Overall, I actually like the ongoing bit where Dean & Sam get mistaken for a same-sex couple. The subtext changes, but other than in "Something Wicked This Way Comes", it's been a progressive subtext. To start, in almost all cases, there's Dean and/or Sam's acceptance of the mistake. Sort of "If it makes a good cover story, why object?" Despite Dean's often homophobic comments, he doesn't take it as an insult to be mistaken as queer. Episode specific, "Bugs" hit upon the "People who watch their words but don't question their thoughts." In fact, rather what we're talking about a bit up-thread. "Playthings" was about how people dance around *isms and don't really want to talk about them directing, which I think is very true. So Dean & Sam aren't a same-sex couple, they're antiquers. "Playthings" also explored the idea that people think Dean is gay because his masculinity is constructed. That's heading into gender territory and something I think Supernatural has done well with: showing masculinity not as the Natural Order of the Male Being but rather as constructed behavior -- and not neccessarily good constructed behavior, either.
That, and "Faith" and the whole "Humans are not to play God with the judging!"
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Overall, I actually like the ongoing bit where Dean & Sam get mistaken for a same-sex couple. The subtext changes, but other than in "Something Wicked This Way Comes", it's been a progressive subtext. To start, in almost all cases, there's Dean and/or Sam's acceptance of the mistake. Sort of "If it makes a good cover story, why object?" Despite Dean's often homophobic comments, he doesn't take it as an insult to be mistaken as queer. Episode specific, "Bugs" hit upon the "People who watch their words but don't question their thoughts." In fact, rather what we're talking about a bit up-thread. "Playthings" was about how people dance around *isms and don't really want to talk about them directing, which I think is very true. So Dean & Sam aren't a same-sex couple, they're antiquers. "Playthings" also explored the idea that people think Dean is gay because his masculinity is constructed. That's heading into gender territory and something I think Supernatural has done well with: showing masculinity not as the Natural Order of the Male Being but rather as constructed behavior -- and not neccessarily good constructed behavior, either.
That, and "Faith" and the whole "Humans are not to play God with the judging!"