Casting adheres closely to historical figures with white British actors in lead roles and no race- or gender-swapping of established characters. The single prominent Inuit character (Lady Silence/Silna) is a new, plot-essential figure drawn from the source novel and real expedition lore, portrayed by an Inuk actress with cultural consultation for authenticity rather than activist insertion.

Themes revolve around hubris, leadership, starvation, and human desperation in extreme isolation—classic genre elements with no central focus on identity politics, systemic oppression narratives, critiques of traditional norms, or DEI mandates. Minor 19th-century attitudes toward indigenous people are depicted as period-appropriate without modern activist reframing or lectures. No creator statements emphasize activism, and there is zero audience backlash framing the show as 'woke.' The inclusion of Inuit mythology and perspective serves the horror premise organically and does not drive or alter the core story.