The series features Felix Gaeta, a prominent gay character whose sexuality is normalized and integrated into his complex persona without being a source of mockery or stereotype. His arc, though tragic, is unrelated to his sexual orientation, contributing to a respectful and validating portrayal of an LGBTQ+ individual within a mainstream narrative.

The show features Caprica Six, a Cylon, who demonstrates superior physical strength and combat prowess. She is shown to be victorious in hand-to-hand combat against multiple male human opponents, leveraging her enhanced Cylon physiology.

The 2004–2009 series reimagines several characters from the 1978 original. Notably, Lieutenant Starbuck and Lieutenant Boomer, who were established as male in the source material, are portrayed as female in this adaptation.

The 2004 series reimagined several characters from the 1978 original with different racial portrayals. Colonel Tigh, originally Black, was portrayed by a white actor. Lieutenant Boomer, originally Black, was portrayed by an Asian actress. Commander Adama, originally white, was portrayed by a Latino actor.