TV Show review
January 21, 2016 · 42 min · TV-14
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
DC's Legends of Tomorrow follows a ragtag team of heroes and villains who time-travel on the Waverider to stop threats to the timeline, beginning with immortal tyrant Vandal Savage. The series started with serious stakes but shifted to light-hearted, comedic, and often absurd adventures across history and fantasy settings. It features prominent queer characters including bisexual team leader Sara Lance in a central relationship with Ava Sharpe and bisexual John Constantine shown with partners of both genders, plus a multicultural cast with characters like Muslim-American Zari and African Amaya, alongside occasional episodes addressing historical racism, sexism, and homophobia.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for DC's Legends of Tomorrow.
Woke representation / casting
Prominent queer leads and relationships (Sara/Ava, Constantine) plus multicultural team members like Zari and Amaya receive significant screen time and development in an ensemble that fits the time-travel concept.
Woke political dialogue
Occasional direct references to historical discrimination in specific time-period episodes, handled as character moments rather than sustained ideological arguments.
Identity-driven story themes
Character arcs explore sexuality, cultural heritage, reincarnation, and personal identity shifts through time travel, integrated into the adventure format.
Western institutional / cultural critique
Limited to episodic looks at past societal norms (e.g., 1940s factory work or 1950s prejudice) framed as team growth, without broad modern activist takes on institutions or culture.
Woke character or canon changes
John Constantine's bisexuality received more explicit on-screen treatment than in the prior NBC series (while aligning with comics); most other characters are original or loosely adapted without major ideological rewrites.
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Scattered fan complaints about representation focus and social episodes feeling agenda-driven, part of wider Arrowverse debates, though evidence remains moderate and mixed with praise.
Creator track record context
Greg Berlanti's documented advocacy for LGBTQ inclusion and Phil Klemmer's public statements on Constantine provide relevant context for the visible rep choices; other producers show lighter or no ties.
Production
