Is “La Brea” the Next “Lost”?

It seems that NBC has quickly replaced Manifest with its latest Lost-wannabe series: La Brea. With tropes of the genre, but also a unique spin, could La Brea be the next hit?

What is La Brea? 

The first episode of La Brea premiered on September 28, with new episodes set to air every Tuesday. The series follows a family separated by worlds—quite literally. When a massive sinkhole appears, buildings, cars, and every person in the area are sucked into it. But instead of crashing to death below, the survivors find themselves in a mysterious land. Eve, a mother of two children, is stuck in this new world with 18-year-old son Josh, while her daughter Izzy remains above. Izzy quickly reunites with her father, Gavin, a former Air Force pilot who has been estranged from the family since he began to suffer from hallucinations. The catch? His hallucinations suddenly show Eve and Josh alive in another world, and he and Izzy set out to find the truth. Meanwhile, Eve and Josh—along with the other sinkhole victims—struggle to survive dangers from this strange world and from the people alongside them! 

What is La Brea doing right?

If there were more episodes available, I’d call this series binge-worthy. The pilot left me wanting more, as it tees up enough mystery to last a season, if not more. The cast of largely new actors is quite impressive so far. Eoin Macken, famous from his recurring role in Merlin and his lead role in The Night Shift, does not disappoint. His character of the estranged, seemingly insane-turned-visionary father—much like Josh Dallas’ character in Manifest—will hopefully continue to keep us rooting for him. Zyra Gorecki as Izzy seems to be the big talk of the show—and for good reason. Her role as the glue of the family, reuniting with her father, will undoubtedly be emotional and compelling. Her additional backstory as an amputee—both in real life and the show—offers an extra layer to explore. Natalie Zea as Eve (the mom), has already established herself as a leader among the survivors. Jack Martin, who plays her son Josh, might be known as a TikTok star but has clearly proven he has more acting talent to offer. If you’ve followed his rising popularity on the app, you’ll definitely want to see his breakout role. (*Spoiler*: He’s in mortal danger in the first episode, so there is no subtle transition from TikTok satire to network television!)

The rest of the sinkhole survivors undoubtedly have their own backstories. From a Navy Seal-turned-surgeon dad and his daughter, to a suspicious cop, to a depressed therapist, it seems like an interesting bunch! Following in the footsteps of Lost and Manifest, the series will likely explore the characters’ personal struggles as much as it will the mystical circumstances that have brought them together. Most interesting, perhaps, might be the scientists who (no surprise!) know much more than they are telling. It seems this is not the first time something like this has happened…

Where could La Brea go wrong?

Every series wants to think they will be the next Lost. But at this point, with the concept being a bit overdone, a series has to really stand out to establish its unique place in the “survivors mysteriously find themselves in a separate world” genre. 

The initial scene after the sinkhole is shockingly similar to Lost: a survivor wakes up in the woods, stumbles toward smoke, and finds a “crash site” full of survivors attempting to stockpile goods and adjust to their new surroundings. If I didn’t look that closely, some of the images look like they could very well be from Lost—just replace sand with grass and it’s almost identical. 

The first episode sets up numerous storylines, with a range of characters to follow, and some hints as to the nature of this world. Are they in a parallel version of Los Angeles? Or potentially a past version? While this is a cool start to a series, it could also fall into the genre’s pitfalls. For example, Manifest gave us too many questions and not enough answers. With such a complex web of secrets, the audience deserves at least a couple breakthroughs to stay fulfilled. If La Brea falls into this pattern of getting too intertwined in forever puzzles, it won’t be compelling enough to keep the audience’s attention. 

Additionally, the writing and special effects for the episode were lacking. While it may take the characters a little while to feel natural in their dialogue, there were a few too many lines that felt forced and didn’t seem to fit the larger narrative. The CGI for creatures—including ferocious wolves and the surprise appearance of a saber-toothed tiger—strained the audience’s ability to suspend disbelief. It may be hard for viewers to get behind the graphics, especially if the show continues to introduce more creatures, unless the network ups its game. 

How is La Brea unique?

The teaser for the rest of the season suggests that the question is not only where is this other world, but when is this other world. The potential exploration of multiple timelines, or some kind of time rift, would certainly be a more unique take. The most interesting storyline, however, might be Gavin’s connection to this other world—and some hints at the end that the two worlds may be more intertwined than they appear. One thing that Lost achieved so well was the world—viewers felt immersed in its eerie allure. Based on the first episode of La Brea, we’ve seen fields and flowers, vicious animals, and potentially an inhabitant, but not much else. What makes this world so unique? Are there other creatures waiting to attack? While the monster approach can make for an entertaining adventure twist, it also runs the risk of becoming cheesy without the follow-through on special effects. And if they introduce dinosaurs…well, that could be super cool or super cringy. 

La Brea has a lot to like, and it could very well be the next Lost if it continues to keep the audience hooked. In the meantime, while I wait for this week’s episode, I’ll binge a few episodes of Lost. 

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