"Political Animals" places identity and progressive themes at the front, often giving more weight to characters’ gender, sexuality, and political stance than to unique skills or merit. The central character is a former First Lady turned Secretary of State, whose treatment occasionally leans into wish fulfillment. It doesn't entirely abandon traditional storytelling, but it can't help signaling its priorities.

Traditional family structures, masculinity, and religion are routinely critiqued or portrayed as relics from another time. The show elevates modern notions of gender roles and morality, often at the expense of established norms. It's clear that the focus is on reimagining what leadership and family should look like in the current ideological landscape.

Alternative viewpoints to the show's progressive worldview are often reduced to strawmen or simply dismissed. Dissenting voices, whether political or cultural, tend to be presented as obstacles or outdated nuisances rather than legitimate perspectives. There’s not much room for ideological diversity here.