The cast features organic diversity, including Shemar Moore as the prominent Black agent Derek Morgan (a holdover from earlier seasons) alongside mostly white leads like Joe Mantegna, Thomas Gibson, and newcomer Jeanne Tripplehorn as Alex Blake, a white female profiler with no DEI-driven casting controversy. The sole noticeable progressive element is episode 9x09 'Strange Fruit,' which explores generational racism trauma—a Black man victimized by a racist castration and lynching attempt as a child later murders whites in revenge, touching on Black masculinity, mental illness stigma in Black communities, and historical racial violence (titled after Billie Holiday's anti-lynching song).

While praised by some for confronting racism and boosting Morgan's racial identity, it's widely critiqued as a failed 'woke' attempt that's problematic and stereotypical. This single episode amid 24 standard crime plots does not shape arcs, themes, or reception; no race/gender swaps, forced inclusion clashing with canon, lecture moments, LGBTQ+ focus, or creator activism evident. Audience reactions lack 'woke' backlash, with the season succeeding commercially without 'go woke go broke' narratives.