There’s something truly special about a TV show that can go 22 seasons and still have a dedicated fanbase glued to their screens week after week. That’s the magic of NCIS, a show that’s seen it all, from love to loss and high-stakes drama, alongside almost 500 episodes of pure action.
Over the years, NCIS has become the longest-running U.S. primetime live-action procedural. With such an extended run, there’s undertandably been a constant shuffle of characters in and out of the show, but the few that have remained have allowed the heart and soul of NCIS to keep beating strong.
Among those is Timothy McGee, played by actor Sean Murray, who has become an irreplaceable part of the team. McGee recently ran for the position of NCIS Deputy Director, and the most recent episode delivered the ultimate conclusion. For most fans, the shift appeared to indicate that McGee will be taking on additional tasks behind the scenes, away from the fieldwork we’ve been so accustomed to watching.
But, given recent developments, might this be an elaborate cover for McGee’s gradual withdrawal from NCIS, or worse, a surprise exit from the show entirely?
McGee passed over for NCIS Deputy Director
After being apart for so long, the squad unexpectedly reunites after Torres’ cover is exposed, forcing an urgent inquiry to discover who revealed his identity. As they successfully locate the person giving information to the cartel, a deeper mystery emerges, and that’s the existence of a mole within NCIS.
The team’s suspicions shift to Department of Justice Inspector General Gabriel LaRoche (Seamus Dever), who has been secretly examining NCIS. Things take a shocking turn when McGee, who was hoped to be chosen Deputy Director, discovers that he has not only lost his post but that it has been given to LaRoche.
Now our beloved McGee, after years of dedication, finds himself passed over for the promotion, and that naturally leaves him disappointed. We can already deduce that the big bad this season is definitely Laroche, but the decision to give such power to someone as potentially dangerous as him hints at major turmoil within NCIS, setting the stage for a tense and dramatic season ahead.
Where does this leave McGee and NCIS going forward this season?
McGee missing out on the Deputy Director position is disappointing, especially after the emotional and professional journey he has been on since the early days of NCIS. But does this mean McGee’s time on the show is coming to an end? Well, not necessarily.
While McGee’s failure to get promoted is disappointing, it does not mean he is leaving NCIS. If anything, it adds a new level of drama to his tale, which has the potential to be one of the most intriguing of the season.
McGee has been a team stalwart for years, and just because he did not get the top post does not imply his fieldwork or leadership role is finished. If anything, this setback may motivate him to re-establish himself as a valuable component of the squad, giving fans an opportunity to see him in a fresh light.
Murray himself has commented on the future of his character in the past, saying earlier this year that while he maintains the status of the show’s longest-running cast member, “no one is quite safe” in terms of their chracters’ fate, adding that “you never know what’s going to happen.” Fans will just have to wait and see how the rest of the season unfolds, and whether McGee still has a place in the NCIS team.