The introduction of Angelique, a transgender courtesan played by male actor Jonny Beauchamp, centers a subplot on her experiences with prejudice, abuse, and identity as Dorian Gray's lover, culminating in her murder. Henry Jekyll is recast as an Indian doctor (Shazad Latif), with explicit narrative emphasis on the daily racism he faces and the resulting suppressed rage tied to his racial identity in a colonial society.

Bisexual male relationships, including between Ethan Chandler and Dorian Gray, receive prominent screen time alongside broader themes of feminism, sexual liberation, and critiques of traditional norms. These additions influence character arcs and subplots without defining the core supernatural battle against evil or the literary monster adaptations. Audience and critical reception highlights the queer representation positively in niche outlets, with limited broader backlash, though the anachronistic framing of systemic oppression stands out as a deliberate modern insertion.