million viewers, ranking tied for 95 of 101 in the weekly rankings. Reviews The episode received very positive reviews, with many commenting favorably on how the episode handled transgender issues. Rowan Kaiser of The A.V. Club praised Duncan's characterization in the episode, stating that " 'Meet John Smith' fulfills the important role of introducing Duncan Kane as a character instead of simply a symbol of what Veronica lost after Lily [sic] Kane's murder." He also wrote that "[he] admires the maturity with which the show handled the potentially hot-button issue of transgendered people and transphobia." Price Peterson of TV.com lauded the episode. His episode verdict stated, "This [episode] was not only packed with mystery and satisfying reveals, it approached My So-Called Life levels of teen angst. So good." Laura Prudom of TV Fanatic gave the episode a 4.5 of 5. She also praised the handling of Justin's mother's transition. " 'Meet John Smith' was reassuringly judgement free about the exploration of gender identity, illustrating the value of looking beyond the surface of a person or situation before rushing to judgement, while resisting the urge to be preachy or condescending. If only more shows could treat LGBT issues so respectfully." References External links "Meet John Smith" at Mars Investigations 2004 American television episodes Transgender-related television episodes Veronica Mars (season 1) episodes American LGBT-related television episodes