 IGN's Ramsey Isler rated the episode 7.5 / 10, writing "This week's episode wasn 't an edge-of-your seat masterpiece, but it scores high marks for character development and putting the pieces in place for a great season finale." Like Hanson, Isler loved the outcome of Peter and the machine, calling it a "nice plot twist"; he also praised Blair Brown as "one of the many under-appreciated elements of the series." Writing for Mania.com, critic Kurt Anthony Krug acknowledged the episode "had a tough act to follow" after the previous week's episode, but stated "it's still pretty good". Sarah Stegall from SFScope was happy to see Peter "taking a more active role" with the machine plotline, but disliked the episode's religious elements, believing that Walter's scene in the church "felt forced". Stegall concluded her review noting "This episode felt like the first part of a chess game, as the pieces are arranged on the board. The big move is coming up, the endgame that will decide who wins and who loses".
