The Nature of Body Swap Episodes
Farscape 0209-Out Of Their Minds-Crichton, Aeryn Rygel
Body swap episodes are always an interesting addition to a TV show, and some can execute the concept very well. This form of story telling doesn't just allow familiar characters to be shown in a new light, but the show's actors are also given the rare opportunity to play a different character within the same world. Certain body swap stories tend to stick to the classic template, whereas others enjoy reworking the idea.
Klaus' rotting body and Stan Smith skiing down a steep incline in American Dad
The nature of a body swap can depend on various factors, one of which being the nature of the show in question. Some TV writers make use of fictional technology to achieve the feat, whereas others use more mystical explanations for how characters trade places. The trope isn't limited to live-action, with animated properties also exploring the narrative possibilities that can arise from a body swap story.
Unconventional Body Swap Episodes
Doctor Who - New Earth - Cassandra becomes The Doctor
Body swaps aren't limited to people, as proven by 'Da Flippity Flop.' Klaus, the family fish in American Dad! is already a man trapped in the body of an animal. The episode involves endless requests from Klaus for Stan to use his connections at the CIA to restore Klaus to his original body. The use of fictional technology is the lesser-explored route in body swap episodes, so the use of CIA resources pushes the story into the realm of science-fiction.
Stories involving a body swap can be difficult to follow, and even more so when it's more than two characters changing places. When Moya is hit with an alien weapon, the essence of her various crewmembers all switch places. 'Out Of Their Minds' is a rare breed of body swap episode due to the constant changing of which character is in whose body, but that same reason is what makes the episode work so well.
Ben Browder as Crichton, Claudia Black as Aeryn Sun, and Anthony Simcoe as Ka D'Argo, all standing in a line looking confused with pictures of each other around their necks.
In an act of heroism gone wrong, Clark Kent swapping places with Lionel Luther becomes the ultimate trial. Oftentimes, the only way to strip Clark of his powers is with Kryptonite, but Smallville found a new way to put the famed hero on the back foot. Trapped in prison within Lionel's body, Clark's immense level of fortitude serves as a preview of his future as a superhero. Against all odds, Clark wins the David and Goliath story by outwitting the man in his body and switching back, showing that not all of his talents come from his alien heritage.
Tom Welling as Clark Kent and John Glover as Lionel Luther sitting across from each other over a prison table in Smallville
Memorable Moments and Creative Choices
Star Trek Voyager - The Doctor (Seven of Nine) discovers cheesecake and alcohol - 4K AI upscale
Choosing which characters should change places is an important decision when a body swap episode is being put together. In The X-Files, a frontrunner for the reversed pair should have been partners Mulder and Scully. In the end, the show avoids being predictable and makes Mulder swap places with Michael McKean's character, Morris Fletcher, in an accident that causes the two men to trade places.
David Duchovny as Agent Mulder as Michael McKean as Fletcher Morris standing by a mirror in the same pose in the X-Files
It's always exciting when a TV show brings back a villain, especially when they're used in a new way. As a character, Lady Cassandra is one of the weirdest aliens of new Who. 'The Last Human' is little more than a stretched-out piece of skin, so it's difficult to see Cassandra as a true threat. 'New Earth' reveals a new piece of technology she's acquired, which allows her to inhabit the body of another.
Billie Piper as Rose Tyler as she is inhabited by Cassandra in Doctor Who
Swapping bodies with a friend is one thing, but doing so with a sworn enemy is a completely different beast. In 'The Great Brain Robbery,' Lex Luthor and the Flash each find themselves behind enemy lines, and each has very different experiences while in the wrong body. The episode is effective in its exploration of the difference between good and evil, as the motivations of both men differ wildly while in each other's shoes.
The Flash looking scared in Justice League Unlimited
