 Ben Rawson @-@ Jones of Digital Spy gave the episode three stars out of five . His opening said " Fantastic effects and a well developed moral dilemma bolster ' The Fires Of Pompeii ' , although the episode fails to erupt . " Rawson @-@ Jones felt that Moran 's script took " too long to actively engage the viewer and tap into the compelling premise of the time travellers arriving in the doomed city shortly before ' volcano day ' . " and that " the subplots are <unk> muddled for the majority of the narrative . " He also complained about the characterisation of the supporting cast , saying that " Peter Capaldi and Phil Davis [ deserved ] better " . However , he said the moral dilemma the Doctor faced was " compelling " and the Doctor 's use of the water pistol " adds a pleasing sense of fun to counterbalance the impending stench of death and harks nicely back to the Tom Baker era of the show . " Overall , he appreciated the premise of the episode , but thought the episode " deserved better writing " . 
