The series overtly reimagines core characters, most notably making Louis a Black man and changing his sexuality, emphasizing identity factors far more than in the original. This approach often feels forced and takes priority over organic character development, leaving traditional fans scratching their heads about whether narrative or agenda is the true star of the show.

Classic family, religious, and masculine norms are largely sidelined, with period culture and power dynamics revised through a modern moral filter. The show takes every chance to reinterpret the South’s historical setting more as a backdrop for 21st-century issues than as a genuine exploration of the era.

Pretty much every major character marches in step with modern progressive values. Traditional viewpoints crop up only as obstacles or through obviously unsympathetic antagonists, nuance and internal debate are left out like garlic at a vampire picnic.