Heading into the 500th episode of NCIS, we expected that the writers would have a few surprises up their sleeves to celebrate the milestone episode. What we did not expect was that the episode would bring about the departure of one of the show’s longest-tenured characters or that their exit would come in the most shocking of manners.
In NCIS’s 500th episode, Director Leon Vance made the ultimate sacrifice and was killed in the line of duty after being shot multiple times in the chest by a corrupt CID agent. Vance’s sacrifice not only brought down a pair of corrupt agents, but it also saved the NCIS agency, which had previously been shut down due to budget cuts.
Vance’s death brought an end to Rocky Carroll’s 18-season run on the show and means that for the first time in nearly a decade, NCIS is in need of a new director. It’s honestly impossible to think of anyone replacing Vance in the director’s chair at NCIS, but the agency is going to need a new director, and one is likely to be named sometime before season 23 comes to an end.
While the show could look to bring in a new actor to take over the role of director, the truth is that it already has the perfect person to replace Vance and it’s someone who has been a part of the NCIS team since the show’s very first season.
NCIS needs to make McGee the next NCIS director
As hard as it might be to think of anyone replacing Vance, there is one particular character who would help make the transition easier on fans: Tim McGee.
McGee has been a part of the NCIS ensemble since the very beginning, and we’ve seen him grow a lot over the years from the probie he once was. McGee is the most tenured member of the team, and we know he’s been looking to advance his career. Just last season, we saw McGee actively pursuing the role of NCIS Deputy Director as a way to further his career in the agency after spending years as a senior field agent.
While McGee did not land that position, it seemed like the first real step for the show setting up McGee to take on a larger role within the NCIS agency. It also can’t be overlooked that during what would become Vance’s sendoff episode, the writers seemed to foreshadow McGee’s promotion to NCIS Director during Vance’s conversation with the man we’d come to learn was the Angel of Death, so to speak.
“McGee is destined to lead, and leaders know when to ask for permission and where to ask for forgiveness,” Vance replied in a comment that holds much more weight now knowing the context of what would come. This might have been nothing more than a throwaway line, but it feels intentional now and as though it was the writers’ way of foreshadowing McGee becoming Vance’s replacement at the agency.
We certainly know that McGee has the qualifications for the position, and there is truly no one better suited to take over the job. It’s also time that McGee be allowed to finally advance his career in a more meaningful way, as a promotion is long overdue for the NCIS veteran. Getting to see McGee step in as director would change the dynamics of the show in a fun way in exploring how McGee transitions from working in the field alongside his fellow agents to overseeing the agency and making the tough decisions Vance was frequently forced to make.
This then still gives the show the opportunity to bring in a new actor to join the cast by pulling in a new NCIS agent rather than bringing in a new actor to lead the agency.
That's not to say we wouldn't miss seeing McGee in the field, but it makes sense that he move on to a bigger role in the agency, and this promotion would give the character renewed purpose on the show. As a character who has been part of the show since season 1, we're ready to see McGee tackling new challenges and hope that the writers don't overlook the perfect replacement they have to succeed Vance as NCIS's new director.