Upload has been one of the few streaming shows that I look forward to every time a new season drops. Like many others crafted during COVID years, it has an inconsistent release schedule. Season 1 was released in 2020, with Seasons 2 and 3 debuting respectively in 2022 and 2023. Season 4, the final season, arrived at last amidst the 2025 TV schedule. Because there have been so many season gaps, I decided to rewatch the first three seasons before beginning and finishing the final season.
Upload is a show that immediately charmed me. Therefore, I have not been looking forward to the series ending. But, I know that sometimes it’s better to end a show while it’s still good than to let it overstay its expiration date and end on a low note. While watching the Upload pilot, I appreciated the show’s smart writing, exquisite cast chemistry, and a lot more, especially a few specific things.
Warning: Upload Season 1 Episode 1 Spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.
I Love How Upload Shows The Positives And Negatives Of Technology, But Leans More Anti-AI
Lakeview seems like a magical concept. Instead of dying and seeing whatever happens after death, you go to this world that’s almost better than Earth because it’s a utopia. It’s the peace that so many crave with death, but without completely crossing over to a heaven or hell or just ceasing to exist.
It’s a man-made heaven, at least seemingly. Upload shows a very cool version of the future, and I remember thinking that Lakeview actually seems like an amazing idea. Of course, as the series goes on, Lakeview isn’t as ideal as it seems in the pilot. However, it’s not that perfect on the pilot either. Upload shows how Nathan (Robbie Amell) enjoys Lakeview but misses living. He longs for things that aren’t artificial. He craves real human connection. Nathan knows that Lakeview is great as a concept, but he knows living and experiencing the world is better.
Upload is a pro-technology show because it shows how helpful and advanced technology can become. We could just never die, a dream for many. Nevertheless, it’s also very critical of it. The series shows that never dying isn’t as amazing as it might seem. Lakeview can never compare to real air, real food, and real life. Upload being released in 2020 almost makes it feel like a show ahead of its time. It happened when the world was so isolating, and technology was one of the ways that people could stay connected.
However, most people missed real interactions. 2020 was also, unfortunately, a time when death was at an all-time high, so people were thinking more about the afterlife. A show about technology and death couldn’t feel more poignant for the time. Upload reflects how technology can improve communication but not replace genuine human contact. Additionally, AI is a major topic right now, especially in the film industry. Therefore, Upload almost feels anti-AI because it argues that some things can only truly feel human and life-like by being created by humans.
Nathan And Nora Feel More Destined Than I Originally Remembered
I knew Upload was one of Prime Video’s best original series when the chemistry between Nathan and Nora (Andy Allo) felt instantaneous. I committed to invest however long it took to see them end up together. I don’t think Upload is technically a romantic comedy TV show, but it feels like one.
Nora and Nathan’s relationship and love story are so vital to the series’ DNA. It wouldn’t work or be as entertaining without their will-they-won’t-they romance. I remembered that Nora develops an instant crush on Nathan, but the second viewing makes them feel more destined. Like his death is all part of a cosmic plan leading them to each other. If they don’t somehow end up together, despite death, then something went wrong in the algorithm of life and death.
Upload's Vision Of The Future Is Cooler Than I Realized
What I enjoy about Upload’s vision of the future is that it's basically the present with a few key changes. This feels the most like how things could be in the future. It’s not going to be completely overrun by robots, at least I hope not, but technology will advance in innovative ways, like devices that are basically holographic, and the ability to upload your consciousness to the cloud that feels like the real world.
Really futuristic shows are fun to watch, and I just enjoy the hyper-advanced version of the future. I love those shows, but I also really love a series, like Upload, that gives a more realistic look at the future. It would not surprise me if places like Lakeview eventually become a thing. After watching Upload, I don’t know if I want those places to exist, but I fully expect them to happen.
I Can Appreciate More Now How The Show Seamlessly Introduces This World
The moment Upload introduces this world, I am automatically sucked into it. I don’t need too much explanation or dialogue about it. I am fully downloaded on everything I need to know about this world. This includes Nathan and Nora’s lives.
Not every science fiction series, especially a comedy, can easily make an unusual world easy to comprehend in under 50 minutes. I respect and appreciate Upload for having such a clear vision of this future and translating it to the audience. It shows how good Greg Daniels is at TV shows. He does not miss.
Rewatching Upload Made Me More Excited To See How It All Ends
I had so many questions after Upload Season 1, then the Season 2 cliffhanger made me anxious for Season 3, and then I had plenty more questions after the last season. I am looking forward to finally seeing many, if not all, of my questions over the last three seasons finally get answered. Rewatching the pilot just reminded me how good Upload is as a mystery show. I don’t even remember if all the things set up in the pilot were answered yet, but I am now drawn back into the suspense and intrigue.
If not, I anticipate most of them being resolved by the end of the series. Additionally, rewatching the pilot just made me more excited to finish this series rewatch to be more informed and excited about the final four episodes. Upload starts as a really captivating comedy, and I hope it ends that way as well.
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