Using a logical (?) thought process (we know what they were thinking with), the brothers check on Madison, because she could be werewolf dinner. Dean suggests someone stay with her, like himself since he wants to bang the hot chick, but surprise, Sam wants to stay. We get a HUGE treat, the brothers dueling it out in rock-paper-scissors, a game Dean apparently sucks at. Oh Sammy, you like her! Strange how he won’t come out and say it. I’m not sure if anyone else found this remarkable, since outwitting Dean at a chance to be with a girl is so not Sam.
This part raised a stink, and I’m not sure why since it’s a simple playful moment. Madison folds her underwear in front of Sam, making him uncomfortable. It’s meant to show how carefree she is, as opposed to Sam’s uptight behavior. Opposites attract. Plus Sam’s reaction was funny. Dean even adds to the moment, calling Sam and prodding him along, but Sam hangs up, so Madison has to do it, since Sam is enough of a dork where he won’t make a move unless some hot chick or Dean whacks him on the head with a sledgehammer. Their time on the couch watching soaps is endearing, and seeing Sam finally lighten up and shyly compliment Madison while sweetly showing his attraction is a refreshing change for his character. Up until now, it’s been 39 episodes of Sam moping.
In the meantime, Dean gets to hunt a werewolf, and it’s “Down in the Street” by the Stooges! What an obscure yet really cool song to drag out of the archives. There’s an attack, Dean charges in, and unless Madison has a twin, Sam’s got some explaining to do over his poor job of keeping an eye on her. Dean cleverly nicks her with the knife, thus proving the next morning there’s no twin.
From this point forward, Sam goes ultra emo, and its time for a ride on the Sammy emotional rollercoaster. Jared breaks out the sad puppy dog eyes and quivering pout, and now the fandom is split between wanting to give him a hug and wishing he would man up. Put me in the hug category.
Madison’s a killer, and Sam makes the black and white judgment, but that doesn’t last long. She appeals to his inner demons, and he wants to believe she has a monster inside that she can’t control, because he’s convinced he’s the same way. He has to save her, otherwise, there’s no hope for him. Yep, Sam has some baggage.
Article comments
1 - cassi
"He looked like dog food to me from the first appearance." I couldn't agree more.
2 - Rosewood
Nice choice for a review!
To me, the way Dean and Sam cry in this episode, (and in general) is so reflective of their personalities. Sam lets his messy emotions out nearly involuntarily. He's got goo and tears all over. Dean holds his emotions all in so tight he will barely let one drop fall down. Blink and Dean removes all traces behind his mask.
I agree that most of Sam's emotion at the end is not for Madison, it's for himself. He couldn't save her, and because he failed, he has to kill her. Maybe he can't be saved and how do you face that? Maybe whatever's happening to him can't be stopped. Not only does he have to kill someone in cold blood (for I believe the first time?), but he has to kill someone he cares about more than a regular victim-of-the week.
Dean's not ready to kill Sam if he can't save him. (We saw this in Croatoan and BUABS.) He knows what it's like to have to kill someone. Dean wants to protect Sam from having to kill Madison, because that's another awful act that there's no going back from. When Sam looks back at him, Dean must be crushed by how much he hasn't been able to protect Sam from. Now here's another terrible milestone for Sam - killing someone he cares about and couldn't save. And maybe Dean's looking at Sam, thinking someday Sam will be looking at him just this way this right before Dean has to shoot him (Kripke! don't go there....)
Thanks for writing these reviews. They've been a great distraction waiting for Season 4 (since I avoid the spoilers).
3 - heraldtalia
Thanks for another great review Alice! I loved this ep the first time I saw it and was surprised to learn that this is such a divisive episode in the fandom.
I'm also surprised to learn that people think Jared over-acted at having to kill Madison. While I agree with your deeper analysis regarding the complete reasons behind Sam's sobbing, I really don't understand why people couldn't understand why Sam would be that upset over having to kill an innocent person who was not responsible for what she was doing, even if we leave the parallels with Sam out of it. I mean, Sam had always been the one who didn't want to kill humans (at least until AHBL2), so is it so hard to believe he'd have this much difficulty murdering a woman he was fond of? I know I'd be a wreck over it, but maybe that's just me. ^_~
Anyway, thanks for the insightful review and I'm looking forward to your overall S3 and DVD commentary next week.
4 - Kat
What a great review, thanks for writing it. i don't think it was overacted at all, it was obvious sam was at breaking point and dean was worried he might have to do the same thing to sam.
5 - Tigershire
I also don't get the whole "overacting" thing that some people thought. To me it was very believable. He had to shoot Madison when she was a person, all normal and sad and scared. I would think that if any one of us were in that position we'd be in tears and distressed too.
Now if Madison had been in full werewolf rage when he had to shoot her I'm sure he wouldn't have been quite so emo.
Heart is one of my favourite episodes for all the heartbreaking reasons.