NBC might not be breaking new ground with La Brea, their ambitious new sci-fi drama series, but they're definitely shaking up their Tuesday line-up in a major way. Starring Natalie Zea as a mother who inexplicably finds herself in a primeval world, along with a number of fraught strangers, when a massive sinkhole sinks a sizable chunk of Los Angeles deep into the Earth, David Applebaum's lofty show sounds like a dramatic version of Land of the Lost, but with its big special effects, large ensemble, heavy budget, and admirably goofy premise, we're looking at one of the fall season's biggest series. As we near its September debut, we're discovering more details about this upcoming show, which we'll share with you now. Here's what we know about La Brea.
La Brea Premieres On September 28, 2021 At 9 PM ET
We're only a few short weeks away from the fall TV season, which means that we're a little over a month away from the series premiere of La Brea, one of the biggest shows in NBC's line-up. The big-budget series will premiere on September 28th at 9 PM ET, and the peacock network already has high expectations, which we'll discuss in more detail.
La Brea Is About A Band Of Los Angeles Residents Who Find Themselves In A Primeval Land Following A Massive Sinkhole
Promising an epic adventure filled with mystery, intrigue, and otherworldly sights, NBC's La Brea will center around a mother (Nathalie Zea) and a father (Eoin Macken) who are suddenly separated from one another when a massive sinkhole swallows hundreds of Los Angeles people, buildings, and landmarks from the busy city. Rather than plummet to their deaths, these fallen souls are descended into a primeval land, unlike anything in the known world.
In these bewildering surroundings, they are left with no choice but to band together if they want to survive. Meanwhile, the rest of the world wants to know, "What the hell happened?" As such, in order to be reunited, our central family must unlock secrets from this mysterious and inexplicable event. Sounds a bit like Lost by way of Terra Nova, which could result in an intriguing new weekly watch.
The La Brea Cast Includes Justified’s Natalie Zea And The Night Shift’s Eoin Macken
At the forefront of NBC's blockbuster series is Nathalie Zea, who's best known for starring as Winona Hawkins in FX's Justified, though she found her breakout role in ABC's Dirty Sexy Money. The actress is also recognized for her starring performances in Fox's The Following and TBS's The Detour. Zea's other notable TV credits include Passions, The Shield, Hung, Californication, The Unicorn, and Under the Dome. Furthermore, in film, she appeared in The Other Guys, Too Late, The F**k It List, and Happily. In La Brea, the actress plays Claire Harris, the separated mother and wife.
Additionally, this NBC series is set to star Eoin Macken as Gavin Harris, the husband and father who's split from his wife and son. Previously, Macken starred in NBC's The Night Shift and Netflix's Nightflyers. He also appeared in Fair City, Merlin, The Tudors, Stumptown, and Raw. Additionally, on the big screen, Macken can be seen in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, Centurion, The Hole in the Ground, and, most recently, Till Death.
La Brea’s Cast Includes Jack Martin, Nicholas Gonzalez, Chiké Okonkwo, Karina Logue And More
Additionally, La Brea will also star newcomers Jack Martin and Zyra Gorecki as the children who are separated from their respective parents during this literally earth-shattering event. The cast also includes Karina Logue, Nicholas Gonzalez, Jon Seda, Chiké Okonkwo, Veronica St. Clair, Rohan Mirchandeney, Lily Santiago, Josh McKenzie, and Chloe De Los Santos, to name only a few actors in this ever-expansive ensemble.
La Brea Is Created By The Mentalist And NCIS: New Orleans Writer-Producer David Applebaum
Over the course of the past decade, David Applebaum has forged an active career for himself in broadcast television. Specifically, he was a writer and producer on CBS's The Mentalist and NCIS: New Orleans. He also worked on short-lived shows like CBS's Wisdom of the Crowd and NBC's The Enemy Within. Now, Applebaum is the creator, showrunner, and head writer behind La Brea, NBC's new high-concept drama series.
The Pilot Is Directed By Diary Of A Wimpy Kid’s Thor Freudenthal
Particularly throughout this past decade, Thor Freudenthal has developed an expansive resume. As a director, specifically, Freudenthal was at the helm of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Hotel for Dogs, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, and 2020's Words on Bathroom Walls, which he also produced. Additionally, on TV, the director called the shots on episodes of Arrow, The Flash, Carnival Row, Supergirl, Legends of Tomorrow, Quantico, Aim High, The Expanse, and The Tick. He was also involved in the creative development of Stuart Little 1 and 2, The Haunted Mansion, and the Oscar-winning short, The ChubbChubbs!
Now, Thor Freudenthal is the director behind the pilot for NBC's La Brea (per Deadline). Given its mix of special effects with down-to-earth personalities, it makes sense that Freudenthal was called in to direct this first episode. His movies blend animation/VFX with grounded characters. Should the filmmaker bring that same balance to this new show, he will hopefully provide some dramatic stakes to this wacky, high-concept plot.
La Brea Is The Most Expensive TV Production Shot In Victoria, Australia In Over A Decade
Throughout this troubled year, Universal Studio Group, the company that houses NBC, has taken their business to the land down under. Specifically, the studio has produced up to four shows in Australia, worth as much as $200 million, including the new series, La Brea, which is the most expensive show to shoot in VIctoria since Steven Spielberg's HBO series, The Pacific, from 2009. Along with La Brea, Young Rock, Joe Exotic, and Irreverent are also filming in Australia, particularly with the incentives from state and federal governments, as it was reported by The Sidney Morning Herald. Certainly, if it does well, La Brea could be a big moneymaker for Australia. But only time will tell there.
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