La Brea is the newest sci-fi drama to be released by NBC, but its trailer gives the impression that it is a reboot of the 1970s adventure series Land of the Lost. Featuring a family that becomes lost in a distant land and long-extinct creatures that they must survive against, one might assume that La Brea is an updated version of the classic science-fiction show. However, what has been shown to audiences in the pilot episode suggests otherwise.
Having premiered only recently, La Brea tells the story of a family that is separated when an enormous sinkhole erupts beneath the La Brea tar pits in Los Angeles and opens up a gateway to a mysterious world. Once there, the family encounters a group of strangers with whom they must work together in order to survive. La Brea sets up a rousing story as its protagonists fend off against dire wolves, giant birds of prey, and other perils as they search for a way to return home.
Stories about visiting other worlds and traveling through time are not uncommon in movies and shows, but the premise for Land of the Lost is nearly identical. Land of the Lost follows a park ranger named Rick Marshall and his two children, Will and Holly, as they navigate a mysterious world filled with dinosaurs and deadly reptilian creatures called Sleestaks, searching for a way back to their own world. Since the exploration of other worlds is such a popular topic in science-fiction films and shows, it is only natural that similarities would appear in these productions. More than one production has ventured into the concept of strangers gathering together to discover forgotten lands, such as the acclaimed early-2000s series Lost, but La Brea’s story seems to contain enough unique story details to set it apart from other series.
What differentiates La Brea from its predecessor is how it tells its story from two different sides: the ordinary world and the world that exists beneath the sinkhole. In the original Land of the Lost, the Marshall family was the sole focus of the show, with little indication early in the series that anyone was searching for them. La Brea, on the other hand, shows an entire military operation set up in Los Angeles dedicated to investigating the sinkhole and racing to find a way to rescue the lost civilians. Adding this duality to the show’s focus could enhance the drama of further episodes, as audiences may see the challenges faced by the survivors and those who wish to return them home. TV shows and movies such as The Martian have used this strategy in the past, effectively building drama by showing struggles on both sides to succeed in a rescue operation.
La Brea is also different in that conflict often arises among the protagonists themselves instead of just from the world around them. The Marshall family has misunderstandings in Land of the Lost, but they are nonetheless able to resolve their differences and face the more pressing threats. In La Brea, there is a greater sense of conflicting interests among the survivors because they are all strangers. The pilot episode shows its main characters quickly agreeing to share supplies for their mutual survival, but signs of tension and possible betrayal have been foreshadowed as well.
La Brea has proven from its early episodes that it has its own identity. Now, the challenge that it must face is keeping viewers engaged. With plenty of mystery and more episodes to come, the show will hopefully provide an exciting adventure as the rest of its story unfolds.
La Brea episode 3 will air on October 12 on NBC and Hulu.