Sam and Dean hang out in front of Madison’s house in the Impala, and it’s about time someone called them out on how obvious they are. The Impala is not an inconspicuous car! They wait out the evening together in the apartment, all watching that vivid moonrise, but Sam and Madison end up spending all evening enamored with one another on the couch, while Dean watches the moon alone. Poor guy, he looks bored. I’m sure there are plenty of volunteers who would keep him company.
When all is clear, Dean announces he’s leaving to watch pay-per-view. Big hint number one. Even Madison got hint number two, the hilarious fist pump in the air as he's leaving. Dean isn’t known for being subtle, is he? Of course Sam is freaked out and stammering with some crappy excuse, but he caves when she jumps him, responding without a beat by spinning her around and banging her against the wall in a fit of passion. Funny how it takes two overly forward people to get Sam laid. Judging by his response, he needs it too.
Now Kim Manners is in control, because Sam and Madison aren’t, given that their clothes are off and they’re mauling each other in all sorts of ways. He opens up the director’s handbook and dusts off the chapter, “Keys to a Great Sex Scene.” Step one, pick the right song. Check. The Screaming Trees’ “Look At You” is quite haunting. Not only does the song set the perfect mood, but the lyrics are very appropriate. Look at the chorus. “When I look at you I've got a second chance, really need to have you now, one by one they fall, it always breaks me down.” Wow.
Step number two, get two people who look really hot naked, and use every trick in the book to accent the hot and sweaty. Check. Step three, make the sex steamy, passionate, and well choreographed. Whoa, is Sammy actually taking her from behind? Check! Step four, the sweet, intimate final shot, one that melts our hearts with both characters content on the bed in each other’s arms, sleeping better than they have in years, and looking very sexy doing it. Textbook, and it’s great.
Now the moon again and holy crap, how long did they actually do it? They jumped each other shortly after the sunrise, so they went all day long? How much pay-per-view is poor Dean watching by himself? The bliss is short-lived for Madison turns, and what a better way to go out on a mauling than by swimming in her giant lover’s oversized shirt. She wouldn’t want to wear anything skimpy for that.
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.