S01.E02: Five Stars

[AnimeMania]

 

Nora tries to get her ratings up, so her boss will approve her dad’s upload loan. Nathan acclimates to his new world with the help of a Lakeview therapist.

Airdate: May 1, 2020

[ClareWalks]

This show is really engrossing. They're doing a great job of developing these characters/this world. 

[Danny Franks]

So the commodification of everything even extends to sex - the app has competitive ratings that apparently encourage frequent and enthusiastic use. And those sex suit rentals? Yeesh.

I liked the therapy dog. That was a gag with nice layers.

Robbie Amell still doesn't have the chops for this role. His cousin would have been a better fit. They're obviously going for an eventual angsty love story between the dead guy and the angel who looks over him, but I don't really buy Nora being attracted to someone as bland as Nathan, at least not on anything more than a superficial level. She seems full of life and energy and he... doesn't (if you'll pardon the pun).

The introduction of a precocious kid in the afterlife is a disconcerting development. I don't have time for characters like that. Ugh. Please don't have him appear again. Although the theme of your friends growing older while you stay the same is powerful.

I did appreciate Nathan saying "hey, you look familiar" just as I was realising that it was the Cigarette Smoking Man. That was a nice meta reference.

Nathan's memory of his app being erased is interesting, and then there's the revelation that he may have been murdered. That would explain why his car malfunctioned. It seems like the show may be quite a bit more than it was initially advertised to be.

[Avabelle]

Ingrid is an asshole but I too would have walked out of that suit shop. 

[Jediknight]

On 5/3/2020 at 11:46 AM, Danny Franks said:

I did appreciate Nathan saying "hey, you look familiar" just as I was realising that it was the Cigarette Smoking Man. That was a nice meta reference.

I cracked up at the fact he was the one telling Nathan that he was murdered.  He of all people telling somebody else of a conspiracy, and opening their eyes.

[adora721]

Robbie Amell's acting has really improved over the years. Gotta say I'm impressed.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Nathan seemed a bit vein and self involved in the first episode (although I guess I can’t blame him for being self involved when it came to his own death) so it was sweet to see him give Nora so many five star ratings just to be nice. 

I loved the therapy dog! Literal therapy with a dog, ha ha. A lot of people might be more open to therapy if it came with a dog avatar.

I understand Nora’s dad’s reluctance to have a virtual after life without his wife. But I also get why Nora doesn’t want to lose him forever.

I don’t think this show needs a kid character, but I loved that he was playing a live version of Street Fighter.

The sex suits with all the fingers and vomit gave me the heebie-jeebies!

[Mabinogia]

13 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I loved the therapy dog! Literal therapy with a dog, ha ha. A lot of people might be more open to therapy if it came with a dog avatar.

Lord knows I want one. I try with my dog but his advice is lacking. I do often feel better after talking to him though. 

 

13 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

I understand Nora’s dad’s reluctance to have a virtual after life without his wife. But I also get why Nora doesn’t want to lose him forever.

That is a tough situation. I can see where Nora would feel like he is choosing his wife over her, but I'm sure for him it is more than that, that is it also about the idea of moving on rather than staying stagnate in this life. Eternity is a long time to be stuck as who you are now for anyone who believes there is something else after this, be it Heaven, reincarnation, enlightenment or whatever. 

[bettername2come]

I love the old man just saying "So you were murdered?" Although it seems Nathan is remembering that he was working on a free Upload compared to last week when he couldn't remember what he did. The car not knowing it had damage was super disturbing. 

The ratings stuff reminded me of The Circle a little bit. 

Oh, God, the sex suits were nasty. Why wouldn't it just be electrodes? This is not something that should be rented. 

[Paloma]

On 5/7/2020 at 12:57 AM, Jediknight said:

On 5/3/2020 at 12:46 PM, Danny Franks said:

I did appreciate Nathan saying "hey, you look familiar" just as I was realising that it was the Cigarette Smoking Man. That was a nice meta reference.

I cracked up at the fact he was the one telling Nathan that he was murdered.  He of all people telling somebody else of a conspiracy, and opening their eyes.

My husband and I did immediately recognize CSM (I don't think I remember him from any other role, and I was surprised to see the actor because I thought he was dead). But I didn't think of the irony of CSM talking about a conspiracy because I was more focused on his character's name and how he was obviously supposed to be one of the Koch brothers.