It might not come across that way given its status as a half-hour streaming comedy, but Greg Daniels’ Upload might just be one of the most ambitious shows currently on television. That’s not to say it’s destined to enter the annals of the all-time greats or puncture the zeitgeist in the way the biggest and best episodic projects do, but you can’t fault the sheer number of plates it spins at the same time.
Clearly rooted in science fiction due to the overarching premise of a digital afterlife that offers a tiered existence based on your financial circumstances, the show also deals in such big hefty themes as corporate greed, capitalism, what can, should, or will happen when we die, while also throwing in biting sociopolitical satire, offbeat asides that would make absolutely zero sense if you explained them to anyone who hasn’t seen an episode, and even some straight-up exploding head body horror.
The downside is that by spinning as many plates as mentioned simultaneously, several of them are guaranteed to wobble at the very least. Season 3 expands the scope and scale of the premise by focusing the majority of its narrative and thematic gaze at Robbie Amell’s Nathan Brown acclimating to the real world having died, enjoyed the benefits of the virtual Lakeview, and then been resurrected through a copy of his human body to be granted a second chance, but the focus is still spread a touch too far across its increasing number of major players to make it feel as central as it should.
Having finally taken his relationship with Andy Allo’s Nora into the physical realm, the two leads continue generating their fantastic chemistry that holds Upload together, even if they spend more time apart than you might think. Meanwhile, Allegra Edwards’ Ingrid continues her lifelong obsession with Nathan by capitalizing on a mistake made by the tech gurus at Freeyond to seize a new opportunity with a duplicate accidentally uploaded into Lakeview missing the last six months of his memories.
On the surface, it sounds like another meandering “crazy ex-girlfriend” arc for Ingrid, but Edwards actually gets one of the more well-rounded and surprisingly developed arcs in season 3. Kevin Bigley’s Luke remains the erstwhile comic relief of the comedy show by continuing to harbor both his own bromantic feelings for Nathan, but there are at least attempts to inject pathos this time around after he comes to the realization that maybe focusing all of his platonic energies on one person who isn’t there anymore wasn’t the best approach, which coincides with his budding friendship to Zainab Johnson’s Aleesha.
She’s got problems of her own to contend with that tie into the machinations that have been driving Upload since the very beginning, but you can make the argument that expanding its reach has been to its detriment. While the tank is hardly running on empty three seasons in, there are moments when you can feel it stretching itself a little too thin, although the chances are high that a potential season 4 renewal will have the opportunity to zero in on the core conspiracy given what unfolds across its eight new installments.
That being said, it never forgets to bring the laughs, with the writing team once again showcasing that variety is the spice of life when it comes to the actual comedy. Whether it’s one-liners spouted by the characters, sight gags, fever dreams that include a sentient coconut, shots at Disney’s death grip over its IP, dancing unicorns, and somebody’s mother encouraging her son to have sex with his partner while she sleeps in the same bed, Upload isn’t afraid to get weird or wild when the occasion calls for it.
Of course, the irony is right there for all to see in a series funded and produced by Amazon taking shots at the rampant horrors of corporations and capitalism run amok, but that hasn’t prevented either The Boys or I’m a Virgo from succeeding, and the exact same is true of Upload. Daniels has clearly been given the freedom to take whatever swings he wants, and as much as there are an inevitable smattering of misses, there aren’t many shows on either network or streaming TV that aim at so many targets in the space of 30 or so-minute episodes without a care in the world.
Mileage may vary on whether or not it’s the best season of Upload, but it’s definitely the biggest, and you still get the feeling there are more stories to be told. It’s hard to predict how it’s all going to end, to be fair, but maybe that’s the point. Just strap in, buckle up, and go along for its uniquely off-center and wonderful ride.
Published: Oct 18, 2023 12:12 pm