Producers justified the gender change as creating a 'more balanced and more contemporary' dynamic, making the alteration a deliberate casting decision rather than an organic addition. This inorganic swap of an established pursuer role directly contributes to the score by prioritizing representation over fidelity to the source material. Lynch's dual role as co-executive producer allowed her to foreground Black female identity in the narrative, including workplace experiences, hair representation, and career-motherhood balance while attempting to dismantle the 'strong Black woman' trope through specific dialogue and visuals. Audience reviews have flagged these elements alongside mentions of 'woke points' and 'LGBT woke stuff' as intrusions into the otherwise traditional thriller plotting, highlighting a clear gap between creator intent and viewer reception of the forced contemporary updates.