Home / Arts and Entertainment / Netflix Effect Revives Canceled NBC Series 'La Brea'
Netflix Effect Revives Canceled NBC Series 'La Brea'
12 Jun
Summary
- NBC's 'La Brea' achieved 1.28 billion viewing minutes in its first full week on Netflix.
- The series, canceled by NBC after three seasons, now tops streaming charts.
- Millennial and Gen X audiences, particularly adults 35-64, drove 'La Brea's' viewership growth.
NBC's former sci-fi series, "La Brea," has achieved unexpected success on Netflix, amassing 1.28 billion viewing minutes in its first full week of availability. The show, which aired on NBC from 2021 to 2024 and concluded with an abbreviated third season, was canceled due to declining viewership. Its popularity surged after licensing to Netflix, demonstrating the significant "Netflix effect" that revitalizes older broadcast and cable series.
The series, centering on a sinkhole in Los Angeles that transports people 10,000 years into the past, initially premiered in 2021 with 6.2 million viewers on NBC. While Season 1 averaged 9 million viewers, subsequent seasons saw a decline, with Season 3 averaging 4.1 million. However, its Netflix debut saw it reach the No. 1 spot on Nielsen's streaming charts.
Nielsen data indicates that "La Brea" ranked third overall in streaming during the week of April 27-May 3, 2026, with 881 million minutes viewed in its first three days. By its first full week, it climbed to the top position, driven by Millennial and Gen X audiences, who accounted for 56% of watch time among adults 35-64. The show has remained in Netflix's top 10 for three consecutive weeks.
