Upload Season 3 Review | Between the Downloads and Uploads, Life Is So Much More Complex

The season two finale of Upload left everybody hanging. Nathan (Robbie Amell) successfully downloaded his digital self from Lakeview and into the body that Ingrid (Allegra Edwards) has been harvesting. Nathan was finally able to physically connect with his “angel” Nora (Andy Allo) and happy endings seemed inevitable for the duo. Until Nathan had a nosebleed.

If you’ve been with this Prime Video series since its fun and ambitious beginning, you already know what was revealed back in those early episodes — downloading back into physical form from digi-heaven Lakeview resulted in an exploding head for the downloader. Poof. All of you. Gone. Forever.

Season two left fans wondering what will become of Nathan. We find the hunk intact and happily moving forward with Nora as season three picks up. Trouble abounds, of course, and the two soon embark on a complex plan to save souls everywhere. That plan tends to weigh down season three, as do some of the twists that take shape back in Lakeview, where Ingrid finds herself in yet another mess. Read on.

Keeping Things on the Download

Amazon Studios

The main crux of season three finds Nathan and Nora joining forces with a slick anarchist group dubbed the Ludds (in a reference to “luddites,” or people opposed to technology). The preservation of souls living and passed is at stake. Nathan and Nora want to work the Ludds to thwart Freeyond, the cherished digital afterlife where people upload their minds and live the high life in Lakeview. Nora’s super jealous ex, Matteo (Paulo Costanzo), becomes part of the new mission, sniggering along the way. He still wants Nora back but how can he compete with the successfully downloaded new Nathan?

Things aren’t so great for Nathan, however. He has kept his nosebleeds secret, for fear of worrying Nora. There is also some frenetic back and forth with the souls up in Lakeview. Luke (Kevin Bigley), Nathan’s friend, is bummed his pal isn’t around and frets about having a proper angel. Meanwhile, Ingrid does the unthinkable by keeping things on the down low with her new love interest, a replicant of Nathan that was accidentally uploaded. There’s a catch: His memories over the last six months have been erased. Still, it’s fun have Nathan back. Or is it? There’s some delightful fodder with all that.

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Season three also places Viv, Nathan’s mom (Jessica Tuck), in a dilemma with others hoping to grab a deal with Freeyond. The drama that unfolds with that plot is a bit rushed, but it’s nice to see mother and son finally reunite in real time. That frantic pace creeps in throughout season three with our key players. Lakeview’s lovable bellhop (Owen Daniels) is given something more to do this go around, too, as is Aleesha (Zainab Johnson). Nora’s former coworker and AI “angel” gets a promotion, overseeing AI education.

Plot, Structure, Pace, and Flow

Amazon Studios

Upload has always been inventive, engaging, and mostly fun. When Greg Daniels created the series several years ago, it was a breath of fresh air, sailing, perhaps, off the tailwinds of shows like The Good Place. He also managed to take the best of other series he co-created — King of the Hill and Parks and Recreation — to find a nice balance of humor and heart.

Season three tests those boundaries a bit, sending the series into an uncertain future. If there ever was a good season to bow out gracefully, this would it be it. A fourth season might feel forced, but anything is possible. Especially in a show like Upload.

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The dual factions at play in season three — drama in reality and drama in Lakeview — work effectively yet tend to wear down as the season moves along. There’s some busyness to everything and everyone. What’s next for Nathan and Nora? What about Ingrid with Nathan’s doppelganger? We ought to care more about Luke and Aleesha, but they’re not at the forefront of the show. Their characters have always served the plot as it related to Nathan, Nora, and Ingrid.

Amazon Studios

That old Nathan-Nora-Ingrid love triangle takes a fun turn with Nathan No. 2 back in Lakeview, and while you suspect where things might eventually head with that, the series may surprise you with how everything unfolds. Themes of corporate control and the state of humanity in this futuristic tale — although it’s only set 10 years from now — continue to breeze through the series, the former commanding the spotlight more.

As always, the acting in Upload is engaging. It has been nice to see Robbie Amell evolve as a leading player in this context. He offers Nathan a mix of charm and bro-lite affection. Allegra Edwards still knows how to steal a scene. And Andy Allo remains the brightest light all around. The trio is comfortable in their characters’ skins, and it shows this season. Most of all, fans will feel rewarded seeing Nathan and Nora together. Watch the season’s latter episodes with an open mind. Life in the afterlife is forever unpredictable.

Season three of Upload premieres on Prime Video October 20. You can watch the trailer below:

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