Upload Season 1, Episode 1 recap: Welcome to Upload

The Upload series premiere did an excellent job of creating the world and setting the stage. Here’s a recap of the events from Upload Season 1, Episode 1.

Like any series premiere, Upload Season 1, Episode 1 set the stage of the series. We got a chance to meet the characters, understand the technology, and get a hint of the murder mystery in the storyline.

We immediately open with a commercial for Lake View. It’s clear that this is important to the story as this is where our lead male, Nathan (Robbie Amell), ends up. However, before we meet him, we get to meet our lead female, Nora (Andy Allo).

Getting to know the technology

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Nora introduces us to the technical world. She works as an Angel at Horizon, where she helps people adjust to the digital afterlife. We watch as Nora helps to upload a new person to the system, talking her through the process.

It’s then a quick jump to Nathan, who is currently working on some code with a friend. It looks like he’s at home, but it’s soon clear that he’s driving on the LA freeway. Well, the car is driving. Technology is at a point of self-driving cars but Nathan can override the system with his coding skills so he can take control and drive at speed.

When he’s pulled over, he gets out of a ticket as it looks like the car did suffer a technical fault. This is clearly foreshadowing for later in the episode.

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Meeting the characters

We end up at Nathan’s parents’ house for Thanksgiving, where his coding friend and business partner Jamie (Jordan Johnson-Hinds) joins them. This also gives us a chance to meet Nathan’s entitled rich girlfriend, Ingrid (Allegra Edwards).

That tells us what Nathan and Jamie are working on a free version of the digital afterlife. We also see him helping his niece with her “classical dance homework,” which is definitely not classical dancing.

It all seems like a semi-normal Thanksgiving but without the arguing. It’s on the way back to Ingrid’s when it all gets interesting. Nathan’s car malfunctions and he crashes into a truck.

During the episode, we also get to know about Nora’s family. She lives alone with her dad and wants to help him get into Lake View. However, he doesn’t want to go to a digital afterlife. Nora’s mom never did and he wants to be in “Heaven” with her. It doesn’t make sense, but this is what he believes.

Getting used to Lake View

The accident doesn’t kill Nathan, but he is gravely injured. He needs to decide whether to risk surgery or go to Lake View, which is where Ingrid is pushing him. He chooses to be uploaded, which is where his digital life begins.

Nora is the one who is uploading him, giving us a chance to see the way the digital process is done. She has to draw it in and make sure all his memories are uploaded and categorized. When some files are damaged, she puts them in a folder to fix later.

It’s clear this is something to keep an eye on. Those damaged files are linked to Nathan and Jamie’s business. Uh oh!

We get a chance see Nathan try to get used to the digital afterlife. It’s not easy at all, which is why Nora is there to help. Nathan has to get used to the idea of being dead and the idea of being in an afterlife that he may not have chosen for himself.

There are a lot of beautiful elements to the digital afterlife, with weather-changing settings, choices of food, and much more. However, there are annoying elements like in-app purchases and there are definitely some glitches here and there.

With life going on without him and it being clear that things aren’t real, Nathan struggles to adjust completely. His hair is one of the biggest problems, with a bit that just doesn’t sit properly. It gets so bad that he heads to the Data Torrent at the center of the afterlife where if he jumps everything about him will be removed. It’s the end of his afterlife.

Nora gets into the system just in time to help prevent it. She talks him out of jumping into the Data Torrent. While anyone could have been there, it’s Nora’s pain and passion that stops him. Despite not being allowed to, she tells him her name, where she lives, and a little about her office. It’s a chance for them to connect (and for her to fix his hair).

Of course, we have to finish with the murder mystery element. Someone is deleting some of the damaged files from the folder Nora created. It’s not Nora but possibly someone who works the evening shift at the company.

What did you think of the Upload series premiere? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Upload is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.