There’s a new workplace comedy in town.
As the title suggests, the CBS sitcom “DMV” is set at a branch of the infamously dull government agency. The employees range from the bewilderingly passionate manager Barbara (Molly Kearney) to the chaotic driving examiner Vic (Tony Cavalero), who tells an aspiring licensed driver to stop at a fast food drive-through to get him food.
The ensemble cast’s closest thing to a lead is Colette (Harriet Dyer), whose awkward attempts at flirting with new guy Noa (Alex Tarrant) are more tragic than they are funny. Tim Meadows shines as Gregg, a driving examiner who used to be a high school teacher, and Gigi Zumbado (Ceci) delivers some of the pilot’s funniest lines.
“I’m a photographer. And a laminator,” Ceci confidently says. In other words, she snaps driver’s license photos.
“DMV” has a strong cast, but the characters feel more like archetypes than real people in the pilot. There are plenty of beloved workplace sitcoms that took a while to truly find their footing, “The Office” and “Parks and Recreation” among them, but both of those shows had vibrant, original characters from the outset. “DMV” feels like it’s relying too heavily on its quirky setting without offering any unique perspective.
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Tonally, “DMV” has a similar vibe to NBC’s “Superstore,” which followed the employees of Cloud 9, a fictional big-box chain store in St. Louis, Missouri. The Walmart-esque setting proved to be fruitful ground for social commentary, and the “Superstore” characters got more complex as the six-season show went on.
Perhaps, with time, the same will be said of the “DMV” crew. But like the titular agency, you might have to wait around a while for “DMV” to give you what you need.
“DMV” was created by “Friends” producer Dana Klein. It’s based on Katherine Heiny’s short story “Chicken-Flavored and Lemon-Scented.”
“DMV” airs on CBS on Mondays at 8:30 p.m. ET. Episodes are available to stream on Paramount+ the day after they air.
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