"Meet John Smith" is the third episode of the first season of the American mystery television series Veronica Mars.

The episode, written by Jed Seidel and directed by Harry Winer, premiered on UPN on October 12, 2004.

The series depicts the adventures of Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) as she deals with life as a high school student while moonlighting as a private detective.

In this episode, Veronica helps a boy, Justin Smith (Bobby Edner) track down his long-lost father.

After a group of boys point out Veronica and call her a "9," Troy Vandegraff comes up to her and invites her on a trip on his father's boat.

After school, Keith Mars (Enrico Colantoni) questions Veronica about why her guidance counselor called that day.

Veronica dodges his questions and tells him her realization that her mother was having an affair with Jake Kane (Kyle Secor).

Veronica accepts Troy's proposal to go out, while Duncan talks with Logan (Jason Dohring) about his disappointment towards his new girlfriend, Shelly.

Meanwhile, the guidance counselor, Rebecca James (Paula Marshall) meets with Keith and tells him that Veronica talks back to teachers, is late, and is socially isolated.

Wallace retrieves Justin's guidance counselor file, which contains records that his father died when he was in first grade.

He sees Veronica and Troy talking (and eventually kissing), and flips over the side of the bleachers in anger and jealousy.

Series regulars Eli "Weevil" Navarro (Francis Capra) and Mallory Dent (Sydney Tamiia Poitier) do not appear in "Meet John Smith."

In addition, future Oscar winner Melissa Leo guest stars as Justin's biological father.

This episode's title refers to Justin searching for and eventually finding and meeting his father, John Smith, who is now called Julia.

She also wrote that "[he] admires the maturity with which the show handled the potentially hot-button issue of transgendered people and transphobia.