 Jesse Schedeen of IGN gave the episode a 7.9 out of 10, saying "While it may not rank among the show's best, "Pilling Them Softly" wasn't a bad way to kick off "Family Guy"s 14th season.Both halves of the episode provided a steady (if not heavy) level of humor, with solid spoofs of George R.R Martin and Iron Chef and even offering up a little social commentary to boot.As much as this show has struggled creatively in the last couple years, this is a promising start to the new season."