"Under the Bridge" leans heavily into identity-driven storytelling, with plot threads and character arcs often appearing to emphasize racial, gender, or cultural factors over more traditional narratives of motive, consequence, and individual merit. Some characters feel cast to check boxes rather than for story realism, occasionally hobbling the narrative’s tension and authenticity.

The show tends to depict traditional family dynamics and masculine roles as problematic or backward, spotlighting more progressive values. Long-standing religious or moral themes are reframed to fit present-day ideological narratives, giving the impression of cultural revisionism over genuine exploration.

Alternative viewpoints are largely absent or presented only through the lens of villainy or caricature. The series seems to avoid genuine debate, with nearly every character echoing the same modern moral stances, leaving little room for ideological diversity or nuance.