Based on 3 seasons, 30 episodes · through April 11, 2021
Harrow is an Australian medical drama about Dr. Daniel Harrow, a forensic doctor who bends the rules to solve crimes. He also hides a dark secret from his past to protect his family. The series is mostly a standard mystery show with case-of-the-week plots. However, some episodes focus on gay identity and progressive social issues. The main cast also features diverse and gay characters, and a major plotline in the final season involves corporate quotas.
Why 54%? See the score breakdownBreakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Harrow.
Woke representation / casting
The show features a clear pattern of diverse casting. This includes a gay protégé as a main character in early seasons, an indigenous boyfriend for Harrow's daughter, and a Black/multiracial assistant in later seasons. The final season also features a Maori woman as the boss of the medical institute. The inclusion of visible gay and multiracial characters raises this score due to the required weighting for queer representation.
50%
Woke political dialogue
The show contains occasional political and social-justice dialogue. In early seasons, characters discuss homophobia and gay acceptance. In the third season, characters discuss corporate restructuring, management mandates, and the implementation of staffing quotas. The political dialogue is noticeable but remains in the background of the main mystery plots.
Production
35%
Identity-driven story themes
Several episodes feature identity-driven storylines. For example, one episode centers on a gay teenager's murder and the homophobia he faced from a rich white man. The protégé's gay identity is also a regular recurring theme. These elements combine with the quota-focused corporate plotlines to create noticeable progressive themes.
50%
Western institutional / cultural critique
Dr. Harrow is a classic maverick who fights authority and corporate management. The show criticizes corporate bureaucracy and unfeeling administration, especially during the third season's quota plotline. However, this is a standard mystery trope rather than a modern activist attack on Western culture.
0%
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
0%
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
Some online viewers and niche anti-woke review sites complained about the show's politics. They pointed to the depiction of wealthy white men as homophobic villains and the inclusion of cartoonish neo-Nazis. However, this backlash is very minor and did not reach the mainstream.
20%
Creator track record context
The main creators and writers have standard professional profiles. However, several producers have a strong history of funding feminist, First Nations, and queer stories. Some directors also have a track record of focusing on social justice. This creates a moderately progressive creative background.
35%
