The series strongly centers on the diverse identities of its leads, a British Black woman and several white women, rather than focusing on realism for 1950s San Francisco. Their skills are unquestioned, and historical accuracy sometimes takes a back seat to representation. Some viewers might see this as a case where merit and period-appropriate struggle are conveniently sidestepped.

The show often subverts traditional gender roles by depicting its female leads as vastly more competent and morally upright than most male characters, whose flaws are exaggerated or who are simply obstacles. Family, religion, and conventional morality have little relevance, and femininity is reimagined in a modern way.

Dissenting perspectives or traditional worldviews are mostly portrayed as outdated, ignorant, or antagonistic. There’s little room for any alternative opinion, as all leads share similar modern attitudes. Traditionalists appear only as barriers or villains, seldom as nuanced human beings.