Upload (TV series)

''Upload'' is an American science fiction comedy drama television series created by Greg Daniels. The series premiered on May 1, 2020, on Amazon Prime Video and was renewed for a second season. The second season premiered on March 11, 2022; it had seven episodes, three fewer than the first. In May 2022, the series was renewed for a third season, which premiered on October 20, 2023, and consists of eight episodes. In March 2024, the series was renewed for a fourth and final season.

Premise

In 2033, humans can "upload" themselves into a virtual afterlife of their choosing. When computer programmer Nathan Brown dies prematurely, he is uploaded to the very expensive Lakeview, but then finds himself under the thumb of his possessive, still-living girlfriend Ingrid. As Nathan adjusts to the pros and cons of digital heaven, he bonds with Nora, his living customer service rep. Nora struggles with the pressures of her job, her dying father who does not want to be uploaded, and her growing feelings for Nathan while slowly coming to believe that Nathan was murdered.

Cast and characters

Main

* Robbie Amell as Nathan Brown, a 27-year-old computer engineering grad and newly deceased computer programmer who is uploaded to the digital afterlife Lakeview.
**Kauis Lowe portrays a young Nathan (guest season 1)
* Andy Allo as Nora Antony, a living woman who is Nathan's handler in his afterlife
* Allegra Edwards as Ingrid Kannerman, Nathan's materialistic, obsessive girlfriend
* Zainab Johnson as Aleesha Morrison-Downey, Nora's coworker who is Luke's handler
* Kevin Bigley as Luke Crossley, a former army corporal and Lakeview resident who befriends Nathan and is dating Mildred
* Andrea Rosen as Lucy Slack (season 2–present; recurring season 1), Nora and Aleesha's domineering boss
* Owen Daniels as A.I. Guy (season 2–present; recurring season 1), a virtual employee at Lakeview who can appear in many places at once. Daniels also portrays Boris Netherlands, an unemployed actor who was paid for his likeness to be used in Lakeview.
* Josh Banday as Ivan Spelich (season 2–present; recurring season 1), Nora's coworker

Recurring

* Jessica Tuck as Vivian "Viv" Brown, Nathan's mother
* Chris Williams as Dave Antony (season 1; guest season 2), Nora's father
* Jordan Johnson-Hinds as Jamie Arpaz (season 1), Nathan's best friend and business partner
* Megan Ferguson (pilot), Hilary Jardine (season 1), and Vic Michaelis (season 2) as Mildred Kannerman, Ingrid's centenarian grandmother who resides in Lakeview, and whose avatar was based on an old black and white photograph
* William B. Davis as David Choak, a wealthy man living across the hall from Nathan
* Elizabeth Bowen as Fran Booth (season 1), Nathan's awkward cousin who is investigating his car accident
* Rhys Slack as Dylan (season 1; guest season 2–present), a child who lives in Lakeview after falling into the Grand Canyon and is trapped in the form of a 12-year-old despite being uploaded six years prior
** Brea St. James portrays an Older (female) Dylan (guest season 1)
* Matt Ward as Byron Titley (season 1; guest season 2), Nora's casual sex partner
* Andy Thompson as Lionel Winters (season 1; guest season 2–present) (identified only as "the Professor" in the first season)
* Barclay Hope as Oliver Kannerman (season 1; guest season 2–present), Ingrid's father
* Yvetta Fisher as Batia (seasons 1–2; guest season 3), Nora's coworker
* Ryan Beil as Craig Munthers (season 2; guest seasons 1, 3)
* Paulo Costanzo as Matteo (season 2; guest season 3)
* Mackenzie Cardwell as Tinsley (season 2 – present), a temp hired by Aleesha
* Vic Michaelis as Mildred (season 2)
* Kristine Cofsky as Holden (season 3; guest season 1), Nathan's ex-girlfriend
* Peter James Smith as Mauricio (season 3; guest season 1), a digital afterlife salesman
* Bassem Youssef as Miro Mansour (season 3)
* Jeanine Mason as Karina Silva (season 3), a charming new Horizen executive in charge of new product development and cybersecurity
* Lee Majdoub (season 4)

Guest

* Christine Ko as Mandy (season 1), Nora's roommate
* Wayne Wilderson as Zach (season 1)
* Matt Braunger as Brad (season 1)
* Chloe Coleman as Nevaeh, Nathan's niece
**Luvyna Ward portrays a younger Nevaeh (season 2)
* Justin Stone as Dan the Orbit Gum Guy (season 1)
* Julian Christopher as Ernie Lampsterman (season 1), a Horizen therapist whose avatar in Lakeview is a Labrador Retriever
* Scott Patey as Josh Pitzer (season 1), an executive hoping to buy Nathan's and Jamie's software
* Creed Bratton as Rupert Tilford (season 1)
* Teryl Rothery as Dawn Kannerman (seasons 1–2), Ingrid's mother
* Lucas Wyka as Jack Kannerman (seasons 1–2)
* Alex Kliner as Nathan Greenstein
* Philip Granger as Uncle Larry (season 1), Viv's brother and Nathan's favorite uncle
* Gigi Gorgeous as Jordan (season 1)
* Larry Wilmore as Kamyar Whitbridge (seasons 1, 3)
* Phoebe Miu as Yang
* Jennifer Garner as herself (season 2)
* Christine Willes as Janet Boxner (seasons 2–3)
* Hiro Kanagawa as Detective Sato (seasons 2–3)
* Erin Karpluk as Magruder (season 3)
* Graeme Duffy as Rory Shicklemen (season 3)
* Amy McInnes as Penny Chao (season 3)
* Ravi Kapoor as Dr. Kapoor (season 3)
* William Gibson as himself (season 3)

Episodes

Series overview

Season 1 (2020)

Season 2 (2022)

Season 3 (2023)

Production

Development

On September 8, 2017, Amazon announced it had ordered a pilot for a new single-camera comedy series created by Greg Daniels. On July 28, 2018, Amazon announced it had given the production an order for a first season of ten episodes. Daniels and Howard Klein are executive producers, and the series is produced by 3 Arts Entertainment. On May 8, 2020, Amazon renewed the series for a second season, which premiered March 11, 2022. On May 11, 2022, the series was renewed for a third season. In October 2023, Daniels mentioned in an interview with ''Collider'' that he was hopeful for a fourth season and that the writing process would begin during November 2023. In March 2024, Amazon renewed the series for a fourth and final season.

Casting

In January 2018, it was announced that Robbie Amell and Andy Allo had received the pilot's male and female lead roles.

While the series was filming its second season in February–March 2021, Paulo Costanzo and Mackenzie Cardwell were cast in recurring roles. At the release-date announcement, it was also confirmed that Amell, Allo, Allegra Edwards, Zainab Johnson and Kevin Bigley would return; and Josh Banday, who recurred in Season 1, was promoted to a series regular.

Filming

Season 1's principal photography took place from March 5 – May 10, 2019, in Vancouver, Canada.

Some exterior photography for the Lakeview virtual reality world was shot at Mohonk Mountain House and Preserve in New Paltz, New York, including images of the hotel, groundskeeper, and lake. A small number of interior shots, including rooms at the hotel, were also filmed on location.

Season 2 was filmed from January 25 – April 15, 2021.

Season 3 was filmed from August 15 – November 2, 2022.

Season 4 was filmed from late August to early October 2024.

Reception

''Upload'' received positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first season has an approval rating of 88% with an average score of 6.9 out of 10 based on reviews from 56 critics. The website's critical consensus is, "Though ''Upload'' at times suffers from tonal overload, witty writing and a winsome cast make it an afterlife worth living." On Metacritic, the season has a weighted average score of 67 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

The second season holds an approval rating of 100% with an average score of 7.3/10 based on 15 critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The website's critical consensus is, "''Upload''’s sophomore season goes into sleep mode just when it's revving up, but even a truncated installment of this techno afterlife makes for terrific comedy." On Metacritic, it received a weighted average score of 72 out of 100, based on 4 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

The third season has received an approval rating of 88% with an average score of 7.3/10 based on 18 critics on Rotten Tomatoes. The website's critical consensus is, "Equal parts more convoluted and sophisticated than ever before, ''Upload''s techno satire continues to take on more human dimension." On Metacritic, it received a weighted average score of 65 out of 100, based on 6 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.

See also

*" San Junipero", an episode of ''Black Mirror'' that first aired in 2016 has a similar premise.

References

Further reading

*

External links

*
*

Official season 2 finale screenplay

{{DEFAULTSORT:Upload (TV series)
2020 American television series debuts
2020s American comic science fiction television series
2020s American satirical television series
Canadian English-language television shows
Fiction about consciousness transfer
Amazon Prime Video original programming
Television series by 3 Arts Entertainment
Television series by Amazon MGM Studios
Fiction about the afterlife
Fiction set in 2033
Transhumanism in television series
Television series set in the 2030s
Television shows filmed in Vancouver
Television series created by Greg Daniels
Television shows set in Los Angeles
Television shows set in New York City