NBC’s Failed Lost Copy-Cat Series Is Streaming’s Sci-Fi Sleeper Hit

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While nothing has quite matched the impact of the hit show Lost, a similar series from 2021 is gaining popularity again now that it’s available on streaming platforms. Before streaming dominated television, traditional networks were known for creating ambitious, thought-provoking shows. Lost, created by Jeffrey Lieber, J.J. Abrams, and Damon Lindelof, ran for six seasons on ABC and built a dedicated fanbase. The show’s distinctive story and complex mysteries also captured the attention of sci-fi fans and sparked countless discussions.

Lost was a huge hit, and many subsequent science fiction shows on network television have tried to follow its formula. One example is NBC’s La Brea, created by David Appelbaum. Similar to the passengers stranded on the island in Lost, the characters in La Brea find themselves trapped in a dangerous, prehistoric landscape after falling into a giant sinkhole.

How La Brea Failed At Being The Next Lost

Sadly, La Brea didn’t succeed like Lost, falling short in almost every way. From the very beginning, critics disliked the show, pointing out its awkward dialogue, predictable plotlines, and failure to fully develop its intriguing core story. Given how quickly networks cancel shows these days, it wasn’t surprising that La Brea didn’t last long.

The first season of La Brea received mostly negative reviews, with a 29% rating from critics and a 47% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The show initially averaged 4.94 million viewers per week, but ratings declined significantly in subsequent seasons. Season 2 averaged 1.77 million viewers, and the final six episodes of season 3 drew 2.03 million.

La Brea Finds Streaming Success 2 Years After Its Cancelation

Even though La Brea didn’t gain much traction when it originally aired on NBC for three seasons, it’s finding a new audience through streaming. From January to June 2025, the show was streamed for nearly 60 million hours (according to Flix Patrol). Seasons 1 and 2 rank as the third and seventh most popular sci-fi series on streaming platforms during that time.

Despite having a small but dedicated audience during its initial broadcast, the show struggled to grow and even lost much of its original viewership. Even the finale, which provided a satisfying conclusion to the story, didn’t attract a large increase in viewers. That’s why its current success on streaming is so remarkable – it’s actually performing better than popular shows like The 100 and Lost In Space. While it didn’t reach the level of Lost, it’s great that the show has finally found a wider audience through streaming.

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2025-12-27 19:58