Minor woke elements appear in isolated 'monster of the week' episodes, such as Episode 7 'Hannah Hayes,' which features a revenge plot against men and politicians enforcing laws restricting women's bodily autonomy, framed as empowerment against patriarchal control, and Episode 15 'Gordon Kemp,' a gun control debate that some viewers criticized as preachy and giving undue platform to extreme views. These episodes prompted specific complaints about political lecturing but did not dominate the season or alter character arcs meaningfully.

Casting retains the show's longstanding diverse ensemble, including prominent black male characters like Dembe and Harold Cooper since early seasons, without race-swapping, gender-bending, or forced DEI insertions clashing with the narrative. No creator interviews express activist intent, and writing staff reports indicate low diversity rather than mandates. Audience reception notes these episodes as annoyances amid broader gripes about plot pacing and Liz's storyline, but lacks significant 'go woke go broke' backlash, with the season maintaining solid viewership.