News, Reviews & Commentary on Gay and Bisexual Men in Entertainment and the Media

"Supernatural" goes gay with tonight's reality TV parody, "Ghostfacers"

Is it just me or has the CW gone totally gay, lately? Not that I mind, of course, but the young-skewing net has certainly gotten us to pay attention to their shows lately. So in addition to gays showing up on Gossip Girl, Beauty and the Geek and Reaper, we're hearing rumors that tonight's Supernatural includes "a gay love story".

If you're not familiar with Supernatural, the series features AfterElton Hot 100 picks Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki as Sam and Dean Winchester, two brothers who follow their father's footsteps as demon hunters. At first, they were hunting the demon who killed their mother and (years later) Sam's fiance but by the time they got to him, there was more trouble to take care of.


Dustin Milligan as Ghostfacers' Corbett

Tonight's episode sees the return of Ed Zedmore (A.J. Buckley) and Harry Spengler (Travis Wester), two ghost hunting dilettantes who ran a popular website about their exploits and hoped to sell their story to Hollywood. It looks like they've succeeded as they're now part of "Ghostfacers", a Ghost Hunters-style reality show. Taking a look at a Ghostfacers site made for tonight's episode, Corbett (Dustin Milligan) seem to have a crush on Ed. He moons over Ed's "golden, beautiful sorta beard" and later praises his beautiful heart and beautiful mind.

BTW, if Milligan looks familiar to you, he's been bubbling under the radar for a while, appearing in the CW's short-lived Runaway, the most recent Final Destination movie as well as the direct-to-DVD sequel to The Butterfly Effect. He'll also be appearing in the upcoming 90210 update/spin-off:

Don't read any further if you want to avoid SPOILERS for tonight's episode...

The Ghostfacers end up filming their pilot at a site that the bros Winchester are also investigating, the Morton Mansion, which becomes one of the most haunted places in America (an "Everest" for demon hunters like Sam and Dean) one night each year. Based on one script review I found, Corbett doesn't survive long in the mansion, but as a ghost he saves his teammates earning their respect, with an acknowledgment that it was his love for Ed that saved them.

When Supernatural first debuted, I thought it was dumb monster-of-the-week fun, but I've become a devoted fan ever since The Tick creator Ben Edlund (who wrote tonight's episode) joined the creative team in the second season. Normally, I'd be a little worried about Corbett being just another devoted gay guy nursing a crush on an unavailable man, but considering how Edlund has handled gay themes with an even hand on The Tick, I'm feeling hopeful.

It should be noted that Ed and Harry's first appearance is the infamous episode that gave us this memorable Supernatural moment:

Okay, I just thought you'd appreciate the picture.

Thanks to our own Dan for tipping us off! 

  • LyleMasaki's blog
  • Login or register to post comments
  • afhickman's picture

    Sam and Dean are back!

    afhickman

    "It takes a village (to make Village People)"

    There is hope for America.  The Wincest boys remain the hottest couple on TV.  If only Hillary and BO had this kind of charisma! 

    I think I'm gonna dance now.

    justaloe's picture

    Corbett

    I really like this show but i've got to be honest. I was really pissed that the gay guy was the only one to die. Not only that but he died so that the straight people could live. That happens to minorety characters quite a bit doesn't it?
    Average (1 vote):
    see individual ratings
    LyleMasaki's picture

    Sigh

    I have to agree. While I overall liked that Corbett was a little more than some lovesick puppy giving up everything for an aloof straight guy (actually, was I the only one getting the feeling that Ed came off as a little bit closeted?), that aspect bothered me, too.
    HenryZ's picture

    I wouldn't have minded

    I wouldn't have minded Corbett dying to save his friends, because the gay guy being a hero would have been nice even if it was predictable for him to be killed. But the framing device of the reality show parody made it hard to take. If the "Ghostfacers" had gone in with the intent to film a reality show but then changed their minds after their friend died, I think that would have saved the episode for me. (Especially if it had been revealed that Ed wasn't just playing gay, but was actually sincere.) Playing it for laughs just hit the wrong note.
    GayTV's picture

    To them it was serious...

    To us, the viewing audience we saw it was a parody. To Sam and Dean...it was a silly reality show put together by people who have no clue how bad things can be. To the Ghostfacers...it was deadly serious. Yes, they wanted it to be a reality show but it's not a parody...it's REAL reality to them. I don't think they treated Corbett's death as a joke...instead they honored him by dedictating the show to him. They think they are exposingt he world to the truth about ghosts. We're the ones that see it as a parody.

    He wasn't playing gay...that was him coming out. He was totally serious and in order to make the connection with the echo he had to be honest.

    brian's picture

    I actually found it pretty balanced

    I mean, it was terrible that Corbett died, but his death wasn't treated like a joke, and he wound up saving his team. I don't think Ed was lying, per se, when he told Corbett how much he meant to the team and to him (I didn't get the impression that he was being insincere), and he clearly cared about the kid enough to want to break him out of his death echo, including after he found out that he was gay and crushing on him. I was on the fence for most of the ep, but when they dedicated the episode to Corbett and pulled out the "gay love can pierce through the veil of death and save the day" line, I was sold.
    Cinematt01's picture

    Most underrated tv show on right now

    SUPERNATURAL is actually my favorite tv show currently airing. Its consistantly entertaining and handles comedy, horror and heart-wrenching drama expertly. Plus the guys are hot. The GHOSTFACERS ep was great. At first I was a little bummed that the gay character died but the sweet way they handled his storyline made him the most memorable and sympathetic character. And he got to be the hero! Great episode from a great show. Cinematt01
    justaloe's picture

    Corbett part 2

    Brian I have to completely disagree with you. HenryZ is right on target. The end of the show made it clear that Corbett's death and sacrifice were treated as a joke.
    Dane Hill's picture

    I liked the SPN episode, buuut...

    I really did like the episode.  (Though I wish I could have seen more, but the camera work was just too dark and herky-jerky at times.  What can I say, I missed seeing Sam & Dean full-on these past few months, so I felt teased by too many dark blurry scenes of them. Ha!)

    However, as a gay man, I was immediately conflicted when Corbett was killed.  (Not to mention he was the only one killed in the episode, like Aloe mentioned above, but whatever.)  Supernatural FINALLY had a gay character.  And what do they do with him?  Kill him off quickly.

    I was highly irritated when his death happened.  Maybe I would've felt a bit different if, I don't know, THE SCOOBY GANG PUT MORE EFFORT INTO TRYING TO FIND AND SAVE HIM!  Way too quick to write him off as a loss.  (I expect more from Sam & Dean.)  Which came across a bit to me as "It's just the gay guy.  It's an acceptable loss."  Another thing...I really wanted to see Corbett's "relationship" with Ed a bit more.  Poor Ed, so oblivious.  Heh.  So much potential for a fun time, watching the dynamic between those two, as the rest of the Ghostfacers looked on, rolling their eyes to the obvious.  Oh well.

    I don't know.  By the end of the epi, I understood why the script called for Corbett to bite it, and I was much less irritated by his death and ultimate sacrifice to save them all.  But honestly, I would just like to see more instances when the gay guy lives happily ever after.  Nope, instead, gay guy sacrifices himself so that the straight guys can keep on keeping on.  (Don't us gays face that daily, metaphorically speaking?)  Noble of Corbett, but wish it would have been reversed...straight guy sacrifices himself for the gay guy for once.

    GayTV's picture

    Corbett the gay hero

    This episode was damn near perfect in my book. The gay guy was the hero AND I doubt this is the last we'll be seeing of "Corbett"...even with his new series in the works. He is part of the Ghostfacers team...he'll be back.

    The second Dean explained how a death echo is broken I knew Corbett was gonna bite it...but I'm fine with that. They established his crush, they said there had to be a personal connection and I knew what the connection would be.

    He's right...their dreams really did come true that night.

    RJ's picture

    Hope to see more Corbett...

    ... despite the whole death thing.

    Hey, this is Supernatural, after all. Anything is possible.

    afhickman's picture

    The Torch(wood) has been passed

    afhickman

    "It takes a village (to make Village People)"

    I won't be able to see this episode until somebody posts it on youtube.  But, to judge from the previews, one of the shows it appears to be parodying is "Torchwood."  Sans Gwen, of course.  There's Ianto the assistant, Owen the science guy, Tosh the techno geek, and of course Jack, as Mission Leader (who actually is a dead ringer for Robbie Williams).  

    Just a stray thought from someone who's dying to see the episode.

    GayTV's picture

    You can watch the episode here...

    afhickman wrote:

    I won't be able to see this episode until somebody posts it on youtube.

    The site is a little slow at times...but you can watch it here

    afhickman's picture

    But that was in another country...

    afhickman

    "It takes a village (to make Village People)"

    Thanks, GayTVluver, but the CW feed only streams to viewers in the US.  As Thomas Wolfe once said, "An American is a stranger at home and an exile wherever he goes."


    User login

    Recent comments

    After Elton home page on logo online