Timothy McGee has a big problem in NCIS. Sean Murray’s character was vying for the promotion to NCIS deputy director in NCIS season 22, episode 1, “Empty Nest.” McGee failed to secure the promotion, losing the position to former Department of Defense Inspector General Gabrielle LaRoche. McGee’s aspirations revealed that Parker’s senior field agent feels he’s outgrown his Major Case Response Team (MCRT) rank. Still, there’s relatively little growth for McGee outside a promotion to director or deputy director, which isn’t currently in the cards.
McGee decided to advance his career after a six-month time gap following the NCIS season 21 finale. The senior field agent initially turned down a promotion to lead MCRT following the exit of Agent in Charge Gibbs, citing that he didn’t want the desk job. Still, McGee’s brief stint as temporary NCIS director in the 1000th episode of NCIS may have bolstered his confidence and convinced him to advance. To cap off the front half of Tim’s journey in season 22, NCIS delivered an unexpected twist in McGee’s career, giving him leverage in his current dilemma.
NCIS Season 22 Mid-Season Finale Brings Back McGee’s Writer Persona
McGee Returns To His Thom E. Gemcity Persona
In NCIS season 22’s mid-season finale, McGee found a reason to revive his author persona, Thom E. Gemcity. McGee’s pen name and side hustle as a fictional crime thriller novelist reentered the discussion in NCIS season 22, episode 9, “Humbug,” as MCRT investigated the leaked excerpts of a tell-all novel that threatened to derail a critical Veteran’s bill. The team gaining access to the manuscript was crucial to staying one step ahead, and McGee had the idea to, as Thom E. Gemcity, contact the book’s publicist to see if the team could gain access to Marley Jaggers’ complete Darkness at Dawn.
Despite hesitation from Seamus Dever’s NCIS Deputy Director Gabrielle LaRoche, McGee’s plan worked. He and Jess met Marley Jaggers’ publicist, Martin Gates, with McGee going quasi-undercover as Mr. Gemcity and Jess posing as his manager. Agent Knight convinces Gates to surrender the Darkness at Dawn manuscript, exchanging the tell-all for a copy of Thom E. Gemcity’s next crime thriller. While McGee hesitates to agree to the deal, he ultimately caves, admitting that he has completed his next book.
Thom E. Gemcity Could Be McGee’s Post-MCRT Career
Timothy McGee Has An Opportunity To Advance His Career
While McGee and Knight’s undercover operation is a ruse to advance their case, it has real consequences. Assuming Tim surrenders his next novel to secure the tell-all manuscript, Thom E. Gemcity’s next novel is officially in the pipeline — and McGee could unwittingly revamp his career. The development comes at a time when McGee is feeling unsatisfied with his role on MCRT. McGee can explore his career and write full-time following the development, providing him with the regular hours that Delilah desires. By revitalizing his career, McGee can advance outside MCRT, partially fixing NCIS’ unsolvable Timothy McGee problem.
While it would be sad for Tim to bid farewell to the team he’s served for 20 years, he admitted to Parker in NCIS season 22, episode 3, “The Trouble with Hal,” that he wants something new. If a substantial opportunity arrives for Tim to choose between NCIS and his career with a pen, the crossroads would cause the agency to find a way to meet McGee’s demands. McGee can leave MCRT anytime he wants with a career alternative on the table, and that could be the agent’s best leverage moving forward in NCIS season 22.
Will McGee Really Leave NCIS?
Anything Could Happen
NCIS season 22 has been an exciting outing, and McGee’s story is one of the most compelling narratives. McGee didn’t advance much in season 21, but his story has provided a solid basis for twists and turns in the 2024-2025 outing. With a viable career alternative on the table and NCIS season 22 establishing the perfect Timothy McGee replacement, NCIS could set up McGee to retire from the agency and turn over a new leaf. Still, the NCIS producers haven’t signaled McGee is eyeing the exit, and McGee’s story could play out unexpectedly in the back half of the season.
It’s good to know that McGee is seen for his efforts outside NCIS and has a creative solution to fall back on if he needs a way out.
All the commotion surrounding McGee’s character could be to give him the NCIS advancement he deserves. With the agency suspecting a mole in their ranks, McGee could still become NCIS deputy director if LaRoche is proven guilty. Likewise, with NCIS teasing Leon Vance’s retirement, McGee could ultimately become NCIS director, allowing him to stick close to the team while providing satisfying advancement. Regardless, it’s good to know that McGee is seen for his efforts outside NCIS and has a creative solution to fall back on if he needs a way out of his dilemma in NCIS season 22.