Upload Season 4 Delivers An Abrupt But Heartfelt Ending

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Written By Kristen Maldonado

Rogue AI. Greedy execs. Big secrets. It’s not easy to wrap up an entire show in four episodes, but Prime Video’s Upload does it… even if it feels rushed.

Season 4 kicks off with a grieving Nora (Andy Allo) after learning her Nathan (Robbie Amell), the one downloaded into a clone, was destroyed, while digital Nathan prepares to marry Ingrid (Allegra Edwards). When Nora starts seeing his “ghost” in her apartment, she realizes Nathan’s not really gone. Instead, he’s been taken to a remote lab where scientists are continually uploading and downloading him to test the limits of survival.

But the season speeds through these plot points too quickly. Instead of Nora finding Nathan, he manages to escape on his own. Suddenly, an Evil AI Guy (Owen Daniels) appears in the world of Lakeview and everyone must work together to stop him. Luke (Kevin Bigley) steps up with a heroic sacrifice, which should’ve been a gut punch, but is brushed past so quickly it barely lands. The storytelling feels disjointed and would’ve benefitted from a full final season or at least longer runtimes.

Ultimately, it’s the actors who save this compressed season with their humor and heart, reminding us why we connected to the show in the first place. While not everything is wrapped up perfectly, namely the big tech arc, the season ends in an abrupt yet heartfelt fashion. Ingrid gets her happy ending after immense character growth, while Nora’s final emotional moments with Nathan will bring on the tears.

Across four seasons, Upload has taken us on a rollercoaster ride as it explored life after death, technology, capitalism, and what truly makes us human in a poignant and comedic way. The show has also eerily predicted many of our real-world technological advancements correctly. Paired with a cast that feels more like family, it’s bittersweet this show didn’t get to continue. Still, at least Upload got an ending rather than being unceremoniously cancelled mid-story.

All four seasons of Upload are streaming on Prime Video,

Kristen Maldonado

Kristen Maldonado is an entertainment journalist, critic, and on-camera host. She is the founder of the outlet Pop Culture Planet and hosts its inclusion-focused video podcast of the same name. You can find her binge-watching your next favorite TV show, interviewing talent, and championing representation in all forms. She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, a member of the Critics Choice Association, Latino Entertainment Journalists Association, and the Television Academy, and a 2x Shorty Award winner. She's also been featured on New York Live, NY1, The List TV, Den of Geek, Good Morning America, Insider, MTV, and Glamour.

http://www.youtube.com/kaymaldo
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