After one season of bureaucratic chaos and awkward pining, the East Hollywood DMV has closed its doors. Part season finale, part unplanned series finale, “Impact Will Be Felt” is a full-circle farewell that stays true to its cynical, hilarious roots. Here is my recap and review.
The series finale begins on a rare high note: the staff is throwing a celebratory bash for Noa, who has finally conquered his greatest enemy, the driving test. However, in true DMV fashion, the joy is short-lived. The “corporate grim reapers” (HR consultants) return with a 48-hour ultimatum: the East Hollywood branch is on the chopping block. Under the crushing weight of the potential shutdown, Colette, Barb, Gregg, Vic, and Ceci choose the only logical path: getting hilariously drunk in the office.
The romantic tension between Colette and Noa, which has simmered for 20 episodes, finally reaches a breaking point. With Noa and Mary officially over, the path is clear. The two share their long-awaited first kiss, and it is a spectacular disaster. In a brilliant subversion of workplace comedy tropes, Colette realizes mid-kiss that there are absolutely no fireworks. She describes the encounter as “awkward” and entirely devoid of the chemistry she had hallucinated all season. It’s a “whomp whomp” moment that serves as a perfect callback to her history of romantic misfires.
While the staff grapples with their lackluster love lives, they stumble upon a jarring truth: the “heroic” upper management they’ve feared is actually made up of white-collar criminals. True to the show’s DNA, the series ends not with a grand victory, but with narrative whiplash and a literal fender bender. As Colette walks away from the chaos, notably with a streamer of toilet paper stuck to her shoe, the East Hollywood crew is left in a state of limbo following the show’s sudden cancellation.
“Impact Will Be Felt” is a finale that fans truly deserved, even if it’s hard to part ways. It’s a heartfelt full-circle moment that celebrates the characters’ journeys, whether they have grown or not, through sharp writing and genuine emotion. The Anti-Climax Kiss, turning the classic “Will They/Won’t They” into a playful “They Definitely Shouldn’t,” was pure brilliance. Nostalgic callbacks, from Noa’s driving test to Colette’s toilet-paper shoe, make the episode a charming tribute to the show’s funniest and most embarrassing moments. Watching the whole cast together during one last office “lock-in” reminds us why this branch was so special and worth fighting for.
Overall, I give the series finale an 8.5/10.
What did you think of the series finale of DMV? Liked it? Hated it? Sad to see the show get canceled? Leave a comment below.
You can catch DMV available to stream on Paramount+.
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