Ross Ruediger from "Slant Magazine" wrote that the episode "may be the crowning achievement" of "Doctor Who"s second series. Ruediger called it an episode "for the new millennium" as he thought it "could never exist under the banner of the old series." He called it a "thought-provoking piece", and wrote that episodes like this could not be broadcast every week since it "would be too taxing on the average viewer's brain". IGN's Matt Wales ranked "The Girl in the Fireplace" the third best Tennant "Doctor Who" story, calling it "one of "Doctor Who"s most touching adventures".