Greg Daniels on ‘Upload’: ‘Technology is not the villain’

In the 2033 world of  Upload, one can upload one’s memories and live forever in a digital afterlife. When a computer programmer Nathan (Robbie Amell) dies, his rich girlfriend Ingrid (Allegra Edwards) suggests he upload to the exclusive Lake View. He is at first happy with the state of affairs but begins to have doubts about his death and feelings for his human handler, or angel, Nora (Andy Allo). The first season ended with some questions being answered while throwing a whole load of new ones. 

Series creator Greg Daniels describes  Upload as primarily a love story. Speaking over a video call, Daniels says, “It is also a murder mystery. And depending on the scene, it could be a cautionary tale or an optimistic look at what technology could do for us.”  

Matter of perspective  

Daniels, who has co-created  Parks and Recreation and  King of the Hill, apart from working on  Saturday Night Live and  The Simpsons, says there are two sides to everything in life. “There is a good side and a way it can be misused.  Upload is about a bunch of characters falling in love, attempting to survive their circumstances and thrive.” 

Technology is not the villain in the show, says the 58-year-old writer and director. “Technology can give you great things like the vaccine. It can also give you things like Facebook which, eliminates journalism and democracy, and increases social anxiety. There are pluses and minuses to technology and in  Upload we are trying to look at both and have some fun with it.” 

You must remember this 

Like in much of science fiction, memory plays an important part in identity. “What are we if not our memories? In  Upload, when people are uploaded into a digital afterlife, they have no body. Their avatars are really the sum of their memories that have been recorded and put to life in an environment. Nathan, for instance, examines his memories and finds that he does not have access to some of them. When he does have access later, it changes his whole view of who he is.” 

Zainab Johnson in Upload

It is a philosophical question, Daniels says, with important ramifications in how Nathan behaves and what his self-image is. “Our memories are definitely important, but our desire to be a better person is a desire to start fresh and maybe do better than our memories.” 

From here to eternity 

While at first glance Lake View seems to be the perfect way to live forever, one does wonder if it is something to aspire to — as Nathan says, forever seems to be a long time. “That depends on how you look at the world,” says Daniels. “There is a saying that God helps those who help themselves. It is everyone’s role to try their best and continue to choose life. We do that every day now with different technologies, such as a vaccine, or even a pair of eyeglasses, so that you are not eaten by a lion!” 

Daniels says it is not crazy to want to extend one’s life. “If, however at some point, it turns into a moral question of only applying to the greediest and most powerful and not to everyone, then you have to examine your values.” 

Upload is presently streaming on Amazon Prime Video