McGee’s double life as both an NCIS agent and a cr1me novelist collided in a major way on this week’s NCIS. During a book tour for his newest Deep Six novel, McGee was kidnapped and chained to a bed in an attic – where he began hallucinating conversations with characters from his books. Those characters, of course, looked exactly like his NCIS teammates.
Gary Cole, Wilmer Valderrama, and Katrina Law all jumped into playful new personas: Cole as the academic “Professor Parkman,” Valderrama as the nerdy “Rick Soares,” and Law as the exaggerated, bodysuit-wearing “Knightingdale.”
“It felt like a totally different show,” Sean Murray (McGee) told TVLine. “The sets, the characters, everything… it was a blast seeing everyone bring these oddball versions of themselves to life.” Murray, a fan of surreal storytelling and dream sequences, loved the chance to lean into fantasy elements. He also said Season 23 has brought a “renewed energy” to the cast and crew.
Part of the fun, he said, was watching his fellow actors stretch their creativity. He encouraged Law to embrace a cartoonish accent for her character, and he praised Valderrama’s commitment to Rick Soares’ sweater vests, glasses, and completely different speech patterns.
Despite McGee’s success as author “Thom E. Gemcity,” Murray doesn’t think his character is ready to leave NCIS for writing full-time. The extra book money helps, he joked – especially with kids to support – but McGee remains an agent first.
Season 23 still has more surprises ahead. Murray teased “very big, unexpected family-related news” for McGee and deeper exploration into Parker’s mysterious connection to young Lily. And perhaps the biggest tease: the return of a beloved NCIS character who hasn’t appeared in years. He didn’t name names, but the hint alone is enough to spark speculation among longtime fans.
