3 , ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁It ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁Jeff rey ▁Bell , ▁directed ▁by ▁Kim ▁Mann ers . ▁The ▁episode ▁is ▁a ▁" Mon ster - of - the - Week " ▁story , ▁un connected ▁to ▁the ▁series ' ▁wider ▁myth ology . ▁" Sign s ▁and ▁W onders " ▁earned ▁a ▁N iel sen ▁household ▁rating ▁of ▁ 8 . 5 , ▁being ▁watched ▁by ▁ 1 3 . 8 6 ▁million ▁people ▁in ▁its ▁initial ▁broadcast . ▁The ▁episode ▁received ▁mixed ▁reviews ▁from ▁television ▁critics . ▁ ▁The ▁show ▁cent ers ▁on ▁F BI ▁special ▁agents ▁Fox ▁Mul der ▁( David ▁Duch ov ny ) ▁and ▁D ana ▁S cul ly ▁( G ill ian ▁Anderson ) ▁who ▁work ▁on ▁cases ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁par an ormal , ▁called ▁X - Files . ▁Mul der ▁is ▁a ▁bel ie ver ▁in ▁the ▁par an ormal , ▁while ▁the ▁ske pt ical ▁S cul ly ▁has ▁been ▁assigned ▁to ▁deb unk ▁his ▁work . ▁In ▁this ▁episode , ▁Mul der ▁and ▁S cul ly ▁investigate ▁the ▁Church ▁of ▁God ▁with ▁Sign s ▁and ▁W onders , ▁a ▁church ▁where ▁the ▁Bible ▁is ▁read ▁literally , ▁and ▁pun ishment ▁is ▁de alt ▁de ft ly , ▁after ▁a ▁small ▁town ▁church ▁is ▁the ▁site ▁of ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁rit ual istic - like ▁mur ders . ▁But ▁soon ▁the ▁agents ▁realize ▁that ▁the ▁difference ▁between ▁the ▁peace ful ▁religious ▁and ▁the ▁fan at ics ▁may ▁not ▁be ▁very