From the beginning, the homoerotic undertones of Dead Boy Detectives are undeniable. Unlike some supernatural mystery shows of the past, though, it’s not just a tease.

[Ed. note: This article contains spoilers for Dead Boy Detectives. Only read on if you want to know who’s actually gay.]

Showrunners Steve Yockey (Supernatural, Doom Patrol) and Beth Schwartz (Legends of Tomorrow, Sweet Tooth) commit to making ​​Edwin (George Rexstrew) fully queer in one of the show’s most well-done and thoughtful arcs — and the best bit is that it is completely and unironically done via the power of yaoi.

Edwin, the self-proclaimed brains of the Dead Boy Detectives duo, died in the 1910s and was trapped in hell for another 70 years. When we meet him, he cannot even fathom that being attracted to another guy is normal, let alone acceptable. He’s clearly devoted to Charles (Jayden Revri), but he never says out loud where that devotion stems from. But when Edwin lands in Port Townsend, cute boys keep throwing themselves at him, and even though he’s initially uncomfortable, it very quickly becomes clear that Rexstrew is portraying this discomfort as stemming from Charles’ own repression. To Charles, this is just something he........

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