Sean Murray’s character, Timothy McGee, has evolved significantly since his debut in the sixth episode of *NCIS*. Initially appearing as a guest star in eight episodes of Season 1, he was promoted to the main cast in Season 2. Following Mark Harmon’s departure, Murray now gets top billing in the opening credits, making him the longest-serving cast member on *NCIS*. Clearly, Murray enjoys playing McGee, given his long tenure on the show. However, the actor has revealed that he suffered a permanent injury while filming, which might not have been worth the scene’s outcome.
In the *NCIS* Season 2 episode “Bikini Wax,” McGee chases a suspect through a car wash, only for Gibbs to catch the guy on the other side, leaving McGee covered in soap suds. It was meant to teach McGee a lesson about fieldwork, but what viewers didn’t see was Sean Murray taking a major tumble in that car wash. During an appearance on *Off Duty: An NCIS Rewatch* with former co-stars Michael Weatherly and Cote de Pablo, Murray recalled:
“Running through that car wash, which I did many times and was a real car wash, I remember taking a sharp right… My dress shoes come out right from under me ’cause I’m sprinting. I come down on my right hand. And, you know, like a lot of us actor types, we jump up, we just keep doing our thing. We don’t even really notice what we do until afterwards. To this day, I have very limited mobility in my right thumb now. It’s a good thing I’m a lefty.”
While *NCIS* procedurals often find creative ways to spice up chase scenes, it’s regrettable that Murray’s thumb was permanently damaged during the “Bikini Wax” shoot. Perhaps skipping the car wash or allowing the actor to wear shoes with better traction could have prevented the injury. Considering his feet weren’t visible in the scene, sneakers might have been a safer choice.
Despite the injury, it’s fortunate that Murray landed on his hand rather than his head. As for McGee, he recently reunited with Tony DiNozzo in the Season 21 tribute episode to the late David McCallum, “The Stories We Leave Behind.” He also discovered he had a half-sister in “The Plan” and eventually met her, though it’s uncertain if their relationship will be further explored on screen.
*NCIS* Season 22 is set to premiere this fall, alongside the franchise’s new prequel series, *NCIS: Origins*. Additionally, the *NCIS: Tony & Ziva* spinoff will be available exclusively on Paramount+, where fans can stream all other *NCIS* shows.