“Dreamland” was a two part episode so I will review them together. While this story is about UFOs and UFO technology it doesn’t really delve into the mythology story-line too much. In this episode, Mulder and Scully go snooping around Area 51 because of a tip they received about UFO activity. They are stopped by “Men in Black” on the highway outside of the base. While they are detained, what appears to be an alien spacecraft flies overhead. Afterwards, you find that Mulder and one of the agents have switched bodies but of course no one knows it except them. What you eventually learn is that the military is experimenting with UFO technology that they have not perfected. One of the side effects of the propulsion system being used is the generation of a warp field that causes strange things to happen such as matter (including living things) being embedded inside of other matter and apparently people switching bodies.
The plot of this episode mostly revolves around Mulder trying to convince Scully that it is really him and figure out a solution to the problem. It is interesting and sometimes funny to watch Mulder try to fit into Fletcher’s (the other agent) life without arousing suspension and likewise the interaction of Fletcher and Scully as he halfheartedly pretends to be Mulder.
Some people have criticized this episode for it’s comedic aspects. While there is certainly some comedy I find this a good thing in the show from time to time and I found it to be a good thing in this episode. Other criticism has been that this really shouldn’t have been a two-part episode but instead shortened to a regular episode. I tend to agree that it does seem a strange choice for a two-part episode. However, I though they did a good job with it and I was never bored. While it probably could have been compressed into a single episode, the extra length did not seem to hurt it. They made the story interesting and the comedy aspects of it were a plus and not over the top in my opinion.
If you don’t like any comedy in your X-Files then avoid this episode but I would give it 4/5 stars.