The Last Ship features Lt. Alisha Granderson, a capable and respected lesbian officer. Her relationship with her girlfriend is depicted as a normal aspect of her life, without being a source of conflict or negative stereotypes. This integration contributes to an affirming portrayal of an LGBTQ+ character within a mainstream action series.

The show features Sasha Cooper, a highly trained operative, who repeatedly engages in and wins close-quarters physical fights against male opponents using martial arts and hand-to-hand combat techniques.

The series portrays individual faith, often implicitly Christian, as a source of hope, resilience, and moral guidance for protagonists in a post-apocalyptic world. While antagonists sometimes exploit religious rhetoric for manipulation, the narrative consistently condemns these manipulative actions, not the underlying faith itself.