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'La Brea' Episode 9 Review: Sci-fi tale does nothing with its layers and intrigue

With time travel now becoming a part of the storyline, 'La Brea' sets up for Season 2 in the most convoluted way

With Episodes 7 and 8 setting up for the finale of 'La Brea', the series is unearthing new information. Episode 9, titled 'Father & Son', showcases just how important Gavin is to the timeline and that there might be hope for the survivors after all.

If you're looking to catch up on the previous episodes, you can read about Episode 1, Episode 2 - 'Day Two', Episode 3 - 'The Hunt' and Episode 4 - 'The New Arrival'.

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With the series effectively entering a space-time continuum, it is now up to Eve to get Isiah to the Topanga sinkhole to walk through and make it to 1988 and begin his life as Gavin. The episode also reveals the mystery behind Ella, seeing that she is none other than Lilly. Lilly, who seems to have lost all her memories like Gavin when they went from 10,000 BC to 1988, hands over a note to Gavin in the modern-day that the next sinkhole will open in Seattle. 

But, as much as 'La Brea' tries to spin this sci-fi tale of layers and intrigue, a lot of it doesn't add up. For example, while Isiah going to the modern-day world means he'll grow up to be Gavin, the series points out that if he doesn't, Josh and Izzy, his children, will cease to exist, as he would have never met Eve. Looking at it logically, Lilly too should cease to exist should she go to 1988, since she wasn't even born then. And even if by some loophole she survives, it could still alter present-day reality and create a new timeline. 

With most time travel-based fiction, there is always an explanation on how the actions of a time traveller can alter timelines entirely. And while Gavin's activities, in this case, seem pivotal, there is no reasoning or logic (yet) behind what would happen should any of the other survivors, including Lilly, go back to 1988. But by some unexplained logic, Lilly grew up fine in 1988, despite having been 12 at the time of La Brea sinkhole in 2021. So while Aldridge states that time is circular, in hindsight, just that line comes off as a sloop explanation on the show's behalf. But with one episode to go, who knows, maybe logic will find its way through a sinkhole somewhere.

Catch 'La Brea' Season 1 on Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.