▁Ver let zt " ▁are ▁not ▁s tere ot yp ical ▁Christians , ▁but ▁rather , ▁devil ▁wor sh ipp ers . ▁She ar man ▁and ▁Pear son ▁compare ▁Mrs . ▁P add ock — which ▁the ▁episode ▁ins inu ates ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁devil ▁inc arn ate — coming ▁to ▁Mil ford ▁H aven , ▁New ▁Ham pshire ▁to ▁judge ▁his ▁follow ers ▁to ▁St . ▁Paul ▁" coming ▁back ▁and ▁taking ▁a ▁pop ▁at ▁all ▁fair ▁weather ▁Christians ▁who ▁only ▁aff irm ▁their ▁faith ▁at ▁their ▁own ▁convenience ." ▁ ▁Em ily ▁Van Der W er ff ▁of ▁The ▁A . V . ▁Club ▁noted ▁the ▁rec urr ing ▁mot if ▁of ▁doors . ▁She ▁highlight ed ▁various ▁examples — such ▁as ▁the ▁light ▁em an ating ▁behind ▁the ▁door ▁in ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁episode , ▁the ▁door ▁in ▁which ▁Mrs . ▁P add ock ▁h ides ▁when ▁she ▁k ills ▁people , ▁and ▁the ▁door ▁to ▁Mr . ▁Aus bury ' s ▁bas ement ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁Sat an ic ▁rit uals ▁took ▁place — not ing ▁that ▁" there ' s ▁the ▁whole ▁notion ▁of ▁opening ▁a ▁door ▁to ▁another ▁world ▁and ▁letting ▁an ▁ancient ▁evil ▁into ▁our ▁own ". ▁ ▁Re ception ▁ ▁Rat ings ▁" Die ▁Hand ▁Die ▁Ver let zt " ▁premier ed ▁on ▁the ▁Fox ▁network ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁The ▁episode ▁earned ▁a ▁N iel sen ▁household ▁rating ▁of ▁ 1 0 . 7 ,