Upload Season 3 Review

Upload (2020-)
Season 3 - 8 episodes (2023)

Rent Upload on Amazon Video (paid link)
Created by: Greg Daniels
Starring: Robbie Amell, Andy Allo, Allegra Edwards, Zainab Johnson, Kevin Bigley, Owen Daniels
Rated: TV-MA
Watch the trailer

Plot
Nathan can choose his own afterlife after his untimely death by having his consciousness uploaded into a virtual world. As he gets used to his new life and befriends his angel (real world handler), questions about his death arise.
At the end of season two a voter suppression effort was revealed that involved Nathan's code for a free upload program that would entice people to upload so they can't vote.

Verdict
This show is part comedy and part murder mystery. With trying to do both it does neither successfully. While the mystery gives this show a purpose, the more silly comedic bits feel out of place when dealing with crimes and coverups in the next scene. This season introduces voter suppression scheme through a digital afterlife, and having just finished the season I'm not sure what the underlying motive for that is. This show needs to focus on the quirks of a digital life.
It depends.

Review
Season one started as a humorous look at a digital afterlife as Nathan (Robbie Amell) explores this new digital world Lakeview. This afterlife is a similar question Black Mirror explored. Nathan's new life seems perfect as all his wants are fulfilled, but this soon becomes part murder mystery and part romance. The tone of this show is all over the place. The comedy doesn't match well with the stakes of murder.

Season two pushes the murder and conspiracy plots even further. This isn't the quirky comedy about a surreal world I expected when season one started.

My biggest issue with this show is tone. I want a thoughtful, quirky comedy that explores what a digital afterlife is like. How do people still living interact with avatars? Murder mystery shows are prevalent. While the conspiratorial aspects of this keep the plot moving, those bleak elements combined with silly comedy don't mesh. The mystery is a weight the show can't escape. Season three explores the real world and capitalism on top of all the other plot threads. Nathan and Nora's (Andy Allo) relationship is tested, as is Nathan's relationship with Ingrid (Allegra Edwards). 

This show isn't as funny as it wants to be. I feel like it wants to be like The Good Place, exploring ethical issues but since it doesn't have a goal it introduces the murder plot for excitement. While we finally discover what happened to Nathan, in this bleak world the company that committed the wrongs pays a fine and moves on. The root issue isn't addressed. That's how capitalism often works, but that's rather jaded for a show that has a character wear a hug suit in a bathtub so she can explore Lakeview without being dead. Season three ends with a teaser idea for a next season, are uploads people that deserve rights? Season four has yet to be confirmed.