Bloodlands focuses on a gripping detective story anchored in Northern Ireland's troubled past. Character casting and arcs prioritize realism, depth, and local connection over obvious ideological box-ticking. There’s no discernible emphasis on shoehorning identity politics or forced diversity at the expense of plot or development. It appears to value narrative coherence over trendy messaging.

The show depicts traditional institutions like the police, family, and even traumas rooted in community and religion, without overt or preachy attempts to undermine them. Masculinity and femininity are portrayed in a grounded, non-clichéd way. No obvious ‘subversion for subversion’s sake’ here.

Alternative perspectives, complex motives, and moral ambiguity are integral to the show, making villainy and virtue a matter of action, not ideology. There’s no obvious attempt to pigeonhole dissenters as simplistic villains or enforce bland ideological uniformity.