Longtime NCIS fans might be shocked to learn that one Season 10 episode almost had a completely different ending — one that could have written out a beloved character for good.
According to a former writer on the series, the Season 10 installment “Shiva” originally included a twist in which Timothy McGee (Sean Murray) would be reassigned to a long-term undercover mission, effectively removing him from the main team for several episodes. The storyline was meant to explore the psychological toll of isolation on an agent.
But after an early table read, both Mark Harmon (Gibbs) and Pauley Perrette (Abby Sciuto) expressed concern that fans might see the shift as “losing McGee” during an already emotional arc following Ziva’s family tragedy. The producers quietly reworked the script, keeping McGee on the main team and reassigning the undercover angle to a one-off guest agent.
“It would have been a fantastic story,” the writer admitted, “but in the end, keeping the team together mattered more. We wanted the audience to feel the family bond, not another loss.”
The unused McGee storyline remains one of the most intriguing “what ifs” in NCIS history — and a reminder that sometimes, last-minute changes preserve the heart of the show.
