NBC has recently announced that sci-fi drama La Brea will be returning for a third season. However, according to a report from Deadline, the series may be facing a shake-up in the upcoming season. As the report says, the series has been picked up for six additional episodes, fewer than in previous seasons. The report also indicated that the third season will likely be the series’ final season, barring major restructuring in format and plot.

The abbreviated third season is potentially influenced by the possibility of an upcoming writer and/or director and actors strike, which would complicate the production of the series. Filming for the third season is set to begin in March in Australia. Currently, the WGA contract is set to expire on May 1, 2023. Additionally, the DGA and SAG-AFTRA contracts will be up at the end of June, signaling a potential work stoppage that could impact both the production and release of the series’ third season. The looming strike has had an impact on many upcoming and in-progress television projects, including the now seemingly doomed La Brea. Many networks are now facing the possibility of an empty schedule for the first few weeks of the fall television season.

La Brea originally premiered on NBC in 2021 with a 10-episode first season. The series is currently airing its second season. The series tells the story of an epic family adventure that takes place after a massive sinkhole opens up in the middle of Los Angeles. The people in the surrounding area are pulled into a primeval land where they must band together in order to survive.

The report did indicate that though the series is most likely going to end after its third season, there is a small possibility of its continuation with new characters played by a new cast. The impending strikes were possibly key in the renewal of La Bea for a third season, as the start of the filming schedule would allow for several episodes to be produced before a potential strike. The fact that La Brea is produced outside the United States also gives the series an additional advantage in the case of a potential strike.

La Brea is currently airing its second season, with Season 2B resuming tonight with back-to-back episodes set to air tonight on NBC. The episodes will then be available to stream on Peacock the next day.

via Collider