Upload — Season 1 Review
by KJ Proulx
It’s been a while since I’ve come across a new television show that felt as unique as Upload. With all of the content out there these days, it’s hard to find something that’s incredibly original, and while this series may borrow elements of things you’ve seen before, I found it to be very fresh. Amazon Studios, between feature films and television series’, has been knocking it out of the park for years now and I believe this series deserves some recognition as one of their best. Here’s why I believe the first season of Upload is worth your time.
In a world that’s probably much like our own in many years to come, it’s overrun by technology and people are given the choice of either a normal death or paying to upload their consciousness into a digital world of their choosing. Run by corporations that take care of their own individuals, it can become quite personal. After Nathan Brown (Robbie Amell) parishes in a car accident, he goes quickly chooses to be uploaded before his death. Falling for the woman controlling his body in this digital world and learning secrets about his own past along the way, this simple story ends having many interesting layers. If for nothing else, this series is very engaging on a story level.
By the time this season had concluded, I was eager to continue, so if that’s not enough reason to recommend it, then let’s dive into some specifics. From the very moment that Nathan arrives in this new world, the cleverness begins to leap off the screen. From opening a fridge and swiping for more options like a cell phone to certain characters clearly being internet hackers, and even the way this world runs based on gigabytes and how much people can afford, I ended up losing track of the number of times I said, “Oh, I see what you did there.” The premise of this series is very unique as I said, but the fact that so much care was put into the subtle humour that not everyone will get, kind of shocked me, in a good way.
I’ll admit, from his performances on shows like The Flash or in movies like The Duff, I never thought that Robbie Amell could lead his own film, let alone a great series, but I was wrong. While I don’t think his performance is award-worthy or anything like that, I absolutely believed that he was this character. He carries this series on his shoulders and this is easily the best performance I’ve ever seen him give. He, along with a really solid performance by Nora Antony, shared some great chemistry and if that aspect didn't work for me, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed this show overall.
In the end, Upload is a simple futuristic story that feels unique and is elevated even further by nice twists, clever humour, and world-building. I will absolutely be returning for a second season, which I really hope gets made. Luke was also a funny secondary character that earned his presence to me, even though I can see how some viewers may find him slightly redundant or annoying. There is a lot to like here, especially if you’re looking for an original concept to dig your teeth into. I recommend checking out the first season of Upload, now streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Rating: 4.5/5
Check out the trailer below:
