NCIS: Sean murray reveals what playing Timothy McGee Means To Him

NCIS star Sean Murray first joined the cast as Timothy McGee in Season 1 as a recurring character. By the second season, he was already a full-time cast member along with the series' lead actor Mark Harmon.

Similarly, Sean Murray noted that NCIS resonates because it focuses on characters rather than events. Many television procedurals are weekly shows that focus on solving crimes rather than the characters. But Murray admitted that NCIS doesn't do things that way, and that's what sets NCIS apart.

"I think one of the things that we focused on early on was the characters and the relationships between them, the dynamics and all that," Murray explained.

“The case is becoming a bit more secondary, not as important as how the characters interact with each other. I think that's something that has resonated with people."

Murray believes that the characters in NCIS have become distinct from each other after 400 episodes. Due to the vast number of episodes and characters, the actor asserts that the show caters to a diverse audience.

The show has undergone significant transformations since its inception in 2003, with only Murray and few remaining from the original cast. The show's shooting style has also evolved as characters and crew members have come and gone.

The actor points out that this keeps things interesting, helping the cast and crew avoid being "lazy or complacent". After 17 years, he said no one called him. They always provide the best product possible.

After playing McGee for a long time, Sean Murray confessed that he's gotten so familiar with the character that he can turn him on and off at will. 

“I'm at a point where I can turn on and off to play McGee. Because it evolves as the series evolves. You have the idea and plot for the character; For me, it's about vibrating and finding my way through it," Murray revealed. 

After a shocking opening in which Gibbs shoots McGee on the runway as he tries to stop a plane, the actor promised season 18 will be "really interesting". As for his own character specifically , Sean Murray says he'll explore the evolution between McGee and Gibbs.

The actor, on the other hand, points out that the on-screen dynamics between these two characters mirror real life in many ways. In fact, he worked with Mark Harmon as a 15-year-old on the 1990s western, Harts of the West, he remembers vividly. By this time, Harmon was already a household name following his career at St. Elsewhere. 

"He made a huge impression on me when he came in and did a part in Harts of the West," Murray explained.

“I had a few scenes with him and we talked a lot about craft and other things. So to be able to work with him again during the years that followed was amazing. And, you know, he's been a mentor to me, whether he knows it or not."