Progressive elements are minor and incidental: casting includes race changes such as the Otterbourne family recast as Black blues performers (originally white Americans) and the lawyer Andrew Katchadourian played by an Indian actor (originally Greek-Armenian American), alongside a more ethnically diverse ensemble overall. Subtle references to racism (e.g., backstory prejudice against the Otterbournes) and homophobia (tied to the implied lesbian couple Mrs. Bowers and Miss van Schuyler) appear as secondary flavors, amplified slightly from the source material's era-specific attitudes, without driving the plot or character motivations.

Branagh's inclusive casting approach modernizes the adaptation without activist preaching or centrality, preserving the entertaining mystery focus. Audience reception praised the glamour and puzzle-solving over any political notes, with no notable backlash decrying it as woke.