Slash Couples: Jesse and Steve & What Makes a Slash Couple

Rather to my surprise, I discovered recently that some fans have "slashed" (created a male/male pairing) of Jesse/Steve from Diagnosis Murder. It never occurred to me but my reaction was, "Huh, yeah, I see that."

I had the same reaction to John/Finch in Person of Interest. 

On the other hand, I don't know if any fans have ever "slashed" Shawn and Gus from Psych, but if they have, I would never buy it--yet I think they are hilarious and very believable friends. 

Which made me wonder, What's the difference? 

Why Greg/Nick but not Nick/Warwick, even though Nick & Warwick work together more (at least initially)? 

Granted, there's a subjective element here. Sure, Kirk/Spock is a given. But as mentioned above, Jesse/Steve never occurred to me until I was presented with the idea. (I was trying to find a picture of Charlie Schlatter for another post!)

Using CSI as a guide, I think the difference comes down to emotional investment in terms of identity. That is, strong emotion is combined with a moment of growth. The couple become attractive as an ongoing concern. 

Greg & Warwick are friends and like each other but gain nothing, artistically speaking, from the relationship moving forward. Greg/Nick, however, are established early-on as having a link--Greg wants to be a CSI. Nick is a nice guy who gives another guy a break. The combination of personality and desire establishes an investment that goes beyond immediate needs to something deeper, such as identity. (Maslow's Hierarchy is, in fact, raised in one of Nick's early episodes.) 

Likewise, one of the most touching aspects of Person of Interest is John's firm belief that Finch rescued him and is now looking after him. Finch tracked down John out of a desperate desire to atone not only for the Machine and Nathan's death but for John's personal losses. The investment is strong and exclusive. 

Jesse and Steve is less obvious, but Jesse has a kind of Greg-like wish to emulate Steve. Steve is so entirely unattached to anyone except his father, it is easy to invest his lack of attachment with lonely need. Somebody cheer this guy up! And Jesse is very cheerful. 

In sum, vulnerability plays a role here. However, I think another reason for slash--despite the obvious physical, erotic, and romantic pay-offs--is, in fact, artistic sensibility. It is easy to pour scorn on fans for slash pairings. They don't deserve the scorn. Slash keeps a relationship moving forward and growing. From an artistic point of view that forward momentum is a powerful incentive.