What Sean Murray’s Uncertain NCIS Future Means For The Show After Historical 21-Season Run

NCIS actor Sean Murray recently suggested in an interview with People that his NCIS fate is uncertain and it would have a big impact on the show if he were to leave. The actor has starred in the police procedural for 21 years, officially joining the Naval Criminal Investigative Service as Timothy McGee in NCIS season 2 after appearing in season 1, with the character making appearances in the series since its first season. NCIS season 21 is currently airing on CBS, and since the show features Murray in one of its main roles, the news that the star’s fate is uncertain comes as a major shock to the NCIS universe.

Although NCIS has officially been renewed for season 22, Murray’s future on the show remains unclear. Murray said in the interview that although he has enjoyed being a part of the show, that “no one is quite safe” and suggested that what’s next is not written. The show has seen some of its biggest characters depart, with the NCIS franchise experiencing drastic changes in recent years. Murray’s departure from the flagship series would be yet another major departure from the NCIS universe, and the absence of his character would leave a large hole to fill.

Sean Murray Departure Would Mean Losing The Show’s Most Veteran Cast Member

Murray Has Been On NCIS Since Season 1 As Timothy McGee

Having made recurring appearances on the show since its first season, Sean Murray is now the flagship series’ most veteran cast member. Furthermore, Murray is one of the series’ core cast members, which at one time also included Mark Harmon’s Leroy Jethro Gibbs, David McCallum’s Dr. Donald “Ducky” Mallard, Pauley Perrette’s Abby Sciuto, Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo, and Cote de Pablo’s Ziva David. With characters like Gibbs and Dr. Mallard leaving the show in recent seasons, it has left Murray’s McGee with the most seniority.

Timothy McGee’s role in the Major Case Response Team has evolved over the years, as has his character’s involvement in the show. McGee started as an NCIS agent assigned to the Norfolk Naval Base, and he regularly assisted Gibbs’ team in season 1 as a guest star on the show, permanently joining the ranks as a probationary agent in NCIS season 2. McGee advanced again several seasons later when he was promoted to NCIS Special Agent, then Senior Field Agent, and he became the show’s lead character in season 20 after Mark Harmon’s departure.

Murray’s Departure From The Team Would Open Up A Big Door For A New NCIS Character

A New Character Could Step Into McGee’s Place With A Fresh Narrative

Murray’s role is central to the series, developing over time to make him the most important character on the show. His departure would open a door in the NCIS universe for a new character to step in, and the original series could have an opportunity to introduce a completely new character at a time when the show feels relatively well-established again. A new character would foster a new team dynamic and introduce a fresh storyline. Audiences’ familiarity with characters is one of the things that makes the original series great, but a new character would bring new life to the show.

Murray’s departure could also open the door for an existing cast member to step up and take a larger role in the team. When Michael Weatherly’s Tony DiNozzo left the show in 2016, that’s when McGee’s character was able to step up and become second-in-command as a Senior Field Agent. McGee’s departure from the team now could mean a similar promotion from someone already in the team. It would feel natural for Special Agent Nick Torres to gain a large role, or it could be an opportunity for Agent Jessica Knight to develop into a more serious role.

NCIS Is No Stranger To Losing Major Cast Members

The Series Has Featured A Rotating Cast Since Its Early Days

Although Sean Murray’s departure from the series would come as a shock, the NCIS franchise is no stranger to losing and replacing major cast members. The series has seen several main NCIS characters exit the show, beginning with Sasha Alexander’s Caitlin Todd in NCIS season 2, when Todd was shot and abruptly left the show after the actress didn’t want to continue with her six-season contract. The show has since witnessed the departure of other major characters, such as Ziva David, Tony DiNozzo, Abby Sciuto, Eleanor Bishop, Jacqueline Sloane, and others.

The show experienced its most significant character loss in season 19, when Mark Harmon’s Gibbs moved to Alaska and the team was left without its main character and team leader for the first time in the show’s history. Then just this season, the show said goodbye to the only official cast and team member that remained from season 1, when the actor who played Dr. Mallard, David McCallum, passed away at 90. While McGee’s departure would mean losing the show’s most veteran cast member, the show has witnessed a rotating cast since Todd’s exit in season 2.

When NCIS Loses A Cast Member, They Don’t Always Disappear For Good

The Characters Come Back For Guest Appearances And Their Own Spinoff Shows

Although the original NCIS series has said goodbye to a lot of cast members over the years, the series’ most beloved characters are rarely gone for good. The franchise often features former cast members in guest appearances, like when Michael Weatherly recently reprized his role as Tony DiNozzo in the Ducky tribute episode after a five-year absence. The show also saw the return of Ziva David, who, after departing NCIS in season 11, returned in seasons 16 and 17 to seek help from Gibbs and answer some of the major questions about her character that had been left open-ended.

Sometimes a character is so beloved in the NCIS universe that their character is brought back for a spinoff. This has happened recently with Weatherly’s DiNozzo and de Pablo’s David, as the characters are preparing to reunite and bring forth a Tony & Ziva spinoff. There will also be a spinoff series that will explore the backstory of major NCIS character Leroy Gibbs, with the newly announced NCIS: Origins set to explain the main character’s past. Characters are such fan-favorites that even when they exit the show, they don’t disappear from the NCIS universe.

Sean Murray’s revelation about his uncertain NCIS fate comes as a major shock to audiences who have seen him play Timothy McGee since NCIS season 1, and his departure would see the NCIS franchise lose its most established character. Although McGee would leave a large hole to fill in the Major Case Response Team, his departure would create an exciting opportunity for someone new to step in. Even if NCIS does say goodbye to McGee, the beloved character will likely have opportunities to return.

Source: People