As one of several primetime shows to cross 250 episodes and even pass 450 episodes, NCIS is staying strong with the upcoming 22nd season this fall on the 2024 TV schedule . The long-running CBS procedural has seen rotating cast members throughout the years, but Sean Murray continues to portray Special Agent Timothy McGee. The funny thing is, all he initially wanted was to make it to Season 2.
The actor joined NCIS seven episodes into Season 1, and now he’s about to break a franchise record for appearing in the most episodes. Ahead of the new season, Murray looked back at his time on the show with Variety , recalling he actually told Mark Harmon he had hoped he would be asked back for Season 2: I remember when we finished Season 1, talking to Harmon and everyone else and saying, ‘I hope I see you guys next year.’ Good things were in the air, and I came back full-time on Season 2, so I guess it worked out.
Instead of being recurring, things definitely worked out for Murray since he was upped to series regular and has remained a mainstay since then. There was a reason he was brought on full time, and it makes me wonder just how different NCIS would have been. Luckily, fans don’t have to wonder, and it just proves he was the only person to play McGee.
The actor continued: Well, it happened sort of naturally. McGee came in as a one-time guest star, and was a probational rookie officer at the local base in Virginia, Norfolk, helping the team with the case. He slowly started.