Laura Morgan of All About Soap commented positively on the concluding episode of the series saying "we think it’s safe to say they saved the best till last. It was scandalous, scary, shocking and… well, frankly, blinkin’ brilliant!" She added that Emmett J Scanlan’s portrayal of Brendan was "off the scale" during the series, saying she felt that there were several "jaw-dropping" Brendan scenes. Morgan went on to say that "we were on the edge of our seats as Mitzeee finally caught up with evil nemesis Mercy, and held a knife to her throat, and left shouting at our TV screens when foolish Theresa decided a life on the run with bad boy Joel was preferable to staying in Hollyoaks and looking after Kathleen Angel. Shot like a slick movie, Hollyoaks Later had a bit of everything, and we’re gutted that it’s all over for another year… Talk about going out with a bang, though!" Inside Soap columnist Sarah said that viewers of the series will "no doubt be hooked" like herself, adding that the series ends on "a massive cliffhanger that will leave you on the edge of your seat!"
