Comic Con @ Home: Upload
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Upload checks off so many of my TV watch boxes! Greg Daniels, a fantastic and diverse cast, kind of macabre humor and wild fantasy played as normal. It’s rare to find a show that’s supposed to make humorous jokes about the afterlife, but ends up telling really poignant truths about the state of the world today. I watched the entire first season in a few hours so I was very excited to learn what was in store.
The panel included:
- Greg Daniels – Creator and Executive Producer
- Andy Allo – Nora
- Robbie Amell – Nathan
- Zainab Johnson – Aleesha, Nora’s Co-worker
- Kevin Bigley – Luke, Nathan’s “best” friend in the afterlife
- Allegra Edwards – Ingrid, Nathan’s girlfriend
Tweaking Tech
Greg Daniels said the show was written over years and went through many variations.
“The original idea was inspired by ads for CD players!”. The moderator joked, “What’s a CD player?” which led to great discussion about how Greg came up with the different brands and technologies on the show. When it was noted that a lot of the companies were high tech mixed with fast food: Nokia Taco Bell, Panera Facebook, etc. Kevin Bigley joked, “We’re just making a show about [smart] meat!”
What’s it all about?
In the show your consciousness gets uploaded to a digital afterlife. It may seem like a literal lifesaver, but the process is mostly controlled by corporations. Greg explained that the show was about unfairness. They were creating Heaven for profit and thus the greedy downsides of normal human society play into that.
Through it all though, we still see an unlikely love story progress. Whether it be through wealthy, but vapid Ingrid in what Allegra calls “the ultimate long distance relationship” or between Nate and Nora.
Robbie Amell says that Nate and Nora shouldn’t work, but in a way the lack of pressure actually fueled the chemistry between them. Andy agreed.
We were also treated to a fun outtake between Allegra Edwards and Chloe Coleman (My Spy) who plays Nivea, Nate’s niece.
Zoot Suit Riot?
There was some fun discussion about whether or not the panel members would actually use the hug suits from the show. These suits allow for a sort of analog to physical interaction between those who have been uploaded and those in the living world. Responses ranged from “Yes, definitely!” to “They need to have disposable pants” to “Now you have a rash!”.
Each actor was also asked what was their favorite tech from the show. Zainab and Greg both praised the printed food and Greg added he wanted the fat cartridges. Allegra mentioned how gross that sounded until Andy said it’s just like butter! Allegra wanted a self driving car, but Kevin said he was worried he might accidentally end up in Vegas after a drunken night! Robbie said since his character dies in one, it takes it off his list, but he would like the memory parlour.
S2 Expectations
Greg and Co are busy writing the season, but say we can look forward to more tech, more about Ingrid’s family and we’re going to see Nora and Nathan change Lakeview a little.
Finally, the cast was asked if they would choose to upload and the responses were mixed.
Andy was all for it, and Greg said it was akin to a medical treatment, like an antibiotic for when your body is failing. Robbie thinks of the upload as its own sort of purgatory, a place in between and Andy adds she would do everything she never got to in the living realm.
Zainab was interested but said she didn’t trust corporations enough to just hand over her consciousness. Everyone agreed that they’d need a pretty good sugar mama (Allegra who plays Ingrid, pointed at herself).
All in all, a fitting panel with lots of laughs and printed food for thought. Upload is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
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