Co-showrunner Ariana Jackson explicitly framed the series as told 'from a Black perspective' to address 'our country’s inability to reckon with its history of white supremacy,' shifting the original's sci-fi focus to examine ongoing systemic oppression through time-displaced marginalized characters returned to 2021 Detroit. This foundational choice makes critiques of white supremacy and systemic barriers the core narrative engine rather than incidental background. The predominantly Black cast results from deliberate reimagining for identity politics, including trans man Andre (TL Thompson) from 1920s Harlem exploring gender identity and lesbian Keisha (Ireon Roach) with a romantic subplot.

Storylines such as the episode 'Empowered Women Empower Women' and Claudette's arc shifting toward Black Panther-style action over sit-ins promote activist tactics while foregrounding racial inequity and police interactions. Heavy audience backlash labeled the show 'too woke' for prioritizing messaging on racism, gender, and marginalization over coherent sci-fi storytelling, which contributed to low ratings and cancellation.