The review called the episode a "frustratingly provocative cliff-hanger", calling the interrogation scene of Jeremiah Smith "a tour de force". Chris Carter has also noted that the interrogation 'is really a summation of my feelings about science ... that it has definitely usurped religion and can explain everything now".
The assessment described the episode as an "exasperatingly intriguing finale", commending the intense questioning of Jeremiah Smith as a tour de force. Chris Carter has also stated that the interrogation serves as a representation of his feelings about science's dominance over religion, which is conveyed in this episode.