Colette is preoccupied with her crush on new coworker Noa (Alex Tarrant), a laid-back, surf-loving employee who surprisingly shows patience with even the rudest customers. Vic jokes that Colette has been "eye-banging" Noa for some time, and she tries to play it cool, all while obsessively scrolling through his Instagram, soaking up his shirtless posts. The tension heightens with competition from "Hot Kristen" (as Vic dubs her) and an adrenaline-pumping near-accident involving an elderly driver. Colette’s attempts to impress Noa backfire spectacularly: she accidentally shows him a photo of her foot, overshares personal observations about his family, and fails to notice a menstrual pad stuck to her skirt. Talk about a cringe-worthy love story!
The chaos escalates when Colette tries to sneak out through the bathroom window after another humiliating incident, only to get stuck. Stripping off her sweater to free herself, she’s discovered by "Regular Kristen," who rushes to get help—but instead of just a security guard, the entire office—including the cost-cutting consultants—descends on the scene!
By the end of the episode, Noa rescues Colette, while the rest of the staff learns that Barbara has been sugar-coating the truth: the consultants are evaluating whether to shut down their branch, and they’re planning to stay for the entire year. The pressure is on! As Colette joins her coworkers for drinks, she pleads with them not to embarrass her in front of Noa—oblivious to yet another pad stuck to her skirt.
And this is the part most people miss: the show cleverly combines slapstick, awkward office romance, and commentary on workplace struggles into a pilot that manages to feel both exaggerated and authentic. So, is 'DMV' worth your time? Watch, judge, and then join the conversation—how far would you go to survive your own office's chaos and maybe impress a crush at the same time?
