La Brea: Josh McKenzie and Rohan Mirchandaney Discuss What’s Next For Their Characters [Interview]

Please note this interview contains spoilers for La Brea Season 2 Episode 5.

From the moment it started, La Brea has presented us with different dynamics, relationships, and connections the characters have formed after falling through the sinkhole on La Brea Season 1 Episode 1, “Pilot.” These dynamics have become even stronger through La Brea Season 2.

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Josh McKenzie and Rohan Mirchandaney about what is next for their characters Scott and Lucas and the challenges they have faced in 10,000 B.C.

If you’ve seen La Brea Season 2 Episode 5, “The Heist,” you were also probably surprised by how well Scott and Lucas worked together given the fact that there is always tension between them. According to Josh McKenzie and Rohan Mirchandaney, these two characters will continue to butt heads while simultaneously getting along.

“I think we definitely continue to butt heads slightly. I mean, there are some real distinct differences about our characters that probably won’t shake,” Mirchandaney said. “But there is something that continues to draw us together.”

As different as the characters are, Mirchandaney also noted their similarities: they share qualities that they might express differently. Their approaches to the situation may be different, but there is a deep understanding of who they are.

“The more that we get into adventures and situations together, we realize that we have each other’s back, that we’re really there for one another, and everyone else.”

Watch a clip from La Brea Season 2 Episode 5:

McKenzie shared an ongoing joke the two of them have behind the scenes about their characters: Who is Batman and who is Robin?

“It’s quite a nice metaphor for the changing of our roles as we grow. Sometimes I’m Batman; he’s Robin. Sometimes he’s Batman; I’m Robin,” McKenzie said.

This change comes, according to McKenzie, because the characters are constantly surprising each other with their actions.

McKenzie said that’s something we’ll see in upcoming episodes. “They definitely mirror each other in a lot of ways and kind of help each other grow. We see a lot more of that coming out, which is really nice.”

However, Scott and Lucas haven’t only surprised each other, they have surprised the fans as well. Lucas, in particular, has shown extreme growth after his mother was killed.

McKenzie predicted there would be a lot of growth coming for Lucas, who is conflicted about who he is, where he is, and what he wants.

“He’s still dealing with the loss of his mum,” McKenzie explained. “So he’s kind of a bit dark these days. Lucas is in a stupor, almost. He’s kind of reacting. He’s not thinking things through. His mum passed away before she died. She told him to be a better person. So he’s just running on that kind of instinct.”

This instinct, according to the actor, pushes Lucas to immediately react to whatever the situation is without processing it first. However, he said that as the series goes on (and as we see on “The Heist”) this is going to change for the better.

“It’s not reacting. It’s more responsive. It’s more thoughtful and considerate. And he’s forced later on in the series to actually confront that. So that’s gonna be really exciting, I think for people to see this growth.”

Although he may become more responsive, McKenzie shared that Lucas’s reactiveness is one of his favorite things to play when it comes to his character.

“His reactiveness is the ability to, in the moment, assess a situation and act on it based on what at that present moment he determines is the best response,” McKenzie said. “Every scene he goes into, I always make sure Lucas has a strong point of view about what’s going on.”

When it comes to growth, it seems like every character gets to do a bit of that on La Brea. Scott joins the growing train and his character becomes a more mature version of who he was when he first fell into the sinkhole.

“I think this season is a really exciting one for Scott, we’re going to see some tremendous growth. I’ve had a lot of fun with the stuff that we’ve been doing this year,” shared Mirchandaney.

Big Stunts, a nickname Mirchandaney gave himself behind the scenes, is extremely excited about doing his own stunts. He is so happy he has shared this information with everyone he knows. Sadly, the nickname hasn’t stuck yet. 

Scott being knocked down, challenged, and thrown into the action is due to his connection to all the people he has met and come to love in 10,000 B.C.

“He has a strong growth arc in this season. And a lot of it stems from his relationships with the rest of the characters and how much love that he has for the people that he’s been stuck in this situation with. That’s really exciting.”

However, these relationships took some time to form because people couldn’t quite understand Scott’s outlook on life.

“I think Scott’s a character that people are really quick to dismiss because of his ideas. But over time, we’ve learned that Scott’s got a great grasp of what’s going on, a good clear picture. He doesn’t waiver and he doesn’t quit. And it might take a bit of time for people to come around to see things his way. But he has that patience and that resolve.”

These two characters have faced crazy challenges since the beginning of La Brea Season 1, but we cannot expect that to be over. On the contrary, the clearing seems to be getting more dangerous with every passing episode.

McKenzie and Mirchandaney didn’t give away any spoilers as to what is coming next, but I did ask them what new insane things they would like to see their characters face in the upcoming episodes.

“We’re a time travel show, right? I’m dying for a sinkhole that’s from prehistoric times. And fricking T-Rex or something. You know, I want to see Lucas and his hubris face off with a flippin’ T-Rex.”

For my dinosaur-loving self, McKenzie’s answer was extremely exciting. Hopefully, for the sake of us both, we will see it happening.

—

La Brea airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

 Follow us on Twitter and on Instagram!

Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!