'Maniac' centers on mental health and trauma, but generally lets character personalities and arcs take precedence over identity checklists. Representation is present, but identity factors aren't aggressively foregrounded. The narrative stays mostly character-driven and avoids the usual "checkbox" pitfalls, though there are some moments where social commentary creeps in.

The show challenges some traditional notions, such as family unity and gender roles, but does so more to serve its surreal aesthetic than as overt criticism. Religion and tradition aren't prominent, nor are they aggressively mocked, though the main focus is on individual alienation rather than heritage or legacy.

There’s a tendency for the characters’ views and the show's world to skew toward contemporary, progressive assumptions. While explicit mocking of alternatives is rare, there is little genuine engagement with dissenting or traditional perspectives, those, if present, are filtered through irony or comedy.