Wouldn't it be great if you could erase everything that happened to you in an unfortunate period of you life? You could eliminate a demotion, wipe out an embarrassing moment, take back those words you wished you hadn't said, or reverse an unfortunate body swapping. Too bad that sort of thing doesn't happen in real life. Luckily for Mulder, though, it does in X-Files land.

In general, Dreamland II came across as a little confused. I was never sure if it was trying to be a drama or a comedy. In fact, it seemed to alternate between these two extremes in different parts of the episode. When Mulder was around, it seemed like he was trying his best to bring out the drama of his unfortunate situation. Yet when his alter-ego Morris popped up, he always appeared to be having too much fun to seriously contemplate his situation. While I loved the humour injected in this episode (I still get the giggles when I picture Mulder and Morris peeping over the men's room stall), the Dreamland saga was too long to be a comedy. In fact, the whole thing probably should have been one episode. Dragging it into two made it less believable, sillier, and less suspenseful. The first part of this arc managed to set a quick pace, but Dreamland II, which was essentially just a continuation of old ideas, went about as fast as a lizard with its head in a rock. Just like in the Christmas Carol/Emily two-parter, the trio of John Shiban, Vince Gilligan, and Frank Spotnitz came out of the blocks with a good idea, but when it came to the finish, they just fizzled like sprinters running a marathon.

"Do aliens really exist Agent Mulder?"

In Dreamland I, I was able to overlook the thinness of the plot just because it was so amusing. While Dreamland II didn't lack its share of entertainment, the slow pace could not hide the contrived nature of its story. Plot threads which included a military guy getting a conscience, body switching, and rips in the space-time continuum are all very clichéd. How convenient that the warp snapped back and erased everyone's memory from these episodes. I had a feeling something like this would happen - after all, we couldn't have Kersh's assistant flirting with Mulder all the time - but I kind of hoped the whole thing would have been a dream, tying in with the theme of a dreamland. Nope, they had to go for the hokey warp reversal thing, without even explaining it that well. For example, why did the penny in the dime, and the furniture in Mulder's bedroom stay the same, but Kersh didn't remember anything about this whole thing? Does it only effect living things in reverse or something? Whatever... At least the ending was good. Mulder's look of incredulity when he peeped out to make sure he really was in the right apartment was a much better way to have Mulder find his new bedroom than actually showing it.

"Accept who you are, however repulsive that might be."

Dreamland II didn't thrill me, but then again, I don't really wish the rip in the space time continuum that created it would snap back into place. It turned out some great performances from David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, as well as Nora Dunn and Micheal McKean as good ol' Morris. Again, it seemed the writing team got the most pleasure from poking fun at the characters. The opening scene, in which Morris describes Mulder's less than ideal life as a fairy tale, is a perfect example of this mockery. Though Mulder may not realize it, standing on the outside looking in, he seems "...one step away from pushing baby carriages down the street filled with tin cans." Since we know he's not insane (or at least, not in the ordinary sense), it tells you a lot about the world of seems. Appearances are deceptive, but in Mulder's case, at least one of them is true. We've always known Mulder's lacked a social life (you know you need to get out more when you start throwing pencils into the ceiling for fun), but now it seems he spends so little time at home, he uses his bedroom as a closet! For that reason I'm glad the warp reversal left the furniture behind. Mulder's going to love all the stuff Morris bought him. :)

"If I shoot him, is that murder or suicide?"

In Dreamland I, I was curious why Morris seemed so content in his new body. Now I know why. It seems he has an evil plan to take over Mulder's life. You'd think all these evil plans against Mulder would get rather tiring for him. :P My first reaction was one of disbelief. Someone wants Mulder's life?!? Why would anyone (other than Mulder that is) want to live as he does, almost completely alone, with an impossible quest as his life goal, and whole syndicates of government meanies out to get him? I can see why Morris might like his new life. He can have more fun, less responsibility, doesn't have a nagging wife to deal with, etc., etc., but even if Morris could change Mulder's life around so these things weren't a problem anymore, he'd still have the problem of drawing attention to himself. Someone's bound to notice the difference, if not Scully, then Cancerman, or his mother. Well, maybe not. In some ways, Morris is just like Mulder. Both enjoy playing around in their new bodies, acting irresponsible, and seem to have this compulsive need to be mothered. In short, they're both children!

"Baby?"
"Don't baby me or you'll be peeing through a catheter!"

Well Scully, you know what they say. Be careful what you wish for. She's been telling Mulder to play by the books and not break the rules for as long as they've been working together ("I've been telling you for years you should play more by the book, haven't I?"). However, when she got finally Golden Boy Mulder in Morris, she hated it. I've always had the impression she enjoyed their little romps all over the country, no matter how much she protests to Mulder's delinquencies. It's exciting, it's an escape, and after six years of this kind of life, it's become normal for her. Scully's fantasy "normal" life is just that - a fantasy. Fantasies belong in the realm of dreams, not reality. Besides, once you achieve your goal, what is there to look forward to? It almost seemed like she was about to get that normal life too. What would Scully do if the FBI suspended her? I laughed when I heard Kersh's reason for putting her on probation was that she was "willful, insubordinate, and not a team player." Maybe that team building seminar they missed last year might have helped after all! ;) On an up note, at least she figured this whole body swapping thing out. That made Dreamland II a heck of a lot more believable than its predecessor. And seeing Morris' reaction to having a gun pointed at him while handcuffed to the bed must have made it all worth it. :)

"I'd kiss you if you weren't so damn ugly."

To quote another cliché, this episode seems to prove that you don't know how valuable something is until it's gone. Before this whole body switch escapade took place, Mrs. Fletcher and Scully had both been complaining about their husband/partner's lack of sensitivity. But when they lost them, they couldn't wait to get them back. Things just weren't the same without the real McOrris or McUlder. This distance made their hearts grow fonder as well (aren't I the fountain of clichés today!), as evidenced in the relief expressed during their reunions. Mulder and Scully's reunion in the desert was marked by a tone of bittersweet melancholy. I don't really know how to explain it except to say that it was simply of *those* moments. David was at his best as a more sensitive movie Mulder, while Gillian played up the somber wistfulness of the moment well. And for once Mulder was thinking! Giving Scully the sunflower seeds was an excellent way to prove to her who he really is. After such a touching reunion, their separation was heart breaking. It was as if they'd never see each other again...actually, it kind of reminded me of the end of Pretty Woman, with Scully driving away, gazing mournfully out the window... (Katie starts humming "It Must Have Been Love.") It was as close as Mulder and Scully have been in a long time...and it wasn't even really Mulder! That tells you something about the closeness of these characters, and the underlying magic that exists between them.

"The name's Frohike, you punkass."

Yeah! We got to see the Lone Gunmen again. Actually, Scully's been going to see her little band of dwarves on quite a regular basis now. Not only are they always able to help their Snow White out, they infuse a spirit to every episode. Whether squabbling with Morris, or laughing at the prepositude of the science being presented before them, they can help salvage even the most unbelievable show. The more unbelievable the claim, the better it suits them. Like Morris's claim that there is no Saddam Hussein (but his real name is John Gillnitz? Pulease). How do we know that there is no Saddam Hussein? In Iraq, he plays a role as mysterious and revered as Big Brother in Nineteen Eighty-Four. If this is what comes out of the minds of Area 51 officials, who knows what else could arise over a beer at the Little A'Lee'Inn pub. After seeing the alien head on the bathroom sign so often, they might even start believing aliens exist! :)

This episode was a little confused, it was a tad contrived, but nevertheless, I'd give it a thumbs up. In terms of character interaction, especially between Mulder and Scully in the goodbye scene, and the short telephone conversation at the end, this episode maintained a standard unaffected by the cheesiness of the plot, or the stereotyping of the other characters. The X-Files, no matter how much it tries to be a sci-fi action show, is essentially a romance. It's a romantic quest perpetuated by two romantic characters. And even if an episode fails on all other levels, if it maintains that standard, it still constitutes a good episode in my books.

"I think she likes me Tiger."