If This, Then That Afterlife

There are stories; and then there are stories that make you stay glued to your TV screen for hours. You are hooked, happy when the protagonist is victorious, and dashed when an episode collectively plot changes all known evidence. That pretty much explains all thematic storylines.

However, there is one story, or myth, or legend, or something that we all believe in and yet have little knowledge to understand. Such is the reason, new shows have evolved. They cloud our judgement, and confuse us even more on the issue. We are, of course, talking about the “afterlife”. There is no better show to sum this up than “The Good Place”. A comedic, and lighthearted story that takes us behind the scenes of heaven. But wait! If you sat through all 53 episodes of “The Good Place”, then you most certainly will want to turn your attention over to Amazon’s new, and fun series “Uploaded”.

Uploaded, has only ventured into the first season, and yet it grabs, nay tugs, its viewers in a completely different aspect of the afterlife. Everything about “Uploaded” is based in a technical afterlife, and relies on a passionate, or maybe NOT so passionate relationship between an Uploaded Nathan, and an alive Ingrid.

Nathan, just like Eleanor lands in the afterlife in a disconcerted manner. Both are introduced to their guardians. Nathan has Nora, and Eleanor has Michael. However, both are faced with one major issue. The afterlife, isn’t anything that they both had imagined. Nathan doesn’t have enough credit to even buy a burger, and Eleanor has lost her memory. In the same stereotypical way that Eleanor tries to circumvent talking to Michael, Nathan can’t get away from Ingrid. Both make a profound decision to go into the void areas of their afterlife. Much like a teenager tries everything, to see if it suits them. Both are met with breaking the rules, and possible extinction, and yet find a way to survive.

Our hero, and heroin are not the only ones with issues either. Their mentors are thrown into the mix when Michael and Nora break the rules to protect their mentees. Nora, unlocks her boss’s (Lucy’s) office to change critical data, and Michael changed the plans of his creation literally under the nose of (Shawn) his evil overlord.

As a viewer, the show’s writers have made a valiant effort to draw upon the empathetic heartstrings of all its viewers. We are made aware of the soul searching both the protagonists go through, and are cajoled into believing we ourselves are up against the same odds. Not only is it an imaginary belief though. Since a child we’ve been told of an afterlife through one means, or another. Yet, we sit and ponder…if this really is…All There IS. Somehow the writers have unlocked open ended questions that every person, be it child or adult has ever had reflected upon. Is there an afterlife? How do we get there? Is it by our own merit, or by some attainable achievement? Truth be told, we feel stuck. Not only by the show’s questions, but by the plot reversals that come at the end of each season.

As I’ve said previously, “Uploaded” has just finished its first season, whereas “The Good Place” has completed its final episode. Both shows are tied into the same vein, the same everlasting movement of knowledge. Thankfully, the show’s directors were smart enough to make these shows very comedic in venture. If they had been completely dramatic, then we would have all left with a dark foreboding feeling in equality to a horror movie such as “IT”. But, we were not left with that feeling. Kristin Belle, and Robbie Amell have both been specifically selected to bring a brighter feeling to these episodes. Andy Allo, as well as Ted Danson, have also been selected to add a second layer of confused comedy. All in all, these shows leave us with a longing to see more of the afterlife truly holds.