Upload producer / director Jeff Blitz talks about Upload season 3: the cast, what he’s excited for fans to see this season, and more, in this exclusive interview.
Upload season 2 left viewers with quite the cliffhanger. Nathan was experiencing a nosebleed, which under normal circumstances is not that bad. However, being a recent download and knowing that the first human download’s head exploded… this is not great.
Upload season 3 premieres on Prime Video October 20th with two episodes and will finally give fans (some) of the answers they are looking for. Mama’s Geeky caught up with Upload Producer and Director Jeff Blitz to talk all about this season, the cast, and even if he would choose to upload.
Upload Producer / Director Jeff Blitz Talks Season 3
Mama’s Geeky: You have been a part of Upload since the beginning. What has it been like getting such a positive response from viewers?
Jeff Blitz: It’s really rewarding to work on a show you love and see that show finding an appreciative audience. Upload is such an idiosyncratic show, a blend of so many different genres, it’s not a simple one to classify. To me, this means the viewers who get it really get it and are responsible for the word of mouth commentary that keeps our audience growing.
Mama’s Geeky: What are you most excited for fans to see in this new season of Upload?
Jeff Blitz: Season 3 for me is an expansion of everything we’ve done so far – the possibilities of the Upload afterlife get stretched, the integration of the real world of the future… and all the relationship games that get played out. I think it’s the most fun and most emotionally engaging season so far.
Mama’s Geeky: There are now two versions of Nathan (and a possible third being teased). What was it like directing Robbie Amell as two different versions of himself?
Jeff Blitz: That was great fun. Robbie has range and a subtle command of Nathan that he finally gets to share here. We made choices to help him inhabit “Nathan” or “Back-Up.” Some were physical and you’ll note some changes to his appearance, but most were in speech patterns, gestures, posture. It was really interesting to see how far we could push it before it was too far – after all, he’s still Nathan. Just that one version of Nathan is a little more lived-in than the other.
Mama’s Geeky: This cast seems like a lot of fun. What is the vibe like on set with them?
Jeff Blitz: It’s a wonderful cast. Talented, vulnerable, funny, and ready to go wherever the strange world of Upload brings them. I find it remarkable really how they find the emotional grounding even when the circumstances are verging on sci-fi nutso. Nathan and Nora fall in love while one sits at a customer service center in real Brooklyn and the other exists in a digital Adirondack-style resort. Nathan and Ingrid work toward love while she, a pathological liar, sits in a tub in her LA condo. And yet somehow, we feel deeply for all of them. Sorry, to answer your question: on set is a joy. Even when we’re fretting about how much time we have to shoot in a hyperloop train of the future, the cast is busting us up.
Mama’s Geeky: This season of Upload starts to get quite dark, especially with the way the second episode ends. Can you talk about finding the right balance of humor so that it doesn’t get depressing?
Jeff Blitz: It’s interesting. We don’t really talk about the tone in an abstract way. The scripts are well done and pretty finely rigged in advance. Once we get on set, especially now that we’re in Season 3, everyone knows the characters, the stakes… we all know the world we’re inhabiting. It’s always been dark and very funny, too. After all, the whole series kicks off with Nathan’s untimely death. And yet, we know we are fundamentally building a comedy. We can get into pitch black stuff, but there’s always an amusing twist to it.
Mama’s Geeky: What have your biggest challenges been over all three seasons of Upload?
Jeff Blitz: Upload is one of the most ambitious shows I’ve worked on. We’re creating multiple worlds of the future, seeing multiple cities, and all that it entails. Rachel O’Toole’s production design, Farnaz Khaki-Sadigh’s costume design, Simon Chapman’s cinematography, Eddie Anton’s VFX work… all of it needs to come together in a coherent vision of the world – and one that serves the story we’re telling. Just trying to achieve all that in a way that satisfies our fans is the challenge of every script, every day.
Mama’s Geeky: Finally, a fun one — do you think you would you ever upload?
Jeff Blitz: Only if you promise me I’d be uploaded to a comedy.
NEXT: Simulant Star Robbie Amell Talks New Sci-Fi Film
About Upload Season 3
Upload is a sci-fi comedy series from Emmy-winning writer Greg Daniels (The Office, Parks and Recreation, King of the Hill), set in a technologically advanced future where holographic phones, self-driving vehicles, AI assistance, and 3D food printers are the norm. And, forget about dying – instead, you’ll be “uploaded” to a virtual reality afterlife, and enjoy all the comforts of a world-class resort. Provided you can afford it.
In Upload Season Three, Nathan has been duplicated. While “download” Nathan is reuniting with Nora, a Horizen customer service rep realizes he is missing from Lakeview and restores a backup “upload” of him. Now more than ever, Nathan, Nora, Ingrid, Luke, Aleesha … and even A.I. Guy, struggle to find a balance in their careers, technology, and love between the real world and the virtual reality “after-life.”
Upload Season 3 is now streaming on Prime Video.
