One Of Upload's Most Memorable Moments Was Made Up On The Spot
If you've never seen the Amazon Prime series "Upload," the premise is pretty simple. When someone is on the verge of death, they have the ability to upload their consciousness into an online afterlife ... for a price. No, we literally mean for a price, because while "Upload" is in large part a feel-good romantic comedy, it's also a pretty scathing indictment of class and capitalism, since how much you can afford to pay determines the quality of your life after death.
The show drew comparisons to another show about the afterlife, "The Good Place," given the similar premise and comedic vibe. It was a natural comparison, after all, given "Upload" creator Greg Daniels and "The Good Place" creator Michael Schur worked together on both "The Office" and "Parks and Recreation." But for the most part, that's where the comparisons end.
The show stars Robbie Amell as Nathan, a programmer who meets his untimely death and is uploaded into the wealthy version of heaven called Lakeview, thanks to the money and connections of his girlfriend Ingrid and her family. Andy Allo stars as Nora, his real-world "angel" assigned to log in and help guide him through his new afterlife. She also, as one might surmise, becomes his love interest over the course of the first two seasons.
We won't go too deep down the rabbit hole in terms of plot points that lead to the season 2 finale which — spoiler alert here — includes Nathan's consciousness being downloaded into a brand new, real world version of his body. It's a scene that's part science fiction, part heist film, and also extremely funny. And it turns out, arguably the most memorable part was a last minute addition.
A light bulb idea and some brilliant physical comedy
It shouldn't come as a surprise that creative collaboration is encouraged on a show developed by Greg Daniels. After all, "The Office" and "Parks and Rec" are both famous for their improvisations, and given "The Office" writers' room featured so many cast members it only makes sense that Daniels fosters an environment in which the people crafting his shows feel comfortable playing around with new ideas. So it made sense that when Jeff Blitz (who directed the second season finale) came to Daniels with a new idea, his boss was all ears.
Season 2 introduces a new character named Matteo, played by classic "that guy" Paulo Costanzo. Matteo leads an anti-technology group called the Ludds, and it becomes clear he's very interested in romancing Nora. Needless to say, he strikes out and realizes she's in love with Nathan, making it more awkward — and hilarious — when he's the one tasked with dragging Nathan's hunky new (lifeless) body out of a water tank. As Daniels told Collider, that was a choice Blitz made on the day:
"He just thought it would be a fun way to open up the show, at that moment, so he just worked it out, on the day, with Robbie and Paulo. I really enjoyed it when I saw it, but I didn't know he was gonna do it ... It's just a complicated position to be in, if you're Matteo, and you're forced to help Nathan. Robbie is also very buff, so it was just funny. I'm not exactly sure where the idea came from."
It's a terrific sight gag, and Costanzo pulls off the physical comedy with aplomb. The fact that he's doing it in the immediate aftermath of Nora's rejection only adds more oomph to the punchline.