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La Brea is an NBC science fiction drama about Los Angeles residents who fall through a giant sinkhole and land in 10,000 BC, and it’s a fun but uneven binge that works best if you enjoy big mysteries more than tight writing. The series ran for three seasons and 30 episodes from 2021 to 2024, ended on its own terms with a shortened final season, and now streams on Netflix and Peacock in the US. This La Brea review covers the premise, cast, what works, what doesn’t, and whether the full series deserves your time in 2026.
Quick verdict: La Brea has a terrific hook, likable leads, and enough cliffhangers to keep you clicking “next episode.” Critics disliked its clunky dialogue and budget visual effects, and the six-episode final season wraps things up in a rush. Watch it as a light, popcorn adventure in the vein of Lost and Terra Nova, not as prestige science fiction. Check La Brea on Amazon.
Key takeaways
- What it is: A science fiction drama created by David Appelbaum that aired on NBC from September 28, 2021, to February 2024, across three seasons and 30 episodes.
- Where to watch: All three seasons stream on Netflix in the US (since May 1, 2026) and on Peacock, and Tubi offers them free with ads.
- Critic reception: Season 1 holds a 29% Tomatometer score and season 2 a 49% score on Rotten Tomatoes (as of November 2026).
- Main strength: A gripping premise, constant cliffhangers, and a warm ensemble led by Natalie Zea and Eoin Macken.
- Status: NBC ended the show with a shortened six-episode third season, so the story has a finished ending, and no revival has been announced.
La Brea at a glance
| Detail | La Brea |
|---|---|
| Premiere | September 28, 2021 (season 1); September 27, 2022 (season 2); January 9, 2024 (season 3) |
| Network | NBC (produced by Universal Television) |
| Where to watch now | Netflix and Peacock in the US; Tubi (free with ads) |
| Creator | David Appelbaum |
| Main cast | Natalie Zea, Eoin Macken, Jon Seda, Nicholas Gonzalez, Chiké Okonkwo, Zyra Gorecki, Jack Martin, Veronica St. Clair, Rohan Mirchandaney, Lily Santiago, Josh McKenzie |
| Episodes | 30 total (10 in season 1, 14 in season 2, 6 in season 3), about 43 minutes each |
| Rating | TV-14 |
| Status | Ended in February 2024 after three seasons |
| Critic scores | Rotten Tomatoes: 29% (season 1, 21 reviews) and 49% (season 2); season 1 Popcornmeter: 35% (as of November 2026) |
Sources: NBC Insider, Rotten Tomatoes, What’s on Netflix, and Cancelled Sci Fi.
What is La Brea about?
A massive sinkhole tears open on Wilshire Boulevard near the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles and swallows cars, buildings, and hundreds of people. Eve Harris (Natalie Zea) and her teenage son, Josh (Jack Martin), fall in and wake up in a lush, dangerous wilderness that turns out to be Los Angeles in 10,000 BC. Saber-toothed cats, dire wolves, and other Ice Age predators roam the valley, and the survivors have to build a camp, find food, and figure out how to get home.
Up top, Eve’s estranged husband, Gavin (Eoin Macken), a former Air Force pilot, starts having visions of the other world. He and their daughter, Izzy (Zyra Gorecki), join a government effort to understand the sinkhole and rescue the people trapped below. The show cuts between the two timelines, and each episode adds new mysteries: strange portals, people from other eras, and connections between the survivors that nobody could have predicted.
What works
A premise that hooks you fast
The pilot is the show’s best episode. The sinkhole sequence is genuinely tense, and the reveal of where the survivors landed sets up a strong mix of survival drama and time travel mystery. NBC’s ratings reflected that pull: season 1 finished as one of the network’s most watched dramas that fall, according to Cancelled Sci Fi.
Likable characters and family stakes
Natalie Zea grounds the show as a mother trying to hold her son and the camp together, and Eoin Macken makes Gavin’s desperate search feel personal. Chiké Okonkwo brings warmth as Ty Collins, a therapist who becomes the camp’s emotional anchor, and Zyra Gorecki, an amputee like her character Izzy, gives a natural, understated performance. The family focus helps the show feel more like an adventure drama than a creature feature.
Built for binging
Almost every episode ends on a cliffhanger, which made weekly viewing frustrating but makes streaming dangerously easy. That may explain why the show found a big second life online. Netflix’s engagement reports credit it with about 167 million viewing hours internationally from December 2024 through 2025, and it entered Netflix’s Top 10 in its first week on the service.
What doesn’t work
Critics were rough on La Brea. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus for season 1 says the show “simply doesn’t commit to its insane premise hard enough,” and the 29% Tomatometer score reflects frequent complaints about clunky, exposition-heavy dialogue. Characters often make baffling decisions to keep the plot moving, and several subplots stall for episodes at a time.
The visual effects also look modest for a show about prehistoric beasts. The creature scenes rarely match what the premise promises, and the 10,000 BC setting, filmed in and around Melbourne, Australia, often feels more like a pretty forest than an alien world. Season 2 piles on time travel rules and new characters, which some viewers loved and others found confusing.
The ending is the biggest sticking point. NBC ordered only six episodes for season 3, and the writers had to resolve a growing list of mysteries in a hurry. The finale gives the main story a real conclusion, so you won’t hit an unresolved cliffhanger, but many fans felt it rushed key reveals.
Is La Brea coming back?
No, La Brea isn’t coming back as of November 2026. NBC planned season 3 as the final season, and Cancelled Sci Fi reports that the show’s high production costs and the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes shaped that decision. Creator David Appelbaum has described ideas for a continuation set in 10,000 BC, but neither NBC nor Netflix has announced a revival, and the cast has moved on to other projects.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Gripping premise and strong pilot
- Likable ensemble led by Natalie Zea and Eoin Macken
- Cliffhangers make it easy to binge
- A finished story with a real ending
- Easy to stream on Netflix, Peacock, or free on Tubi
Cons
- Clunky, exposition-heavy dialogue
- Modest visual effects for a prehistoric show
- Characters make frustrating decisions
- Rushed, six-episode final season
Where to watch La Brea and related picks
All three seasons of La Brea stream on Netflix in the US, which added the show on May 1, 2026, and on Peacock, where the series has streamed since its NBC run. Tubi also offers the show free with ads. Licensing deals change, so check each app before you subscribe, and see our guide to the best streaming service if you’re choosing between them.
Amazon is our main affiliate partner, and it carries similar science fiction series and the streaming gear to watch them.
Shop related picks on Amazon
| Product | Format | Best for | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Brea | Digital episodes or discs, where available | Owning the series | Check price |
| Lost: The Complete Collection | Blu-ray or DVD | The mystery show that inspired La Brea’s style | Check price |
| Terra Nova: The Complete Series | DVD | Another family drama in a prehistoric world | Check price |
| Roku Streaming Stick 4K | Streaming device | Watching Netflix, Peacock, and Tubi on any TV | Check price |
| Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max | Streaming device | Fast streaming with Alexa voice search | Check price |
- Lost: If La Brea’s mysteries hooked you, Lost remains the gold standard for ensemble survival puzzles. See Lost on Amazon.
- Fire TV Stick 4K Max: A cheap way to stream the whole series in 4K-capable apps. Read our Fire TV Stick 4K Max review. See the Fire TV Stick 4K Max on Amazon.
Who should watch La Brea?
Watch La Brea if you enjoy network mystery dramas, family adventure stories, or binge-friendly shows with big hooks and cliffhangers. Its TV-14 rating also makes it suitable for most teens. Skip it if you want sharp writing, hard science fiction, or blockbuster creature effects. Looking for something newer? Our list of the most anticipated TV shows covers upcoming series worth your watchlist.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I watch La Brea?
You can watch La Brea on Netflix and Peacock in the US, and Tubi streams it free with ads. Netflix added all three seasons on May 1, 2026.
How many seasons of La Brea are there?
La Brea has three seasons and 30 episodes. Season 1 has 10 episodes, season 2 has 14, and the final season 3 has six.
Was La Brea canceled?
Yes, NBC ended La Brea after three seasons and gave it a shortened six-episode final season in 2024. The writers knew it was the end, so the series finale resolves the main story, though many fans felt it was rushed.
Will there be a La Brea season 4?
No, there’s no La Brea season 4 planned as of November 2026. Creator David Appelbaum has discussed continuation ideas, but no network or streamer has announced a revival.
Final verdict
La Brea is a flawed but entertaining adventure with a great hook, a warm cast, and cliffhangers that make three seasons fly by. Its writing and effects never match its ambition, and its final season feels rushed, but it delivers a complete story you can finish in a few weekends. Stream it on Netflix or Peacock if you love a good mystery. Check La Brea on Amazon.