Did NCIS just bring Michael Weatherly back to help soften the blow of losing Sean Murray? That is the question at the front of fans’ minds following the unexpected revelation that came in the closing moments of season 24’s second episode.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for NCIS season 24, episode 2!
The second episode of season 24 revolved heavily around the team adjusting to Tony taking over as NCIS’s new director, which came with some expected growing pains. Unlike former directors, who took more of a hands-off approach to case work, Tony couldn’t help himself from dropping in throughout the case to inject himself into the investigation and help crack the case.
As the episode drew to a close, McGee was given the difficult job of confronting Tony about the way he seemed to fall back into old ways of working cases, which was blurring the lines. This wasn’t out of a desire to micromanage or because he doesn’t know how to do the job, but it’s his outlet for the stress the job brings. While Vance turned to boxing to help get him through the job and relieve stress, Tony plans on dabbling in case work from time to time, as there is nothing he loves more than bringing bad guys down.
McGee was more than understanding of Tony’s stance and quipped that not only could he live with it, but he wasn’t sure how he had lived without it. That’s when Tony dropped an unexpected bombshell as he told McGee not to get too comfortable, as the only reason McGee isn’t doing the director’s job is because SecNav has another one planned for him: her job.
The reveal left McGee speechless as the episode came to an end, but it left the fans at home even more speechless and filled with a sense of worry. After all, if McGee is being groomed to take the SecNav job, what could that mean for his future on the NCIS team?
While SecNav has played a pivotal role in NCIS through the years, the actors who have held the title of SecNav haven't typically appeared in a series regular role. Instead, they tend to pop up from time to time in more of a recurring guest capacity. So if McGee is being groomed to take the position of SecNav, it begs the question: Is this storyline being introduced as a potential exit storyline for Sean Murray, or one designed to lessen his role in the series?
So far there have been no indications that Murray is leaving, but this storyline could very well be used to lessen his role on the show. After all, there really wouldn’t be a need for the SecNav to have a permanent fixture and suddenly appear in every episode of the show. That’s not to say it couldn’t happen, as SecNav being more involved would certainly shake up the dynamics of the show and open the door for more storytelling, but it seems unlikely.
We’ll have to wait to see how this storyline unfolds. There is definitely reason for concern over his exit, but at this time there has been no indication Murray is leaving the show. Of course, NCIS is no stranger to shaking things up in-season, so we’ll have to keep tuning in to see how this storyline will unfold!
NCIS airs Tuesdays at 8/7c on CBS.
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