Noun
rigmarole - A lengthy and complicated procedure that is mostly a waste of time (sometimes pronounced rigamarole)

Gino just wanted to renew his driver's license, but the rigmarole at the DMV meant he would spend hours talking to lots of people, and he ended up leaving without his license.
machinations - Crafty schemes or plots, especially intended to achieve something deceitful or underhanded; secret or complicated plans, often with a negative or manipulative goal.

The villain's machinations were finally exposed, revealing his plan to transfer other people's money into his own account.