Is Shadowhunters woke?

Shadowhunters has a woke score of 59/100, which means it is mixed, with noticeable woke elements. Shadowhunters follows teenager Clary Fray who discovers she comes from a line of Shadowhunters, half-angel demon fighters, after her mother disappears. She teams up with Jace, Isabelle, Alec, and her friend Simon to battle demons, uncover family secrets, and navigate a hidden world of warlocks, vampires, werewolves, and faeries. The show features a central romance between gay Shadowhunter Alec and bisexual warlock Magnus that many viewers notice, along with diverse casting and recurring storylines about prejudice against non-human groups that echo real-world discrimination themes. These elements appear clearly but stay secondary to the main action, mystery, and personal drama across its three seasons.

Is there DEI in Shadowhunters?

The biggest factors in our score are Identity-driven story themes, Representation / casting choices, Institutional / cultural critique. When Clary Fray's mother has disappeared, Clary joins a band of Shadowhunters; demon killing hunters, and gets caught up in a plan to save the world.

TV Show review

Shadowhunters

Woke Score

59/ 100

Lower is better

ActionDramaSci-FiFantasy

Breakdown

Factors & Ratings

These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for Shadowhunters.

Representation / casting choices

Multi-ethnic leads with several actors of color in major roles and a visible central queer romance; casting choices received author support and audience attention for inclusivity in a modern fantasy setting.

48 / 100

Political / ideological dialogue

Some episodes include conversations about prejudice, acceptance of Downworlders, and same-sex relationships with occasional real-world parallels, though these stay woven into character stories rather than standalone lectures.

28 / 100

Identity-driven story themes

Alec’s personal arc and the Malec romance receive significant screen time and drive emotional plotlines across seasons; themes of identity acceptance and forbidden love stand out to viewers as recurring elements.

58 / 100

Institutional / cultural critique

Traditional Shadowhunter society faces criticism for elitism and bias against Downworlder groups, using species prejudice as a fantasy stand-in for discrimination; the framing stays story-focused without heavy modern activist language.

Shadowhunters

Factors & Ratings

Summary

Main Cast

Director & Crew