DMV Season 1 Episode 4 Recap: “Don’t Kill the Job” Proves the DMV Is the Last Place Anyone Actually Works
- Je-Ree
- 16 hours ago
- 3 min read
It’s another day at everyone’s least favorite workplace, and DMV continues to prove that bureaucracy has never been funnier. DMV Season 1 Episode 4, titled “Don’t Kill the Job,” brings both heart and hilarity as Colette faces her biggest challenge yet: keeping her ego (and her lies) from completely driving off the road.
The episode opens with an auction of the items in lost and found and Colette in classic good spirits after passing yet another driver on their test. Her sunshine moment comes courtesy of a grateful hug from a newly licensed driver, which gives her a fleeting sense of job satisfaction. It’s the kind of wholesome start that DMV rarely indulges in and of course, it doesn’t last.
Just as Colette begins to bask in her mini triumph, an old friend named Amber walks into the DMV, bringing with her a storm of insecurity and misplaced pride. We quickly learn that Amber and Colette once moved to Los Angeles together chasing big dreams, except Amber actually made hers happen. She’s now a successful actress on a TV series called Lifeguard Fires, where she plays a lifeguard in what might be the most hilariously melodramatic show-within-a-show.
Meanwhile, Colette never made it to vet school. Too embarrassed to admit the truth, Colette invents a more glamorous version of her life, complete with some seriously wild details. The scene quickly spirals into sitcom perfection when Vic and Barbara enthusiastically join in on the deception. Vic takes the lie to Olympic levels by announcing that he’s Colette’s husband and that she’s pregnant and a war veteran. It’s unhinged in the best way possible, and the chemistry among the trio is electric.
Ceci, ever the reluctant voice of reason, tries to rein things in, but this is DMV, logic rarely survives the first act. Amber, meanwhile, is so wrapped up in her own celebrity bubble that she buys every absurd detail. The show milks the Hollywood stereotype perfectly here, poking fun at fame while showing how easily Colette slips into pretending she’s someone she’s not.
Of course, sitcom law dictates that all elaborate lies must eventually crash and burn. When a customer’s dog suddenly gets sick in the waiting room, Colette is forced to admit she isn’t a vet, and definitely not living the life she described. What could’ve been a mortifying moment turns surprisingly warm when Amber responds with genuine understanding. She tells Colette that as long as she’s happy, that’s all that matters, a moment of sincerity that DMV pulls off without ever feeling saccharine.
Elsewhere, the episode delivers a strong B-plot featuring Gregg and Noa. Gregg discovers that Noa was working during his break, an unthinkable crime in the DMV world and becomes obsessed with teaching him the art of strategic laziness. Their scenes add a perfect counterbalance to Colette’s chaos, satirizing workplace culture with just the right touch of absurdity.
By the end, Colette not only owns up to her reality but also apologizes to her coworkers for calling them losers earlier. It’s a simple but meaningful payoff, a reminder that sometimes, happiness doesn’t come from the dream you once had, but from finding purpose in the unexpected.
“Don’t Kill the Job” nails the balance between comedy and character growth. The episode delivers the show’s trademark DMV-level dysfunction while giving Colette a satisfying emotional arc. Vic and Barbara steal every scene they’re in, Amber’s obliviousness is comedic gold, and Gregg’s anti-work crusade is the kind of satire that makes DMV such a weirdly relatable gem.
If you’ve ever lied about your job, hated your job, or simply tried to survive your job, DMV Season 1 Episode 4 will hit all the right notes. It’s messy, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt. Another win for the most unexpectedly relatable workplace comedy on television.
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