NCIS Fans Want More of Timothy McGee’s Life as a Father
As a longtime NCIS viewer, I’ve followed the journey of Timothy McGee, played by Sean Murray, since I first stumbled upon the Season 3 episode “Bait” on USA Network back in 2008. While I started watching the show a few years into its run, I quickly caught up on earlier episodes, witnessing McGee’s growth from a “probie” in Season 1 to now having top billing in the opening credits. With the recent airing of the Season 22 episode “Hardboiled,” I find myself wishing the show would dive deeper into one specific part of McGee’s life: his role as a father.
What Happened With McGee and Jimmy in “Hardboiled”
This week’s episode featured a twist-filled case. It began with the murder of a key Office of Naval Research figure working on a next-generation hypersonic missile and culminated in a surprising reveal: the missile components were being used to create a revolutionary vacuum cleaner. If you haven’t caught the episode yet, it’s well worth streaming on Paramount+ to see how the team pieced everything together. The episode also explored Nick Torres protecting his informant and forming a connection with a private investigator who previously served in the Navy.
The subplot, however, centered on McGee and Dr. Jimmy Palmer navigating the fallout from their stint as referees for their kids’ soccer league championship. Though the actual game wasn’t shown, viewers saw the aftermath of a controversial call that determined the game’s outcome. Both McGee and Jimmy faced angry phone calls from parents of the losing team, with McGee beginning to doubt their decision while Jimmy, the head ref, insisted they stick by it.
With help from Kasie, who created a computer simulation using online footage of the game, the two realized they had indeed made the wrong call on the game’s final goal. This subplot provided some humor and heart, but it also served as a reminder of something that has been lacking in McGee’s character development: onscreen time with his kids.
It’s Time for NCIS to Show McGee With His Children
While McGee’s role as a parent is often mentioned, it’s disappointing that viewers have yet to meet his twins, John and Morgan. The children were born in the Season 17 episode “Voices,” which aired in November 2017, making them seven years old now. Despite this, they’ve never appeared onscreen, leaving McGee’s fatherhood largely in the realm of dialogue.
The adage “show, don’t tell” applies here. Viewers already know McGee sounds like a wonderful dad, but seeing him interact with his children would bring a new layer to his character. If Jimmy Palmer’s daughter Victoria could have her moment in the spotlight in Season 19’s “The Helpers,” why can’t McGee’s twins have their own episode?
Yes, casting and directing young actors can be challenging, especially for a single episode. However, the effort would be worthwhile, even if the twins’ involvement was limited to a subplot. Unlike Victoria’s story, the twins wouldn’t necessarily need to be tied to the week’s main case. A glimpse of McGee balancing fatherhood with his NCIS responsibilities would be enough to enrich his character.
Ideally, such an episode could also include Margo Harshman reprising her role as McGee’s wife, Delilah. Together, they could showcase their parenting dynamic, giving fans a fuller picture of McGee’s life outside of the team. If the showrunners prefer to wait until the twins are older, that’s fine too, as long as the storyline eventually comes to fruition.
Looking Ahead for NCIS
New episodes of NCIS air Mondays at 9 PM ET on CBS, followed by NCIS: Origins. The franchise is thriving, with NCIS: Sydney returning for Season 2 on January 31, and the highly anticipated NCIS: Tony & Ziva set to premiere on Paramount+ in 2025.
For now, though, here’s hoping the writers take the opportunity in a future season to explore Timothy McGee’s life as a father. It’s a natural evolution for his character and would undoubtedly resonate with fans who have watched him grow from rookie agent to family man over the years.
