Some interviews feel like formal Q&As. Others feel like you’ve wandered into someone’s kitchen and started chatting over coffee. My conversation with Sean Murray was the latter — easy, warm, and surprisingly personal for a ten-minute slot that absolutely did not feel like ten minutes.
It helped that NCIS Season 23 Episode 6, “Page-Turner,” is one of the most playful McGee-focused hours the show has delivered in years. Murray practically lit up just talking about it.
“We had so much fun doing this episode,” he said right away. “It was very, very different for us. You know, the show’s been on for 23 years, and this was a very different kind of script.”
A Meta McGee Mystery — and Pure Fun
In the episode, McGee’s latest Deep Six novel becomes an unexpected lifeline during a kidnapping. The hour lets him interact with the fictional characters he’s created — Rick Soares, Agent Knightshade, Professor Parkman, and even Pimmy Jalmer (whom Murray confessed he almost dressed as for Halloween).
“In retrospect, I probably should have,” he laughed.
The episode plays like a whimsical, slightly dark meta-mystery — Murray even joked about being relieved there was “no hobbling.” But the real charm is how deeply McGee relies on this imaginary world, something Murray has always enjoyed exploring.
“We’ve been teasing for years that McGee bases his characters on the people around him,” he explained. “This idea had been in the writers’ heads for a while. It was just… fun.”
A brief tangent about audiobooks led to a spontaneous revelation:
“You just gave me a really good idea,” he said, surprised at himself. “I think maybe we should do an audiobook. And yeah, I think McGee narrates his own. I’m not sure how good he is at it… but we should do it.”
Suddenly, the idea of a Deep Six audio series doesn’t feel far-fetched.
“McGee Has Changed More Than Any Other Character.”
When the conversation shifted to McGee’s evolution over more than two decades, Murray grew thoughtful.
“I had no idea I’d be here twenty-two years later,” he admitted. “Sometimes I see early clips and I’m like, wow. What a different deal.”
From the beginning, he pushed for real growth.
“We didn’t want the baby Maggie Simpson thing,” he said. “You can’t revert to the same character every week. McGee had to learn, had to get better. That’s why I haven’t gotten bored.”
“Page-Turner” is a perfect illustration of that journey — the once-timid rookie now uses imagination, instinct, and sheer capability to save himself.
NCIS: Origins, Tony & Ziva, and the Franchise’s New Energy
With NCIS: Origins and the Tony & Ziva spinoff revitalizing the franchise, I asked whether they’d influenced the tone of the main show. Murray doesn’t see it as influence — more like permission to stretch.
“These shows have different styles,” he said. “Origins is darker, Tony and Ziva has that fun European spy vibe. The mothership is the chicken soup. And it’s better this way — not carbon copies.”
Season 23’s renewed playfulness hasn’t gone unnoticed by him.
“It just feels really good this year,” he said. “We’ve got more at stake, more personal stuff. We’re really enjoying where things are going.”
But Don’t Settle In — Darker Episodes Are Ahead
When I asked whether Parker’s family arc hinted at tougher episodes coming, Murray didn’t hesitate.
“Oh yeah. There’s some heavy stuff coming up. We balance the light with the dark, and it works.”
Then he dropped two major hints — casually, like mentioning buying almond milk on the way home:
-
A long-absent NCIS character is returning.
-
McGee receives major unexpected family news soon.
NCIS fans, start theorizing.
Could McGee Get His Own Spinoff?
I floated the idea of a Thom E. Gemcity-style procedural. Murray laughed.
“That could be fun. And yeah, those ideas come up. But honestly? I’m having so much fun with what we’re doing right now.”
Not a no — but definitely a “maybe later.”
What does he still want for McGee?
“Sometimes Knight gets to do the super SWAT stuff,” he said. “I’d like to see if McGee could handle that.”
A McGee-in-over-his-head action arc? Sign us up.
A Veteran Actor Who’s Still Enjoying the Ride
Murray during our chat was relaxed, funny, and nothing like the anxious edge Tim McGee often carries. He radiates the energy of someone who’s genuinely thrilled with the stories the team is telling this year.
And based on his teases, NCIS fans have plenty to look forward to: returning faces, personal bombs, heavier arcs, and the continued evolution of one of the show’s most quietly essential characters.
Not bad for a casual ten-minute conversation that felt much longer — in the best way.
After 22 years, NCIS remains one of TV’s most beloved procedurals, thanks to cast and creators who never stop finding new layers. And with Sean Murray front and center, Season 23 might just be something special.
