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It’s a bit early to decide whether NBC has its next perennial hit on its hands with the sci-fi drama La Brea, but the hype around the show from the network points to a big investment to make it worth tuning in each week. 

'La Brea' cast members in the woods
(L-R) Natalie Zea as Eve Harris, Veroncia St. Clair as Riley Valez, Jack Martin as Josh Harris, Rohan Mirchandaney as Scott Israni, Josh McKenzie as Lucas Hayes | Sarah Enticknap/NBC

The show, at its core is about a family divided by a sinkhole and 12,000 years of time-traveling history, follows Gavin, aka Isaiah (Eoin Macken), as he fights to get back to the present day.

He does that in the Season 1 finale, but viewers are left with plenty of time-bending questions to carry into the sophomore season of the NBC hit. Here’s what we know so far about what to expect when La Brea is back on the air this fall. 

‘La Brea’ Season 2 will premiere September 27 with more episodes than Season 1

La Brea, with its sci-fi effects and complex storylines, isn’t a show meant to churn out 20+ episodes per season like your friendly neighborhood procedural. The first season had just 10 jam-packed episodes to set up the storyline of a family ripped apart when a sinkhole opens up in Los Angeles — taking a ragtag group back 12,000 years in the past. 

According to NBC’s blog, Season 2 will have a total of 14 episodes; still not a full-length season by many show’s standards, but likely enough to split between fall and spring segments. Season 2 will premiere Tuesday, September 27 at 9 p.m. EST behind The Voice, hopefully drawing in new viewers from one of the network’s flagship reality shows. 

The entire cast is ready to reprise their roles

The entire cast from Season 1 is returning for the second installment, according to NBC, ensuring there won’t be any odd storytelling gaps to make up for missing cast members. In addition to the typical slate of characters, Paara (Tonantzin Carmelo) and Ella Jones (Michelle Vergara Moore) will have slightly larger roles this season, as Carmelo and Vergara Moore have been promoted to series regulars, a step up from their roles in Season 1 as recurring guest stars. 

Though La Brea didn’t become an overnight critical success — it’s been largely panned by critics on Rotten Tomatoes, for example — it has garnered attention from the invaluable 18-49 age demographic. It became the No. 1 new show last fall and was the top new drama among that demo, per Entertainment Weekly. The show’s writers hope to build on that momentum with its sophomore season, with even more time twists to come. 

The show’s creators have teased a few plot points for Season 2

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‘La Brea’ Showrunner Teases ‘Big Spider Web of Connections’ That Will Make Sense Soon

At the end of Season 1, Josh (Jack Martin), Riley (Veronica St. Clair), and Lilly (Chloe De Los Santos) vanish through a mysterious crack of light. Josh will now find himself in Los Angeles circa 1988, where much of Season 2 will take place, according to series creator and showrunner David Appelbaum. 

“This season will still largely take place in 10,000 BC. However, we will no longer be telling a concurrent story in modern-day Los Angeles. Instead, we will be telling a story in 1988 Los Angeles,” Appelbaum explained to Entertainment Weekly.

“We think this will add a new layer of fun and intrigue to the episodes. It’s also a story I don’t think anyone in the audience would have expected when they first started watching the show. We love the idea of keeping our viewers on their toes and never knowing what’s around the next corner.”

In addition to the 1988 Los Angeles setting this season, the expansion of Paara’s involvement promises more to come from 10,000 B.C. and the Tongva tribe she is a part of, according to Deadline. Likewise, Ella’s increased screen time indicates we’ll see more from her artistic storyline as well. 

Catch La Brea Tuesdays on NBC or streaming on Peacock. 

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