No casting controversies or source-material alterations for diversity were identified. Storytelling remains focused on spy thriller elements, betrayal between Reddington and Liz Keen, and weekly blacklister hunts, with progressive themes appearing only incidentally through scattered political dialogue criticized by some viewers as forced, such as a villain hypocritically discussing social justice while torturing a character or tags referencing systemic racism in one episode.

Liz's arc as a single mother defying her mentor has been labeled 'woke' by fringe critics for emphasizing female empowerment, and fan theories like Redarina (Red as trans Katarina Rostova) fueled perceptions of identity politics, but these do not dominate plots or include lectures on patriarchy, capitalism, or identity. No creator interviews emphasize activism or inclusion mandates; showrunners focused on plot twists. Audience backlash is minimal, confined to Reddit threads, Quora answers, and isolated X posts complaining of 'going woke' around seasons 7-9, without widespread 'go woke go broke' fallout as ratings held and the series continued.