Jessica Williams plays Gaby, a black therapist whose lines frequently highlight race essentialism, such as rejecting a white mentor because she prefers 'somebody who looked like me' and warning against MMA for a young black man due to a hostile 'cultural atmosphere.' Michael Urie portrays prominent gay character Brian, whose arc includes a gay wedding and adoption storyline, contributing to perceptions of overrepresentation with multiple gay couples in the ensemble. The show invites moral relativism by quickly housing a violent black felon client with the lead and his daughter, framing risky behaviors positively.

Mental health themes promote emotional vulnerability, appealing to progressive audiences, but lack overt lectures on systemic issues. Audience reactions include conservative critiques labeling it 'perfectly woke' for these intrusions, Reddit complaints about identity politics and the 'Hollywood woke machine,' and sites classifying it as woke, though no major backlash or 'go woke go broke' effect occurred as the series remains popular and renewed. These elements influence character interactions and arcs but coexist with strong performances and entertainment value, preventing full narrative takeover.