The Peripheral

Ethnic diversity appears across both timelines with actors of color in several supporting and recurring roles; a trans woman character (Inspector Lowbeer) is explicitly written and cast as such in an authoritative future role, noted in LGBTQ+ media coverage and drawing limited viewer pushback for visibility.

The narrative features a strong female lead taking initiative and a prominent trans supporting character, with some coverage describing the show as female-heavy; these elements remain secondary to the core time-travel thriller and power-conspiracy plot.

The story critiques elite kleptocrats, corporate overreach, surveillance, and the neglect of rural working-class life in the present, plus future societal collapse; this follows classic cyberpunk skepticism of concentrated power rather than contemporary activist framing around patriarchy, whiteness, or systemic identity issues.

Some online user reviews specifically called out diversity casting, the trans character, and perceived messaging as flaws, though complaints stayed fringe and did not generate major news coverage or widespread debate.

William Gibson’s cyberpunk work includes socially critical themes with mild progressive public comments on broadening science fiction, but the broader team of writers, directors, and producers shows standard genre credits without patterns of identity politics or activism.