| "3" | |
|---|---|
| The X-Files episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 2 Episode 7 |
| Directed by | David Nutter |
| Written by | |
| Production code | 2X07 |
| Original air date | November 4, 1994 |
| Running time | 45 minutes |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"3" is the seventh episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series The X-Files. First broadcast on the Fox network on November 4, 1994, the episode was written by Glen Morgan, James Wong and Chris Ruppenthal, directed by David Nutter, and featured guest appearances by Perrey Reeves and Malcolm Stewart.
The episode is a "Monster-of-the-Week" story, unconnected to the series' wider mythology. Following on from the abduction of Dana Scully in the previous episode, "Ascension", "3" was the first episode of The X-Files not to feature series star Gillian Anderson. The episode earned 9 million households during its first broadcast and received mixed reviews from both critics and the show's cast and crew.
The show centers on FBI agents Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) and Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) who work on cases linked to the paranormal, called X-files. In the episode, Mulder is brought in to investigate a series of ritualistic murders in Los Angeles, which he initially believes were the work of a cult. However, it turns out that the perpetrators are a group of vampires.