Casting remains organic to the Montana ranch setting, featuring mostly white leads in archetypal roles and Native American characters like Monica Dutton and Chief Rainwater whose presence feels authentic rather than forced for diversity quotas—despite minor authenticity debates over Kelsey Asbille. Thematic elements touch on Native displacement and land rights, which are integral to the plot's historical context (tying into prequels like 1883), but these are presented through complex, non-victimizing portrayals rather than lectures on systemic oppression.

A single lesbian kiss involving a minor character (Clara) appears briefly without fanfare or agenda-pushing. The finale, where the ranch is sold cheaply to the tribe and preserved (leading to dismantling of Dutton symbols), drew some backlash as 'woke' for its anti-ownership voiceover and land-return imagery, but this aligns with the show's long-running lore and does not override the dominant conservative ethos of property defense and anti-urbanism. Creator Taylor Sheridan consistently rejects simplistic 'red-state' or anti-woke labels, emphasizing storytelling over activism, and the series' massive popularity stems from its unapologetic entertainment value free of heavy-handed identity politics.