Gasbag (2024) TV Review
Gasbag is the story of George Nordstrom, a loud and overtalking employee at a travel agency whose life is exposed in the twenty-something minutes of a TV pilot that’s funnier than it should have been. George is in his forties, but he’s just finding out he’s gay and pretty proud of it. His peers don’t make this moment of self-discovery very easy, but George tries his best to flow with his current situation while accepting that embarrassment is just an essential part of his life.
The pilot in question is for Season 2 of Gasbag, but it’s not necessary for you to know what befell George in the past. His life is already a car wreck, but with a little help from his friends, everything gets better. Even his mother isn’t playing in the same tone as George and she ends up being a pain in the butt for the young man. George just wants to be able to come out hassle-free and with all the support he deserves. He’s a late-bloomer but he’s doing so alongside some pretty supportive folks.
Created by Lynn Rosen, the playwright and screenwriter whose work in the webseries Darwin is a clear reflection of her drama skills, Gasbag is a step back in terms of production values, but undoubtedly a step forward in terms of the format she’s aiming for. Gasbag is a condensed version of a hometown play, with locals doing their best to portray the scenery and staying funny at the same time. George is a compilation of feelings, a verbose victim of his own setting who simply wants to be happy if he can survive what each day brings to his plate.
Perhaps Gasbag isn’t a show for everyone. And that’s alright. It works in its own mini-universe of physical comedy in a New York setting that’s easily achieved by a theater community that understands the pace of their peculiar style of comedy. In my case, I was able to see George’s drive to progress towards the ideal. But what’s ideal? Perfection is a long way to go, and fortunately, the underdog known as George seems to be OK with that.
George’s adventures end with the cringiest kiss ever, and it perfectly reflects his current situation in the cozy dreamlike world of a modern New York neighborhood. It’s a shocking, awkward, and hilarious moment that will make you want to watch the rest of Gasbag as soon as possible.
