 Erik Adams of The A.V. Club awarded the episode an "A" and called it "a series-best episode of The Office whose series-best status sneaks up on you". He was largely complimentary towards the way the episode built towards a climax, and followed various successful "setup-punchline rhythms". He also applauded the introduction of the Threatlevel: Midnight screenplay, calling it "a subplot so crucial to the mythology of the series, it would form the basis of an entire episode near the end of Steve Carell ’ s time in Scranton." Adams ultimately concluded that the episode is "a top-notch Office installment overall", thanks in large part to the Pam-Jim and Michael-Jan subplots and dynamics.
