Warning! Spoilers ahead for the NCIS season 22 premiere.At the end of its premiere, NCIS Season 22 officially decides the fate of Timothy McGee on the Major Case Response Team. CBS’ #1 procedural drama is back after the summer break with a riveting case that involved some creative timing. in NCIS Season 22, Episode 1, “Empty Nest,” Alden Parker finds the bullpen empty, until Nick Torres’ low call forces him to reach out to Jessica Knight, who is already based at Camp Pendleton for help. In the end, the case is solved, but as it turns out, there’s still a bigger problem out there, especially for McGee.
Currently, there are no more original cast members in the active roster of the show, leaving Sean Murray’s McGee as the longest-serving active player in MCRT. The character was introduced a few episodes after that NCIS pilot and was eventually promoted to a series regular. This reflects McGee’s personal story in the series, starting as a Probie and now, as his senior field agent. He has worked with all iterations of these NCIS Figure. Having been with NCIS for so long, it’s understandable that McGee wants to move up in his professional career.
What happens to McGee who wants to become Deputy Director at NCIS
McGee fails to secure the promotion
While Torres is undercover and Knight is at Camp Pendleton, McGee is left in the district, but he is also busy with his own efforts in “Empty Nest”. As it turns out, in the six-month period jump since the NCIS Season 21 finale, he started working on securing a promotion to be the agency’s Deputy Director. Interestingly, this is a role that is barely used in the show, as the main cast only includes director Leon Vance and the rest of MCRT.
While Parker flies to Los Angeles to be on the ground with Knight when they find Torres, McGee runs point at Navy Yard, primarily because he is also in the process of doing interviews, including one on the Hill.
It was only in NCIS season 10 that it was prominently incorporated into the show’s narrative when Deputy director Jerome Craig stepped in to take over as director While Vance is mourning the death of his wife. Since then, there is no mention of the role – until McGee’s desire to secure the place brings it back. While Parker flies to Los Angeles to be on the ground with Knight when they find Torres, McGee runs point at Navy Yard, primarily because he is also in the process of doing interviews, including one on the Hill.
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Unfortunately, despite his stellar record and loyal service, Vance informs McGee that he, unfortunately, was not chosen to be the next NCIS Deputy Director. Instead, the job was given to a brand new character, Seamus Dever’s Gabriel LaRoche. Before accepting the gig, he served as the Department of Justice (DOJ) inspector general, who also happened to be involved in the Torres/cartel case. McGee is understandably horrified, though Vance reassures him that he’s appreciated for all the work he’s done for MCRT.
Why McGee can’t become Deputy Director
Promoting McGee would drastically change NCIS
Ideally, McGee would get the role. After more than 20 years in the agency solving so many high-profile cases and risking his life one too many times, he has proven his worth time and time again. Admittedly, the character suddenly paying for a promotion is a bit surprising. Previously, he was offered the role of MCRT’s leader on the heels of Leroy Jethro Gibbs’ exit in NCIS season 19, but he turned it down. “Empty Nest” also doesn’t provide enough backstory to understand Murray’s character’s change of heart.
…NCIS can’t afford to lose McGee at this point, considering the successful big exits over the past few years starting with Eli Bishop, Gibbs, and just last season, Ducky Mallard.
While it is No doubt that McGee would be the perfect person to be the next NCIS Deputy DirectorGoing this route poses big challenges for the show going forward. As previously mentioned, the role has barely existed, let alone been compelling over the past 21 seasons. Murray’s character securing the promotion would risk him doing less field work and more paperwork – something he doesn’t like to do. Except this one NCIS Can’t afford to lose McGee at this point, considering the successful big exits in the last few years starting with Eli Bishop, Gibbs, and just last season, Ducky Mallard.
What does the future hold for Sean Murray’s McGee in NCIS?
McGee has a new mission at hand
That McGee was turned down for the job was heartbreaking for him. That said, he doesn’t really have time to wonder, considering that LaRoche is the suspected agency mole in NCIS Season 22, Episode 1. He, Parker, and Torres had just discussed the matter when Vance called him to deliver the bad news. “Empty Nest” ends on something of a cliffhanger, as LaRoche officially introduces himself. He is broken, but considerate McGee’s previous experience with traitors in NCISIt is safe to say that he will waste no time in proving that the new deputy director is indeed a mole.