User Reviews

In San Francisco, Sam and Dean investigate a series of murders of a werewolf where the victims have their hearts removed. When a lawyer is killed in his office, the Winchester brothers visit his assistant Madison and they believe her former boyfriend Glen is the killer. Sam stays in Madison's apartment to protect her and they fall in love for each other while Dean investigates Glen; however, they discover that Madison is actually the monster and they give their best efforts trying to save her from her fate.

"Heart" is another wonderful episode of this excellent Second Season. When Dean and Sam introduce themselves to Madison, there is a delightful tribute to Joe Dante ("The Howling") and John Landis ("An American Werewolf in London"). Emmanuelle Vaugier is one of the most beautiful, sexy and talented young actresses and has a top-notch performance. The conclusion of the story is heartbreaking and full of emotions, and the cold Dean shows though his tears that he has feelings. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Dolorosa Missão" ("Painful Mission")

A lot of people think the writers were exaggerating with the Sam/Madison love story. Sam only knew the girl for a couple of days and it's such a short time for anybody to really love someone. But for me, I see it from a little different perspective. Ever since Jessica died on the show's premier, Sam has been in pain over her death. Other than Madison he never really had any other relationship with a girl he cared about except for his brief crush on Season one's Sarah Blake which didn't work out as it would have been too soon. But Madison was more than just a love interest to Sam, (sure she was likable, smart, some how classy and too daring for Sam) and he sure liked her but to him she was a reflection of himself. She, like him, had something evil in her and wanted to be saved and He was desperate to save her because that meant he also could be saved. This is pretty much the same as how he could relate to Jack Montgomery later on season 4's "Metamorphosis". Yet Madison had to die along with Sam's hope.

This was a heart breaking episode mixed with some fine moments: I loved Dean's excitement over hunting a werewolf, he looked like a five year old looking forward to getting his favourite toy on Christmas. Sam discussing the soap opera with Madison and his shy crush on her was very cute. I also liked the Rock/Paper/Scissors way of settling things between them, very childish and brotherly.

Jared gave his best performance to date, Applaud to you man. And of course no words can describe Jensen's OPT (one perfect tear).

There were many things I really loved about this episode, but also a few things I found frustrating about it.

Like Roadkill - in fact, more so, if anything - this one hits peaks of emotional intensity the series rarely has to date. At risk of making an unintentional pun, it was really heart-wrenching. Most of the twists in it weren't really quite as surprising as the writers might have hoped - I guessed the identities of both werewolves well ahead of when they were revealed, although I certainly didn't guess the eventual ending - but that really didn't lessen the impact.

And the acting, from both the main characters and the guest star, was really impressive - probably Jared Padalecki's best performance to date. Also - very, very hot sex scene. Very. As in, it's going to take a cold shower for me to stop replaying it in my head.

So what didn't I like about it? The ending - and no, not just because it was a tearjerker. I have no problem with difficult choices and epic angst levels, or killing off likable characters, IF it makes dramatic sense within the story. But the problem here is that - it DIDN'T.

Here's why: The whole episode took place over the span of one full moon. Usually that's defined as three days, although in this case I think they stretched it out to more like a week. But still, that's a relatively short time. Plus, they didn't figure out Madison was the werewolf, or that she didn't know she was and thus wasn't at fault, until a couple of nights into that period. So what you have is a span of barely a few days, during which we're supposed to believe that the brothers "looked everywhere" and "tried everything" and are ready to give up on there being any possibility of a cure, despite Sam's feelings for Madison.

Come on! Who the hell would write off the life of a loved one with that little time and effort? Particularly when it looked like they spent much more of the time on stakeouts and guard duty than on doing any actual research.

Even the idea of locking her up for the period of the full moon each month (a la Oz from Buffy) was dismissed on the basis that she'd probably eventually find a way out - but even if it wasn't a permanent solution, doing something like that could have bought them some time to search for a cure.

I could see Dean giving up that easily, since his usual response to anything supernatural is to kill it unless there's an excellent reason not to (and sometimes even if there is), but it just felt incredibly unconvincing to me that Sam would have, when he's not only by far the more compassionate of the two but also apparently in love with Madison. To me, that made the whole ending feel contrived - like the supposed necessity of killing her was really there not so much for any valid reason in the context of the story as because the writers wanted to crank out maximum angst from the episode by any means necessary, regardless of whether it actually made sense for the characters or the storyline.

Basically, it turned what was in every other respect a really outstanding story into a cheap exercise in emotional manipulation - and more so because they've done essentially the same thing before. The whole series started out with a double dose of what's variously been called the "Disposable Woman" or "Women in Refrigerators" trope - female characters who basically exist just to die horribly, thereby generating motivational angst for a male character. So having that device used yet again, and under such unconvincing circumstances, shattered the mood of what had up until that point been a really stellar episode, instead leaving me feeling "Oh hell, not THIS again!"

I'm still giving it a high rating, because of the overall intensity and the quality of the acting, but it could have been perfect if the writers hadn't decided to sacrifice logic and plausibility for a little more "Deus Angst Machina"...

Greetings from Captain Hindsight. I have seen this series several times over (it's my favorite show) and I'm back on this episode and I just had to leave a review this time. When reading the reviews I saw a lot of people saying that the ending scene didn't make sense or was too over the top or what have you. I think what makes the final scene so harrowing is because up until now we haven't seen Sam really connect with anyone since Jessica's death. He's been in heavy mourning for her since the pilot. This is the first time we see him become emotionally vulnerable with another woman. Also he definitely is NOT in love with her, he is just finally letting himself feel anything for anyone again. Not only does he allow himself to be physically intimate with her but also emotionally as well. And the fact that after all that he has to kill her in the end is almost cruel. Even if it was a "bit too much" or "didn't make sense" we finally see Sam open himself up only to have it be ripped away (because such is the tone of this show), a plot point that I think we needed as an audience and Sam needed for his character development.

It also plays into the need for Sam to save someone this season. He needs to know that someone can be saved, himself included as this episode is right on the heels of Dean telling him that John said he'd either have to save Sam or kill him. His need for saving Madeline, someone that is destined for evil, is so desperate because he too seems destined for it. And if he can save her than maybe there's a chance for him too. Having to kill her just gives Sam one more example of how impossible it is to derail this destiny train. OK that is all. Supernatural rules!

A hard one to see. There's a lot of subtle thing in this episode. A lot of emotions too. This episode and the last one are the most emotional episodes of the season for my part.

Yeah you will say that it's a typical werewolf story... A woman is a werewolf and a young man fall in love with her (where I see that again.. uh American werewolf in London maybe?) but... the comparison stop here.

It,s the first time in the show we see Sam fall for a woman, since his girlfriend in the first episode. And the heartbreaking thing it's she's a werewolf. They are hunters, and hunters kill monsters. Except it's not really easy when you love the one you have to kill.

It'll be easier if she were evil and loved to kill, but she didn't notice her condition and didn't believe the guys when they told her. After a while, she decided she didn't want to be a monster anymore... and ask Sam to kill her, to deliver her of her condition...

Tears ... even Dean have some tears in his eyes... but I don't think it's for the same reason than Sam. This one doesn't want to kill her and always hope for a cure and a lot of "if" after that...

Sam, in another episode, ask Dean to kill him if he become evil and hurt people and Dean don't want to... but Sam make him swear to do it if it happens again... and this time, the role is inverted. Where we see the dilemma in his face. Now he could understand the reason of Dean why he don't want to... but Sam, finally, do it and kill the woman he love. I think it's why Dean cry.. he saw the compassion in Sam and that he delivers the woman because he don't want her to be a slave of the beast in her... like Sam don't want to hurt the one he love if he become a monster...

A beautiful, but heartbreaking ending...

Sam (well, Jared) looks so young, sweet, and innocent (dimples!!!!) throughout the first 2/3 of this episode. It's heartbreaking watching the last of his innocence die when he has to kill Madison.

We know from S1E1 that Sam is no inexperienced virgin and over the course of seasons 1 and 2 we see him deal with death and possession and other horrors but watching him go from embarrassment over seeing her freshly laundered undies to coming to terms with killing someone he cares about is so heartbreaking.

Jared Padalecki gives a fantastic performance in this episode and the use of Silent Lucidity at the point when it kicks in is perfection. The contrast with battle-hardened big brother Dean coldly killing Glen and later offering to do the "dirty work" of killing Madison to spare Sam the pain is brilliant.

I thought it was great! Sam has been so faithful to Jessica's memory, it was time for him to move on and begin to live again! He and Madison really seemed made for each other (well, if she wasn't a werewolf). My friend and I cried at the end. There seemed to be so much emotion from both guys, showing that they can be reached, albeit way down deep in their souls. Wouldn't it be great to have her come on again in the 3rd season, but completely healed, and a wonderful love interest for Sam?! When we heard the gun shot, it left an opening. We know that normally she would have been killed, but who knows what miracles can happen on a TV show today?! Especially since they didn't show Sam actually killing Madison. Hmmm....

Again, in the finale of the 2nd season, when Sam was dead, Dean made a deal w/a demon to bring his brother back, with him only able to live one more year. We all know somehow this will not take place. There will be an answer. Maybe there will also be an answer for Madison! The question I have is: WHO was the werewolf that turned Madison? We know it wasn't the man that helped the kids at the center. So, who do we think it really was?

Osslady

The Brothers Winchester (Jared Padalecki and Jenson Ackles) find themselves in San Francisco during what is suspected to be heavy werewolf activity. After the death of her employer, Madison (guest Emmanuelle Vaugier) is contacted by Dean and Sam who believe that she might be the next victim. While Dean searches to find Madison's former boyfriend that had been stalking her, Sam remains with the young lady and begins to be attracted to her. It is revealed during their time together that she is the werewolf, although it is unknown to her. Sam is then forced to decide between his attraction to her and his duty as a demon hunter.

Coincidentally, Ackles and Vaugier have both appeared, albeit at different times, on another show filmed in Vancouver: "Smallville." Ackles played Lana Lang's love interest in season four and Vaugier played the deceitful "MRS. Lex Luthor" during season two of the series.

Solid episode. The actress is absolutely breathtaking and the sex scene is really romantic.

My problem is: first, how do they know it is definitely the church guy that bit her? The church guy seems to be at lost as well, they should trace the bloodline down. Plus, why the hooker's place? Second, I understand the emotional parts and all(though not very relatable) but can't she just sync her schedule a few nights every month? Does she really need to die? They already verified that she won't turn if staying awake. Like a few full-noon nights she sleep in day light and stays up all night, big deal.

well before I get to what I want to say. Let me just say overall I think it was a really good episode. I was upset about what happened to Madison. Another girl dies and of course Sam was in love. I hate seeing that especially after the series premiere what happened to Jessica. I don't know how much more the writers can put him through. One thing I noticed was that when Sam had to kill Madison both he and Dean were crying. (Did anyone else realize that Dean was crying?) It was so emotional that I started crying for Sam .It just so sad. I can't believe it. I know I'm making a big deal about it but I can't believe the writers would do that.I hope the next new one is better. I guess I'll have to wait for April 19 to know.

Shannon Wilhelm age 16

The pacing struck me first in this episode as being severely off. At two different times it felt like it should be over when it clearly was not, which telegraphed the likely outcome. This I think was the worst aspect of "Heart"

The costume/makeup on this one was horrible. This has of course been commented on before, but the "werewolves" didn't appear wolfish much at all. We never really got a good look at them in motion, which might have made this matter less. I don't mind that they took a risk to try something new, but it didn't work.

At parts the chemistry between Sam and Madison is amusing, but there are so many uncomfortable pauses. Perhaps this isn't so out of character for Sam, but there just seemed to be so much "dead air".

***** SPOILERS UPCOMING *****

The sex scene was very uncomfortable and went on far too long.

Lastly there was the end of the episode which made no sense. Sam and Dean go through great efforts in other cases to save people. The idea that they couldn't find a safe place for Madison to stay during the full moon nights is hard to believe. To then use this to focus on Sam's emotions when there is a human being who is going to die was very bothersome to me. Her face should have been the last thing we see before hearing the gunshot, not Dean's, though I'll admit that shot was a really good one. Also, a loud gunshot in the middle of the day?

I do appreciate the analogous situation of Sam and Madison and their uncontrolled inner-evil, but I felt the writing and directing made it seem forced and over the top. The concept was solid, the execution not so much.

One of my wife's favorite episodes. My wife thinks heart is a soap opera style episode. The plot twists of who was the werewolf is great. Did anyone fortell the religious neighbor, who had the hots for Madison, is at fault for Sam's girlfriend getting infected? Great foreshadowing, of the plot twist when the neighbor opens the door and listens to Sam and Dean, at the beginning of the show. I can see why Sam tries not to get personal with the job. Madison seduces Sam with the laundry. Sam always gets the smart girls like in the episode in providence. This time the girl dies. Dean always show emotion when involving Sam. Dean's tears is the final plot twist that creates irony for the audience. 8 out of 10 I did not like the drunk lawyer I can see why Madison blew him off.

this has to be one of the more emotional episodes. for some reason people have been completely verbally destroying it, listing it as one of their most hated episodes. while ill agree its not one of my favourites, i didn't think it was that bad of an episode. i really liked the Madison character, although ill agree with people when they say how predictable it was that she was the big hairy scary monster person, that much was apparent to me from the get go. however, i what wasn't predictable was the emotional ness of this episode as of the second half. i really felt for Sam when he had to do the right thing at the end, and that single glistening tear from our emotion dodging bad boy dean...absolutely killed me! his expression, and defeated body language in the end clip, omg, that mans acting talent is absolutely fabulous. i think maybe the off putter of this episode was the Sammy sex scene, which is also my theory as to why people dislike route 666 so much. whilst it didn't bother me in the slightest, I'm thinking maybe the Sammy lovers out there (complete dean girl myself) weren't expecting it, and didn't connect to it. maybe a fangirlish jealousy? lol we'll never know anyways, though not an outstanding episode, i still really liked it... and there's always a chance now that the writers can include a more bad ass werewolf in the third season :D XsarahX

I was looking forward to this episode very much and almost everything turned out fine. The acting, the plot, even the (somewhat expected) twist about the werewolf who was responsible for infecting Madison with the curse. Yet, one major thing was missing: a werewolf.

So far, this series has done an excellent job at creating the perfect creatures in each and every episode, yet in this one, we do not see two werewolves; we see two humans with long nails and fangs. I have no idea what the thought was behind the very subtle transformation, but it was a major disappointment. I believe the series isn't complete without a werewolf episode, but this certainly wasn't it.

Again, well written, excellent acting - as always - and a lovely story, just no werewolves.

This is a very badly written episode: how can you take away the humanity of the characters, after they have been through so much while in search of it?

Shooting Madison is absolutely idiotic. They reason that she couldn't be locked away for the brief period of her transformation because of the risk of escape. However, Sam manages to keep her prisoner for a whole night in a makeshift cell (ordinary walls and a wooden door propped by some heavy furniture) - so I suppose a steel cage would suffice in keeping her safely away from any potential victims. There is no effort on their part to seek solutions, apart from the brief "Bobby also thinks it can't be done". So instead of buying time, they quickly decide to end the life of an innocent. And their tears are just insulting.

Sera Gamble has hit the absolute low in regards to writing for this episode. The pacing and narrative is completely uninteresting, there's no character development for anyone other than the fact that the two brothers are murdering idiots.

There's absolutely no half way point in regards to providing an alternative lifestyle for the lycanthrope such as, oh I don't know, installing a steel cage, which would have been more than adequate. Simply stating that "she'd escape" doesn't make it so. There have been other TV series that have touched on the lycanthrope narrative and found solutions to the problem with little effort, such as Buffy.

This episode completely kills anything that's been established for either character and just make them seem extremely obtuse and stupid for seasoned hunters.

Absolute garbage.

This would deserve 10 but two important points suck. First you cannot simply cannot use such bad werewolf effects in story about them. Second really flawed explanation from Dean why Maddison should be killed. Poor explanation from Dean - if Maddison would lock herself every evening around full moon in a steel cage there is no way she could get out - even from simple room she could not escape. Even more so cause Sam is in love yet he so quickly agrees there is no other way. If you are just little bit sensitive and not low IQ brute than you can not feel increased likeness for Sam and Dean after this episode. They were acting sad yet what the did was sooo unloving. You fight for someone you love right ? And Sam did...but very very little.

A distinctly average episode in a series that we've come to expect so much more of.

In what seems like an attempt to imbue some form of empathy into the series (with Sam's presence, was that really necessary?), they take what was perhaps not a resoundingly good idea to begin with in the first place and completely destroy it.

The plot in itself is nothing special, but the writing and execution of it leaves it a shambles. Though Jared Padalecki is a very talented actor, in this episode he comes across as being annoyingly melodramatic. Tears flow like some mundane waterfall, while the dialogue is sketchy at best and very reminiscent of some crap soap-opera ala the bold and the beautiful.

I'm all up for experimentation and addressing different themes, but when done with such a ludicrous amount of mediocrity, it does nothing but take away from this very superlative series.