Hightown

The story heavily focuses on the lead character's lesbian lifestyle, her struggle with addiction, and her romantic and sexual encounters with women. Because queer identity and the LGBTQ+ culture of Provincetown serve as major backdrop elements, the narrative regularly centers on these themes. Under the rules, the inclusion of a central queer protagonist adds a significant boost to this score.

The series portrays traditional institutions, particularly law enforcement and traditional relationships, in a highly cynical and negative light. It highlights toxic behavior in its male characters, particularly corrupt male cops and abusive criminals, while presenting alternative, non-traditional lifestyles as the norm. It avoids typical conservative family structures, focusing instead on a highly chaotic and dysfunctional setting.

There has been almost no widespread anti-woke backlash or major organized boycotts against the show. While a few online users complained about the lesbian protagonist and called the casting "woke," most viewers, including those who identify as anti-woke, viewed the series as a gritty, pulpy noir with authentic, highly flawed characters. It was generally not perceived as an activist-driven propaganda project.

The show has a mixed creative team. Creator Rebecca Perry Cutter has a strong history of centering queer stories and feminist themes. High-profile writers and directors like Mae Smith and Radium Cheung also have strong progressive and queer-inclusive track records. However, this is balanced by traditional, mainstream producers like Jerry Bruckheimer, who typically focus on purely commercial, non-political projects.