X-Files 6.4: "Dreamland: Part I"
Written by Vince Gilligan, John Shiban, and Frank Spotnitz
Directed by Kim Manners
In which Mulder is contacted by someone claiming to work at Area 51, but when he arrives at the rendezvous, an odd occurrence with an apparent UFO adds a few complications…
Status Report
Starting with the fifth season, the FOX network was more than happy to begin the season for “X-Files” late in the fall, thus shortening the time between the premiere and the episodes coinciding with the November sweeps period. The effect during the fifth season was minimal; however, the effect for the sixth season forced a two-part “mythology” story very early in the season (about two episodes earlier than usual).
While this threw the structure of the season into a bit of turmoil, it also gave the audience an early look at how the sixth season would progress, primarily in terms of how the mythology would be treated after “Fight the Future”. The result was an odd amalgam of the “XF-lite” mentality that would plague the series for the next two seasons and core concepts at the heart of the mythology itself.
Oddly, this is one of the few mythology episodes that doesn’t hinge on an intricate knowledge of the conspiracy. In fact, only the most general knowledge of the conspiracy is required for the story to work. No doubt, this was by design, since new viewers drawn to the series after the film and media frenzy would be looking for a relatively simple introduction to the world inhabited by Mulder and Scully.
This particular concept is useful because it forces the writers to demonstrate why Mulder and Scully are distinct. Once Mulder and Morris Fletcher switch bodies (in a moment that seems awfully convenient but fits within the mythology remarkably well), Morris quickly demonstrates who Mulder is by acting completely different from Mulder. Scully’s expectations teach the audience what to expect, and in turn, her reactions to drastically different situations teach the audience about her personality.
One might be sorely tempted to ask why this story didn’t come right after the premiere, given the utility of the concept. While “Drive” was a neatly generic yet revealing tale that helped long-time fans appreciate how Mulder and Scully were dealing with their post-“X-Files” world, “Triangle” was more about the iconic versions of Mulder and Scully as known to the popular culture of 1998. By using the iconic versions of the main characters and the time-slip plot device, “Triangle” gave the savvy new audience a complex look at how Mulder perceives those around him, friend and enemy alike.
So the theme early in the sixth season was re-introduction to the characters of Mulder and Scully. It was about showing the new viewers who these people were without committing a blatant rehash. This fed into the idea of Mulder and Scully as mythic individuals, legendary to the point of having outlandish adventures that proved their unique bond. All well and good, but at the same time, the writers struggled with the challenge of doing so without letting the stories themselves slip in the process.
The opening scene is directly related to that mission statement. Scully points out (quite logically) that they have been letting life pass them by while grasping at the vague hope of answers and proof. In that moment, Scully once again reaffirms that she is fully invested in Mulder’s quest; note how she is equally sure that Top Secret flights are being conducted. At the same time, she’s wondering if they would be better served by abandoning the search and finding a new way to live. (And for those looking for hints of romance, there is the unspoken assumption that this “normal life” would be together.)
The series had long since embraced self-parody, though the earliest examples were quite clever and even literary in scope. The sixth season was the beginning of a general slide towards forced humor. In this case, the more serious implications of a switch between Mulder and a “man in black” are mated with gags and jokes that are perhaps more appropriate to “Freaky Friday”. While some moments are amusing, some are downright silly and poorly executed. (The infamous “mirror scene”, for instance, is horribly done and far too long, with the two actors out of step on several occasions.)
One obvious problem with the gag was Scully’s reaction to Morris. (For simplicity’s sake, the controlling “personality” will be referenced, regardless of the body in use at the time!). It simply took too long for Scully to come around to the idea that something unusual was taking place (he called her “Dana”!). Given how often these two have been the victim of such a switch, thanks to shapeshifters, one would think that they have a simple protocol for ensuring identity. At the very least, Scully might wonder if Mulder has been adversely affected by something, especially when he started making passes at other women and treating her like a piece of meat (Mulder’s use/misuse of authority with Scully has always shown itself in a very different way).
Also over the top was Mrs. Fletcher and the rest of the Fletcher household. She comes across as a completely unreasonable harridan, and the kids are stereotypically out of control. Duchovny plays these “family” scenes very broadly, which is clearly meant to be amusing and a showcase of his comedic talents. While there are some truly funny scenes throughout (Mulder mumbling Scully’s name after falling asleep watching porn is particularly priceless), they don’t mesh particularly well with the idea of a mythology episode.
From the standpoint of the mythology, this episode actually touches on some core concepts, most notably the distinction between the body and the soul/spirit/intelligence. Apply a strong enough EM field, out of control as per the unbalanced propulsion methods under test by the conspiracy for their UFOs, and it has an unexpected effect. Why only certain people find themselves thus affected by the unusual properties of the damaged hyperspace propulsion engine is unknown; one might suppose that it is tied to the unique genetic properties of those more likely to survive separation of mind and body. (Mulder, of course, known to have the latent abilities of the “sentinels”, as William’s father.)
By showing what happens when the engines for the “UFOs” don’t work correctly, the writers essentially bring to mind the power and technology necessary to make it in the first place. Long-time fans might remember “Synchrony” and how it meshes hyperspace wormhole travel with manipulation of space-time, but this brings the question down to the quantum level. In essence, the malfunctioning hyperspace drive has resulted in a wave of improbability; events that normally are impossible (two objects occupying the same space and time and surviving) are now made possible. The comment about gravity being incorporated in the propulsion system speaks to a depth of knowledge in advanced physics akin to the “Grand Unified Theory”, merging electro-magnetism, quantum mechanics, and gravity as one single type of force expression.
In switching Mulder with Morris (and vice versa), smaller but interesting aspects of the conspiracy and the mythology reveal themselves. The conspiracy has been working on building the hyperspace drives since before 1953, which fits neatly into the established timelines. One of the more interesting toss-away jokes has been the idea of Saddam Hussein as stooge of the conspiracy, an actor playing a role. While this is a nice enough joke, it actually fits into the idea of a conspiracy using manufactured wars to test emerging “super-soldier” technology. In fact, the Persian Gulf Conflict has been revealed as the testing ground for everything from the nanotech-driven super-soldiers to vaccines against Purity.
There’s also the small matter of Kersh and his role within the conspiracy. He has leveled several threats at Mulder and Scully, and they have proven ineffectual at best. While it helps play up the big differences between Mulder and Morris, it also begs the question: why doesn’t Kersh follow through? The answer is relatively simple. Cancer Man contrived the situation where Mulder and Scully are on a short leash, but he also wants them to keep acting in accordance with their agenda to further his own. It is, at this point, critical that he have the ability to push the agents where he needs them to guide and control the Syndicate.
Without the comic relief scenes, however, the concept adds little to the overall mythology. It’s been established for some time that the conspiracy has agents assigned to keeping the effects of their experiments under wraps and out of the public eye. In fact, Mulder and Scully have been used to cover any slips with disinformation (something that goes back to the first season). With such a thin story, the plot could have been covered in a single episode without the cute scenes with Mulder and Morris each dealing with the lifestyle quirks of the other. In the end, the whole idea of Mulder getting framed by Morris (in a more complicated version of his original intent, as seen in the next episode) is a poor excuse for the “body switch” story.
On the other hand, as fun as Morris can be, despite the forced comedy, there’s the sense that the two-part format could have played well if the plot and character work had taken a darker turn. As threatened as Mulder becomes by the end, the sense of threat is relatively low-key. Mulder should feel a lot more threatened, and for that matter, Morris could be played with a more sinister flare. It’s something that would be missing from the series until its creative resurgence in the eighth season: that dark and oppressive atmosphere.
Memorable Quotes
SCULLY: “Don’t you ever just want to stop? Get out of the damn car? Settle down and live something approaching a normal life?”
MULDER: “This is a normal life!”
CHRIS: “You said you’d give me an answer today.”
JOANNE: “Her nose. You said you’d give her an answer about her nose!”
MULDER: “Um…I think…I think she’s a little young for plastic surgery, don’t you think?”
JOANNE: “Oh, for God’s sake, Morris…a nose ring! She said she wants a nose ring!”
CHRIS: “I hate you! I wish you were dead!”
MULDER: “Well, my work here is done. Have a nice day…”
SCULLY: “You don’t think that we should follow up on this?”
MORRIS: “Are you out of your pretty little mind?”
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode seems to be designed for the newer members of the audience, since it focuses on the less serious aspects of the series at the expense of the overall mythology. In many respects, this begins a trend of lightening up the series to the point of losing sight of its distinctive darkness. Despite some interesting ideas related to the mythology, the episode is held back by tired comic gags.
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 6/10
Directed by Kim Manners
In which Mulder is contacted by someone claiming to work at Area 51, but when he arrives at the rendezvous, an odd occurrence with an apparent UFO adds a few complications…
Status Report
Starting with the fifth season, the FOX network was more than happy to begin the season for “X-Files” late in the fall, thus shortening the time between the premiere and the episodes coinciding with the November sweeps period. The effect during the fifth season was minimal; however, the effect for the sixth season forced a two-part “mythology” story very early in the season (about two episodes earlier than usual).
While this threw the structure of the season into a bit of turmoil, it also gave the audience an early look at how the sixth season would progress, primarily in terms of how the mythology would be treated after “Fight the Future”. The result was an odd amalgam of the “XF-lite” mentality that would plague the series for the next two seasons and core concepts at the heart of the mythology itself.
Oddly, this is one of the few mythology episodes that doesn’t hinge on an intricate knowledge of the conspiracy. In fact, only the most general knowledge of the conspiracy is required for the story to work. No doubt, this was by design, since new viewers drawn to the series after the film and media frenzy would be looking for a relatively simple introduction to the world inhabited by Mulder and Scully.
This particular concept is useful because it forces the writers to demonstrate why Mulder and Scully are distinct. Once Mulder and Morris Fletcher switch bodies (in a moment that seems awfully convenient but fits within the mythology remarkably well), Morris quickly demonstrates who Mulder is by acting completely different from Mulder. Scully’s expectations teach the audience what to expect, and in turn, her reactions to drastically different situations teach the audience about her personality.
One might be sorely tempted to ask why this story didn’t come right after the premiere, given the utility of the concept. While “Drive” was a neatly generic yet revealing tale that helped long-time fans appreciate how Mulder and Scully were dealing with their post-“X-Files” world, “Triangle” was more about the iconic versions of Mulder and Scully as known to the popular culture of 1998. By using the iconic versions of the main characters and the time-slip plot device, “Triangle” gave the savvy new audience a complex look at how Mulder perceives those around him, friend and enemy alike.
So the theme early in the sixth season was re-introduction to the characters of Mulder and Scully. It was about showing the new viewers who these people were without committing a blatant rehash. This fed into the idea of Mulder and Scully as mythic individuals, legendary to the point of having outlandish adventures that proved their unique bond. All well and good, but at the same time, the writers struggled with the challenge of doing so without letting the stories themselves slip in the process.
The opening scene is directly related to that mission statement. Scully points out (quite logically) that they have been letting life pass them by while grasping at the vague hope of answers and proof. In that moment, Scully once again reaffirms that she is fully invested in Mulder’s quest; note how she is equally sure that Top Secret flights are being conducted. At the same time, she’s wondering if they would be better served by abandoning the search and finding a new way to live. (And for those looking for hints of romance, there is the unspoken assumption that this “normal life” would be together.)
The series had long since embraced self-parody, though the earliest examples were quite clever and even literary in scope. The sixth season was the beginning of a general slide towards forced humor. In this case, the more serious implications of a switch between Mulder and a “man in black” are mated with gags and jokes that are perhaps more appropriate to “Freaky Friday”. While some moments are amusing, some are downright silly and poorly executed. (The infamous “mirror scene”, for instance, is horribly done and far too long, with the two actors out of step on several occasions.)
One obvious problem with the gag was Scully’s reaction to Morris. (For simplicity’s sake, the controlling “personality” will be referenced, regardless of the body in use at the time!). It simply took too long for Scully to come around to the idea that something unusual was taking place (he called her “Dana”!). Given how often these two have been the victim of such a switch, thanks to shapeshifters, one would think that they have a simple protocol for ensuring identity. At the very least, Scully might wonder if Mulder has been adversely affected by something, especially when he started making passes at other women and treating her like a piece of meat (Mulder’s use/misuse of authority with Scully has always shown itself in a very different way).
Also over the top was Mrs. Fletcher and the rest of the Fletcher household. She comes across as a completely unreasonable harridan, and the kids are stereotypically out of control. Duchovny plays these “family” scenes very broadly, which is clearly meant to be amusing and a showcase of his comedic talents. While there are some truly funny scenes throughout (Mulder mumbling Scully’s name after falling asleep watching porn is particularly priceless), they don’t mesh particularly well with the idea of a mythology episode.
From the standpoint of the mythology, this episode actually touches on some core concepts, most notably the distinction between the body and the soul/spirit/intelligence. Apply a strong enough EM field, out of control as per the unbalanced propulsion methods under test by the conspiracy for their UFOs, and it has an unexpected effect. Why only certain people find themselves thus affected by the unusual properties of the damaged hyperspace propulsion engine is unknown; one might suppose that it is tied to the unique genetic properties of those more likely to survive separation of mind and body. (Mulder, of course, known to have the latent abilities of the “sentinels”, as William’s father.)
By showing what happens when the engines for the “UFOs” don’t work correctly, the writers essentially bring to mind the power and technology necessary to make it in the first place. Long-time fans might remember “Synchrony” and how it meshes hyperspace wormhole travel with manipulation of space-time, but this brings the question down to the quantum level. In essence, the malfunctioning hyperspace drive has resulted in a wave of improbability; events that normally are impossible (two objects occupying the same space and time and surviving) are now made possible. The comment about gravity being incorporated in the propulsion system speaks to a depth of knowledge in advanced physics akin to the “Grand Unified Theory”, merging electro-magnetism, quantum mechanics, and gravity as one single type of force expression.
In switching Mulder with Morris (and vice versa), smaller but interesting aspects of the conspiracy and the mythology reveal themselves. The conspiracy has been working on building the hyperspace drives since before 1953, which fits neatly into the established timelines. One of the more interesting toss-away jokes has been the idea of Saddam Hussein as stooge of the conspiracy, an actor playing a role. While this is a nice enough joke, it actually fits into the idea of a conspiracy using manufactured wars to test emerging “super-soldier” technology. In fact, the Persian Gulf Conflict has been revealed as the testing ground for everything from the nanotech-driven super-soldiers to vaccines against Purity.
There’s also the small matter of Kersh and his role within the conspiracy. He has leveled several threats at Mulder and Scully, and they have proven ineffectual at best. While it helps play up the big differences between Mulder and Morris, it also begs the question: why doesn’t Kersh follow through? The answer is relatively simple. Cancer Man contrived the situation where Mulder and Scully are on a short leash, but he also wants them to keep acting in accordance with their agenda to further his own. It is, at this point, critical that he have the ability to push the agents where he needs them to guide and control the Syndicate.
Without the comic relief scenes, however, the concept adds little to the overall mythology. It’s been established for some time that the conspiracy has agents assigned to keeping the effects of their experiments under wraps and out of the public eye. In fact, Mulder and Scully have been used to cover any slips with disinformation (something that goes back to the first season). With such a thin story, the plot could have been covered in a single episode without the cute scenes with Mulder and Morris each dealing with the lifestyle quirks of the other. In the end, the whole idea of Mulder getting framed by Morris (in a more complicated version of his original intent, as seen in the next episode) is a poor excuse for the “body switch” story.
On the other hand, as fun as Morris can be, despite the forced comedy, there’s the sense that the two-part format could have played well if the plot and character work had taken a darker turn. As threatened as Mulder becomes by the end, the sense of threat is relatively low-key. Mulder should feel a lot more threatened, and for that matter, Morris could be played with a more sinister flare. It’s something that would be missing from the series until its creative resurgence in the eighth season: that dark and oppressive atmosphere.
Memorable Quotes
SCULLY: “Don’t you ever just want to stop? Get out of the damn car? Settle down and live something approaching a normal life?”
MULDER: “This is a normal life!”
CHRIS: “You said you’d give me an answer today.”
JOANNE: “Her nose. You said you’d give her an answer about her nose!”
MULDER: “Um…I think…I think she’s a little young for plastic surgery, don’t you think?”
JOANNE: “Oh, for God’s sake, Morris…a nose ring! She said she wants a nose ring!”
CHRIS: “I hate you! I wish you were dead!”
MULDER: “Well, my work here is done. Have a nice day…”
SCULLY: “You don’t think that we should follow up on this?”
MORRIS: “Are you out of your pretty little mind?”
Final Analysis
Overall, this episode seems to be designed for the newer members of the audience, since it focuses on the less serious aspects of the series at the expense of the overall mythology. In many respects, this begins a trend of lightening up the series to the point of losing sight of its distinctive darkness. Despite some interesting ideas related to the mythology, the episode is held back by tired comic gags.
Writing: 1/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 6/10
posted by John Keegan | 11:51
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