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Dana Robinson
Prof. Adams
English 2010 35165
3 March 2016
Sam and Dean Starring in: The Robber in the Henhouse
As a prime-time television series written for women, Supernatural is something outside
the norm. It airs on The CW, a network which has long catered specifically to young women
between the ages of 18 and 34, but unlike many of the other shows on the network it stars not a
young ingnue, but rather two conventionally attractive men whom it unabashedly objectifies
and sexualizes. While that objectification is problematic from a feminist perspective, it could be
seen in many ways a reversal of fortunes, a justified comeuppance were it not for the fact that
the show continues to objectify and sexualize women in the usual manner, with Deans many
conquests often shown scantily clad. (Kies 23; Lauch; Sabile).
In addition to those tried and true abuses coupled with the narrative of female weakness
and male paternalism so common to the action genre, Supernatural takes it further still by
actively demonizing femininity, especially in men, quite often literally. In one episode in
particular Sam is possessed by a female demon which is used as a familiar, you were beat up by
a girl trope and worse. Rarely within the world of the show do we see a woman who falls outside
of the social norms for beauty, or is past child bearing age. These stereotypes of gender within
the show are toxic messages to the very audience it targets, affecting womens view of
themselves, gender roles, and of men. For these reasons, it is important that The French
Mistake, from season 6 episode 15, be examined from a feminist viewpoint in order to gain an

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understanding of how these overt and subtle messages are woven into the fabric of the show, and
the very real consequences that they can have. (Kies; Stabile).
Immediately within this episode, masculinity is established through Dean, who drinks as
he works, pulls away forcefully from Balthazars touch to his shoulder and shares in the insider
knowledge of the Godfather. It is contrasted in this case by Balthazar, who, with an English
accent, and commenting on Bobby Singers pantry is painted as less male than the gruff
American Dean. Sam is there, but playing the Beta to Deans Alpha, he is quiet and thoughtful.
These are our first insights through this episode, and already, a hierarchy of masculinity is
formed. While subtle here, these messages are overt throughout the series, as Kies outlines in her
article on The Monstrous Male Body, with Dean as the Man of Men, against whom all others
must be measured. (The French Mistake).
So fitting then, in this episode, it is Dean that is most uncomfortable is he is thrust into an
alternate world where he is subject to congratulatory butt-pats and stage makeup, becoming, in
his words, A painted whore. The viewer is expected at this juncture, to share in Deans horror,
at the masculine made feminine. This is the very type of thinking which drives homophobia and
encourages the typical alpha male to bully those lesser than he. By making men who have
feminine traits into the other, something strange, it deprives them of their humanity. The real life
consequences of this viewpoint extend not only to men themselves, but to a womans view of
men. Dean is by this standard most desirable, and men such as Sam with his long hair, or
Belthazar and his enjoyment of things neat and tidy are inherently less so.
Most troublesome about Deans initial reaction to being subjected to this feminization is
when he describes this alternate reality as bad touching him. By comparing these small
temporary injustices to sexual assault, a terrible victimization which disproportionately affects

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women, he minimizes and belittles those real experiences. This allegorical equation of rape and
minor inconvenience affects the way it is viewed in society. It is part of the system of male
entitlement which pressures women into a kiss at the door, desired or not, and creates the shame
and guilt felt by the victims of assault.
This system of male power extends into every aspect of media, and in this episode it is
shown that while directors and producers can be old and portly if male, but that women, even
those who put on the stars makeup, move wardrobe across set, or carry pizzas must be young
and thin. This is never stated, but it is the message that is given visually. These subtle messages
say that women are only good enough when they are young, or when their body meets a certain
standard are pervasive within media, which is why it is all the more jarring to find them in a
show which is supposed to be written for women.
This leads to the continued denigration of men who fail to meet the masculine standard
continues throughout the episode. Misha, feels himself to be the butt of a prank by the manly
Dean, and cohort Sam, and opens his shirt to reveal the Om, which is a symbol of harmony and
unity related to Hinduism and Buddhism. This can be interpreted as a sign of pacifism. Dean also
denigrates their alternate selves as male modeling sons of bitches. Those that fail to meet
Deans standard of manhood are to be belittled, and pitied. Even the more feminine Sam joins in
to this tearing down of their less manly selves in this reality, pointing out the Jensen, who plays
Dean, had starred on Days of Our Lives.
Another harmful message on gender within the show is the view of women as emotional
creatures. Any help that Sera Gamble could offer is dismissed by the director, and she responds
with anger when he suggests they should locate Eric Kripke. Genevive is in hysterical tears upon
news of Mishas death, in stark contrast to Sam and Dean who with a measured logic ask where.

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While in this episode the message is less blatant, we return to the ideas expressed and
demonstrated by Kies, emotions throughout this show are something to be avoided by men, they
are the purview of women. (Kies).
This attitude has resulted in a society today which discourages a maleness capable of real
intimacy and conversation. It is a contributing factor to high rates of abuse and domestic violence
as well as divorce. The need to protect women from their own emotional selves has resulted in
the laws which govern what a woman may or may not do with her own body, the waiting
periods, and other gatekeeping which the state establishes between a woman her doctors and
healthcare. (Stabile)
This protection fantasy as described by Sabile plays itself out not only within
Supernatural, in this episode in which men are shot while women flee, but within society at large.
There is this idea that women are in need of protection, both the physical, and from womens
very natures, a protection that only men can give. It is this attitude like many of the others that
have been discussed which leads to the social ills defined by feminist critique. It perpetuates a
view of masculine women and lesbians as simply playacting in male roles in a way that it would
argue is ultimately futile, an aberration from the norm. It fails to recognize the possibility of
variance from gender roles and norms in physiology or identity. In fact any such deviance is to
be called out and criticized as we see in the final scene in which the angel Rafael has moved into
a body which is physically female. This becomes an object of mirth and ridicule for Dean, as
someone who has been traditionally male in the past, has been made female or feminized.
Of all of these messages, from the hierarchy of masculinity, to the minimization of sexual
violence, to the appeal to paternalism and denial of gender variance, the most harmful is the
messages which are given on sex and sexual consent. Not only do Sam and Dean jokingly

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compare their own discomfort to rape as mentioned previously, but in this episode, Sam actively
commits it. In this alternate reality these characters have been thrust into, Sam Winchester shares
a body with Jared Padelecki. He does not share his memories or experiences. Because of this,
and his omission of these details to Genevieve, Sam commits rape.
Without a full understanding and knowledge of who Sam is, Genevieve cannot be
understood to have given true consent. She believes herself to be propositioning and sharing her
bed with her husband, not an imposter from another reality. Sam however, makes no attempt to
stop her, no attempt to flee, not only does he commit rape, he fails to even see it as such. Lacking
the emotional connection that her true husband has with her, Sam is nothing more than a
predator, a wolf in sheeps clothing, a destroyer. Yet, in the context of this episode the viewer is
simply supposed to sit idly by and applaud the sexy times. Indeed, Dean suggests that at least in
part for the possibility of more such encounters with Ruby, that Sam should stay behind and live
this life.
This complete and utter violation of all that is moral and decent is easy to miss; it is too
easy to simply accept that this is who Sam is in this reality without realizing the damage this
does to the idea of consent. Women should have power over their own persons to be able to
decide whom they wish to form a connection with, and by masquerading as Jared Padelecki, Sam
Winchester commits one of the worst possible violations possible to humankind. This is fantasy,
playing with the ideas of alternate realities, and yet, what does this say about other forms of
deception when it comes to consent. This episode of Supernatural tells us through these acts that
it is okay to lie in order to gain sexual release.
Through examining The French mistake through a feminist lens, the overt and subtle
messages woven into the show are revealed alongside the consequences they can have upon

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social ideas and attitudes. While written for women, many of these messages that have been
discussed are ultimately harmful for that very audience and can have a negative impact upon
them and their families. The rigid nature of gender roles within the show, and its insensitivity
towards sexual violence and many of the other issues which disproportionately affect women can
be considered dangerous. While I consider myself a feminist, and enjoy the show as
entertainment, I find myself horrified by what it says about women and their place in the world.

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Works Cited
Kies, Bridget. The Monstrous Male Body. Fan Phenomena: Supernatural. Ed. Zubernis, Lynn,
and Katherine Larsen. Chicago: Intellect Books. 2014. 22-33. Print.
Lausch, Kayti Adaire. The niche network: gender, genre, and the CW brand. MA thesis.
University of Texas at Austin, Austin, 2013. https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu. Web. 17
March 2016
Stabile, Carol A. "Sweetheart, This Ain't Gender Studies: Sexism And Superheroes."
Communication & Critical/Cultural Studies 6.1 (2009): 86-92. Communication & Mass
Media Complete. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
McGuire, Ann, and David Buchbinder. "The Forensic Gothic: Knowledge, the Supernatural, and
the Psychic Detective." Canadian Review of American Studies 40.3 (2010): 289-307.
Project MUSE. Web. 17 Mar. 2016.
Elasmar, Michael, Kazumi Hasegawa, and Mary Brain. "The Portrayal of Women in U.S. Prime
Time Television." Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media 43.1 (1999): 20-34. Web.
The French Mistake. Prod. Eric Kripke, et all. Supernatural. The CW. 15 February 2011.
Netflix. Web. 23 February 2016.