Critic's Rating: 4.8 / 5.0
4.8
La Brea's Season 2 finale left us with even more questions. Thankfully, the series has been renewed for Season 3, or viewers would be left hanging.
On La Brea Season 2 Episode 13, the Harrises found another portal in 10,000 BC, but dangers awaited them. Eve and Izzy time-traveled on La Brea Season 2 Episode 14 to warn Gavin and save his life, but there were still villains lurking,
The Harrises have come so far since the beginning of La Brea Season 2, only to be ripped up apart again.
In a matter of days, Gavin lost his parents and best friend. That's a lot for anyone to handle, but often adult adoptees struggle with abandonment issues.
He watched Levi blow up the building that was their only way home. Gavin was still grieving the loss of his mom and the fact they barely bonded. He was terrified of losing his wife again.
Even though Silas had his faults, I believed he genuinely loved his grandson. Even if Silas wouldn't see Gavin anymore, he helped him find the clues in Moore's journal.
Silas: It means Moore needed a machine to create this data – a machine here in 10,000 BC.
Gavin: You’re saying he made a portal here?
Silas: I think there’s a chance.
Gavin: If he did, I might finally be able to get my family home.
🔗 permalink: If he did, I might finally be able to get my family home.
Watching everyone travel up there was fun. But their luck ran out as they approached the campsite and only saw dead people. It became worse as the group approached the cave.
The CGI was well done because that giant lizard scared me. At first, I thought it was a dinosaur, it was so huge, and it started attacking Gavin.
Those red flowers are vicious and will kill everyone, not just Eve.
While La Brea is a time-traveling show, no one has time traveled or felt the effects of it since the first half of La Brea Season 2.
Eve and Izzy wanted to time travel four hours in the past, so they could warn Gavin not to go to the cave. So much was riding on this plan, mainly Gavin's life.
It saddened me that James was as cold and calculating as everyone thought. He never cared about second chances or bonding with his son or grandchildren.
Gavin: I need my father. My fate and the fate of my family rest in your hands.
🔗 permalink: I need my father. My fate and the fate of my family rest in your hands.
James didn't care that his son was dying. His only priority was restarting his machine.
It was even worse that James acted like this when Josh was about to lose his dad, and Josh didn't even have his mom or sister to support him.
Josh had only recently reunited with his dad, so losing him again so soon seemed incredibly cruel.
Gavin: I’m the luckiest man in the world because you’re my son. I’m so lucky to have you guys as my family.
🔗 permalink: I’m the luckiest man in the world because you’re my son. I’m so lucky to have you guys as my…
Despite some setbacks, Eve managed to warn Gavin in time, and his death was reversed. Stuff like that will mess with poor Josh's well-being.
Why can't the Harris family ever be happy? I know because it wouldn't be a cliffhanger finale, but seeing their family endure so much upheaval is rough.
Gavin still has a lot to learn about his family tree. On his deathbed, James revealed Gavin has a sister.
How will Gavin process all this while his wife is in another timeline? He'll need the support of his children and close friends.
Will Gavin ever trust Levi again? He redeemed himself by the end of La Brea Season 2 Episode 14.
Levi never realized that blowing up the Lazurus building would impact anyone's life but his. Thankfully, Izzy insisted on saving his life, giving him a second chance to prove himself.
Levi: Save yourselves. Leave me. Get out of here.
Izzy: Dad, we can’t. We have to help him.
🔗 permalink: Dad, we can’t. We have to help him.
Levi was so filled with rage and revenge that he never considered that Ty's cancer meds had disappeared in that explosion.
He seemed to have one goal this season, so it was refreshing when he agreed to trade Intel with Kira for Ty's meds.
We never thought we'd see Levi and Silas team up, but they had similar goals revenge on Kira and forgiveness from Ty and Paara.
I loved that Levi finally realized that revenge didn't lessen his grief and tried to tell Silas this wisdom.
Levi may also have had a connection with the young girl, Petra, that Scott and the others found at the campsite. He had a tattoo with the same emblem as her locket. Scott also was supposed to interview at this organization the day they fell through the sinkholes.
In fact, Scott was the only one that Petra felt comfortable with at all. They learned a military base fell through and was stationed in 10,000 BC too.
What kind of weapons was this military developing, and what was their mission?
There were so many dead bodies. Hopefully, Scott can continue to protect Petra.
Both Sam and Lucas struggled to move on yet found a way to help each other. Like Gavin, Sam is a natural-born leader.
Sometimes he seems gruff but cares about the survivors down there. Sam struggled to see most of his friends move on happily while he was still single.
Sam had never wanted to burden Riley with getting divorce papers because "good" parents don't involve their kids in problems like that.
Sam still wanted to go home but knew their family dynamics would change.
Lucas doesn't handle change well after growing up with his abusive father. He's finally turned his life around and surprisingly wanted to stay in 10,000 BC because he thought he could make a difference there.
Part of me understood his thinking. He's developed leadership skills and fallen in love. He doesn't want to backslide if he moves back home.
Understandably, Veronica advocated for moving since she was pregnant.
More than anything, Lucas was terrified of screwing up Veronica and his new child's life. Veronica was scared, too, since she didn't have good parenting models, but she still wanted to try.
Even though Sam and Lucas often argued, he gave Lucas important advice about impending fatherhood. I loved this pep talk and the grudging respect they showed each other.
Sam: Since you had a dad that messed you up, you think you’re going do the same to your kid, so why bother? Better not to try so no one gets hurt.
Lucas: I don’t need this from you.
Sam: Oh no, I might be the one you do need this from because our dads both did a number on us. But sometimes the apple does fall far from the tree. I’m not perfect, but one thing I know is I’m a good dad.
🔗 permalink: Oh no, I might be the one you do need this from because our dads both did a number on us. But…
Sam made Lucas get out of his self-pitying mode, and it was so amusing when he showed up on a white horse to save the day. It was part fairytale and part horse whisperer.
The characters are on personal journies while they find their way home.
We need more than six episodes in Season 3 to cover them all.
Over to you, La Brea Fanatics. Where did Eve end up, and how long will it take to rescue her? Who is Gavin's sister?
How is Petra connected to Levi? Will Veronica have her baby in the Clearing?
To catch up on all the sinkhole adventures, watch La Brea online via TV Fanatic.
La Brea Season 3 will return on NBC in the Fall of 2023.
