Part 4/9:
Social Media Reactions and Meme Culture
The reactions on social media ranged from disappointment to accusations of "woke" pandering. For example, some Twitter accounts proclaimed victories for LGBTQ+ representation prematurely, only for the show to subvert expectations by ending that character's storyline dramatically. One meme that circulated humorously proclaimed a "win for gays" after the characters shared a kiss, only to see the same characters brutally killed moments later.
Many viewers expressed frustration with the apparent "tokenism"—the idea that LGBTQ+ characters are added for diversity but are then marginalized or killed off to serve the story's darker themes. Critics argue that this pattern diminishes the value of representation and feeds into harmful stereotypes.